Casa Howard Press & Guidebook Reviews of our Florence Guesthouse

» an incomplete list of publications & short movies featuring Casa Howard Guesthouses

Guidebook: Alastair Sawdays
Year: 2008
Guest house: Casa Howard Florence Guesthouse
Review: "A five-minute walk from the bus and train station is this handsome palazzo, the talk of the town. No reception staff, no communal space, just a big fur throw on a welcoming divan and smiling housekeepers who serve breakfast in your room. On each floor, too, an honest fridge stocked with soft drinks, wine and champagne. But best of all are the bedrooms, designed with style, originality and humour. If you can splash out on a larger, more lavish room, do, though all are delightful. One, with a sunken bath and Japanese prints on the walls, is a deep sensual red; another is 18th-century elegant, with a black velvet sofa and gold taffeta curtains. The apartment, its queen-size bed residing at the top of a spiral stair, is ultra-moderne. There’s a room specially for those who arrive with their pooches (dogs’ beds, baskets, large terrace), and another, the “Play Room”, for families (Disney videos, a climbing wall!). Bathrooms are memorable; nights are air-conditioned and peaceful, providing you keep windows shut. A breath of fresh air, and decent value for the heart of old Florence."

Magazine: Architectural Digest (edizione Italiana)
Year: 2006
Guesthouse: Casa Howard Florence Guest House
Review: "Per la nostra storia essere a Firenze, in un palazzo antico a ridosso del complesso di Santa Maria Novella, non è cosa indifferente. Non già perché l'interior design di questa Casa Howard, nuova gemma dell'omonima catena di guesthousese di nichia, dopo quella di Roma pubblicata su AD del Gennaio 2004, si riffacia agli stilemi dell'architettura di Leon Battista Alberti, meglio, ai modi della tradizione abitativa fiorentina; piuttosto perché, nella sua ricerca di una rapsodia decorativa colta ed emozionale, rintraccia certe atmosfere patrizie e padronali, certe nostalgie cara alla colonia inglese che, sulle rive dell'Arno e sulle colline circostanti, si insediò tra le fine dell'800 e l'inizio del'900, quel esistenziale anglofiorentino che ebbe Mark twain un acuto chiosatore. [... read more here ... ] "

Magazine: B Cool Firenze
Year: 2008
Guest house: Casa Howard Florence Guesthouse
Review: "The Art of Hospitality and of smart traveling – Casa Howard Guest Houses are not hotels rather true, beautiful private houses whether an apartment, palazzo or farmhouse which gives personal service, and where some typically “hotel” ideas, methods and services have been borrowed. With uniquely designed, cosy rooms in both towns, it’s like staying in a very relaxed, stylish friend’s home – as guests you get the keys of the house, you enjoy the original furniture and objects, and you feel the atmosphere of the house. Casa Howard is located close to Santa Maria Novella – an ideal spot for accessing the city’s profusion of architectural treasures. Having only 12 rooms and 2 suites in Florence. The Florentine Casa – classified as a “Residenza d’Epoca” – (a “registered property”) is world famous for its quirky look thanks to renovations made by famous inerior designers Tommaso Ziffer and Fabrizio Cuniberto led by Jenifer Howard Forneris.

L’arte della Ospitalità e del "viaggiare intelligente", le Guest Houses Casa Howard non sono alberghi né boutique hotels, ma autentiche case private, sia che si tratti di un palazzo, di un appartamento o di una fattoria aperte a viaggiatori esperti che non desiderano più andare in strutture impersonali o artefatte. Alcuni tipici servizi “d’albergo” garantiscono la piena fruibilità delle strutture, ma la sensazione rimane quella di andare ospiti in bellissime case di amici, dove riceverete le chiavi e godrete senza soggezione dei tanto oggetti d’arte o autentici ricordi di viaggio della famiglia dei proprietari. Un cameriere è sempre presente. La Casa di Firenze, a pochi metri dalla piazza di Santa Maria Novella, è ideale base di partenza per il giro dei tesori d’arte o dei negozi (o anche gastronomico) della città. Arredamenti, non “di design” ma tutti autenticamente divertenti o anche suggestivi senza per questo travalicare in esagerazioni o dejà vu, realizzati sotto la guida di Jenifer Howard Forneris dal famoso Tommaso Ziffer e da Francesco Cuniberto."

Website: Concierge.com
Year: 2006
Guesthouse: Casa Howard Florence
Accommodation Review: "Like the idea of a bit of luxury combined with the atmosphere of an elegant private residence? Casa Howard could provide the answer. This discreet home-from-home offers high standards of comfort and service and great rates. The look is stylish and vaguely eccentric; furniture is an eclectic mixture of antiques and custom-made pieces combined with fine fabrics and strong colors. No two bedrooms are alike: The spacious and dramatic Drawing Room has black walls and white cornicing: The Hidden Room is a sexy little den with deep red walls hung with erotic Japanese prints and a sunken bath; the Fireplace Room is just that, apart from an oversized black velvet sofa and honey-colored silk curtains. There is no communal space to speak of (unless you count the Turkish Bath), so breakfast is served on a tray in the rooms."

Guidebook: Conde Nast Johansens
Year: 2007
Guesthouse: Casa Howard Florence Guest House
Review: "The homely Casa Howard is an intimate and elegant mansion within walking distance of the Uffizi, the Duomo and Via Tornabuoni. The themed guest rooms, uncluding two suites, and 1 small apartment, creatively mix antique furnishings with modern style and are adorned with special touches such as fresh flowers and family portraits. Breakfast includes homemade jams and honey, whilst dinner reservations can be arranged by the helpful housekeepers. The house has a large Turkish hammam."

Magazine: Conde Nast Traveller
Year: 2005
Guesthouse: Casa Howard Florence
Accommodation Review: "Regulars love Casa Howard's two Roman branches for their charming decor and proximity to the Spanish Steps. Its just-opened Florentine sister continues the trend, with themed rooms (Playroom is for families, Camel for smokers) and a convenient location near the train station... "

Magazine: Conde Nast Traveller
Year: 2005
Guesthouse: Casa Howard Florence
Accommodation Review: "The Hotel Hot List 2005 - 60 best new hotels
Following the success of two Casa Howards in Rome, owners Count Massimiliano Leonardi di Casalino and his English wife have set their sights on Florence as part of a long-term plan to open similar guest houses in other European 'art cities'. Designed to be a discreet pied-à-terre offering the sort of choice location, high standards of service and accessible prices that will appeal to business and leisure travellers alike, Casa Howard Florence is in an elegant town house a few minutes' walk from both the train station and the city's Renaissance glories. The look is classy, cosy and vaguely eccentric; the emphasis in the 12 highly individual bedrooms is on quality and fine fabrics (several of which have private terraces). The dramatic drawing room has a black ceiling and walls, white mouldings, leopard-print headboards and dusty mauve, shot-silk window treatments. The intimate Hidden Room has a sunken bath, a shower in a glass box, erotic Japanese prints on deep red walls and a chintzy little sitting room. There is a room for kids with a climbing frame against one wall and another for dog owners, complete with dog beds and a large terrace. Bathrooms, stocked with delicious Santa Maria Novella toiletries, are quirky and fun, and the hammam will restore museum-weary bones. You can order breakfast (hot croissants and honey from the owners' farm) in your room at any time (within reason), and fridges on each floor are stocked with Champagne, wine and soft drinks. "

Magazine: Dove Case
Year: 2005
Guesthouse: Casa Howard Rome & Florence
Accommodation Review: "[...]Anche a Firenze e a Roma sono nate iniziative analoghe. Nella città Toscana Massimiliano Leonardi di Casalino ha inaugurato da poco un elegante guest apartment in via della Scala 18, sistemato con la collaborazione degli architetti Fabrizio Cuniberto e Patrizio Ruffo e arredato dalla moglie Jenifer Howard. Spiega il titolare: "Provengo da una famiglia napoletana numerosa, e con il passare degli anni ho ereditato alcune case in Europa. All'inizio mi sembravano poco gestibili, poi ho trovato la formula della guest house per le proprietà piu grandi e del guest apartment per quelle piu piccole e ho trasformato tutto in una fonte di redddito". Il progetto sembra proprio riuscito, visto che Leonardi di Casalino inaugurerà a breve un altro appartamento a Barcellona. Senza dimenticare i due guest house che già gestice a Roma, rispettivamente in Via Capo le Case 18 e in Via Sistina 149. [...]"

Magazine: De Smaak Van Italie
Year: 2008
Guest house: Casa Howard Florence Guesthouse
Review: "Dir vriendelijke gastenhuis Casa Howard bevindt zich vlakbij de Santa Maria Novella; een ideaal uitgangspunt voor het ontdekken van de rijke kunst en de architectuur van de stad.

Het huis is een intrigerende combinatie van een pachtig herenhuis en een hip hotel waar de gasten worden ondergebracht in elegante appartementen. De Fireplace room heeft open haarden in zit- en badkamer. Hidden Room is ingericht met diep donkerrood en de Drawing Room heft een marmeren vloer en antieke Chinese mueblen. Alle originele vloeren en plafonds zijn bewaard gebleven. In Casa Howard zijn mooie meubelstukken te vinden. Zo is er zwart zijden sofa, een ingebouwd bad van marmer en een capitoneerd bedhoofdeinde date en hele muur in beslag neemt. Er is een hamam om heerlijk te kunnen ontspannen ne een dagje winkelen.

"

Website: Escapio - Hotel Booklet 2008
Year: 2008
Guest house: Casa Howard Florence Guesthouse
Review: "Der Aufenthalt im Casa Howard Guest House in Florenz macht riesigen Spaß. Zum einen wegen der originellen Themenzimmer, die mit einem Mix aus Antimöbeln und Extraanfertigungen eingerichtet sind. Zum anderen wegen der angenehm privaten Atmosphäre und dem Frühstück im Bett mit warmen Croissants und toskanischem Honig."

Newspaper: The Florentine
Year: 2005
Guesthouse: Casa Howard Florence Guest House
Review: "Casa Howard - If you have enough of impersonal hotel rooms with indifferent service and like the idea of a bit of luxury combined with the atmosphere of an elegant and private residence, 12-room Casa Howard could provide the answer.

Occupying a handsome palazzo on Via della Scala (a rather scruffy street that is, however, conveniently situated for both the train station and the city centre), this discreet home-from-home is the brainchild of Massimiliano Leonardi and his English interior-designer wife. The idea is to offer a discreet pied-a-terre with high standards of comfort and service plus the sort of accessible prices that will appeal to leisure travellers.

Once inside, the look is stylish and vaguely eccentric with an emphasis on quality; furniture is an eclectic mixture of custom-made pieces and pickings from the family vaults while fine fabrics and strong colours play a major role. No two bedrooms are alike (apart from the tiny "Twins" which are near mirror images of each other), but they are all done out with style, originality and touches of humor. The large Drawing Room is the most dramatic; white cornicing stands out against black walls while the bed heads are covered in leopard print. The Fireplace Room has two of them, one is in the bathroom where you can watch the plasma screen TV while soaking in the clawfoot tub. The Hidden Room is a sensual little den whose deep red walls are hung with erotic Japanese prints and which shares its floor space with a shower in a glass box and a sunken bath. it has its own chintzy little living room too. Pooch owners will be lease with the dog baskets and large terrace in the Game Room, smokers can indulge in the Camel Room and the kids can let off stream on the climbing frame in the Play Room.

There are electric kettles with supplies of tea and coffee in all rooms plus LCD TVs and everything else you would expect from a top level hotel. Bathrooms (which all have cosy heated floors) are quirky and fun (although some are quite small) and well stocked with delicious Santa Maria Novella bath goodies. There is no communal space to speak of (unless you count the Turkish bath) so breakfast is served on a tray in the rooms. The lack of a bar is compensated for by "honesty" fridges filled with champagne, wines and soft drinks on each floor.

Casa Howard Florence only opened a few months ago, but the Leonardi's have been successfully running two Roman versions for some years now and there are plans to expand into other European art cities such as Barcelona and Prague. Good luck to them... it would seem they are onto a winner and there's nowhere else quite like it in Florence."

Guide Book: Frommer's
Year: 2007
Guesthouse: Casa Howard Florence Guest House
Review: "With a sibling hotel of the same name already doing well in Rome, Casa Howard has arrived in Florence. It’s housed in a restored palazzo next to the famous Santa Maria Novella Pharmacy, from which the hotel secures the most divine pomegranate and mint soaps, a scent that has become our favourite. The midsize rooms are a bit quirky with their stylized themes: if you’re the intellectual type, there’s the Library Room, which is filled with wall-to-wall reading. And for those of a more sensual nature, there’s the Hidden Room with its eotic prints and a sunken bathtub for romantic moments. This casa, however, is not strictly an adult retreat – it also has a playroom with family-friendly videos and a “climbing wall”. A special feature of the hotel is its large Turkish bath."

Magazine: Geo Saison Extra
Year: 2007
Guest house: Casa Howard Florence Guesthouse
Review: "Die gute alte Pension, im ersten Stock gelegen, ist auferstanden – als hippes Guesthouse und Kontrastangebot zu traditionellen Hotels. Wie zuvor in Rom haben die Britin Jennifer Howard Forneris und ihr Mann Massimiliano Leonardi di Casalino mitten in Florenz ihre Vorstellung von gehobener Gastlichkeit in einem Palazzo verwirklicht. Hinter der hochglanzpolierten, mit massiven Messingbeschlägen versehenen Eingangstur entfalten sich ein Haus mit betont privater Atmosphäre, das aktuellem cool design eine deutliche Asbage erteilt. Eine Innentreppe verbindet drei Stockwerke, uber die sich die opulent möblierten Zimmer verteilen. Zusammen mit dem Turiner Innenarchitekten Fabrizio Cuniberto hat Jennifer Howard Forneris jedes Detail geplant. Das Zimmer „Fireplace“ verheisst mit Marmorkamin, Parkett und ausladendem, schwarzem Sofa behagliche Stunden. Im „Hidden Room“ versteckt sich das rote Schlafzimmer hinter einem roten Salon. Im „Drawing Room“ blieb der antike Boden erhalten; dunkelbrauner Wände, voluminöse Stores, Plüschsofa und ausladender Fauteuil versprühen den dekadenten Charme des 19. Jahrhunderts. Zum „Play Room“ gehört ein Vorraum mit Kletterwand, und im Schlafzimmer häufen sich Kinderbucher – mit denen der Hausherr aufwuchs. „Nichts ist Fake, alles hier ist eich, Kunstwerke oder Objekte stammen aus Familienbesitz“, sagt Massimiliano Leonardi di Casalino. "

Magazine: GQ Japan
Year: 2005
Guesthouse: Casa Howard Florence Guest House

Magazine: Hôtel & Lodge
Year: 2005
Guesthouse: Casa Howard Florence Guest House
Accommodation Review: L'esprit couture. Proche de la place Santa Maria Novella, Casa Howard, une délicieuse demeure historique, abrite quelques chambres d'hôtes confidentielles. Elle n'a pas pignon sur rue et se cache dans les étages d'un bâtiment imposant. Son adresse se chuchote encore de bouche à oreille puisque son propriétaire vient tout juste d'ouvrir ses portes. Après deux cases romaines, il semble naturel de renouveler l'expérience à Florence, et reste convaincu par la justesse d'une formule, rappelant une résidence privée : pas d'espaces communs, sinon un petit salon chaleureux aux murs teintés de grenat, une terrasse silencieuse... L'absence de restaurant est aussi un choix, mais la cuisine est ouverte a tous vents, et de petits réfrigérateurs jalonnent chaque étage : chacun y pioche librement, il suffit de le signaler sur la fiche prévue à cet effet. Suivant la tradition des ancêtres de la maîtresse de maison, Jenifer Howard Forneris, qui créaient des tissus pour la haute couture italienne des années 50, la décoration privilégie les couleurs éclatantes. L'architecte Frabrizio Cuniberto s'est naturellement concentré sur la sélection des matières et sur une palette chamarrée qui donnet à ce lieu une allure plus anglaise qu'italienne. Que ce soit la Camel room, vêtue de vert amande, l'Oriental room aux murs orangés ponctué de chinoiseries, la Drawing alternant noir de jais et boiseries blanches avec ses canapés irisés de taffetas, chaque chambre affirme sa personnalité. Le choix est tel qu'on rêve aussitôt y retourner.

Newspaper: Il Giornale Roma
Year: 2006
Guesthouse: Casa Howard Rome & Florence
Accommodation Review: "Poche Stanze, clienti trattati da amici. Cosi si visita la Capitale tra coccole e attenzioni. "La tua Casa e il tuo corpo piu grande", sosteneva il profeta Gibran. Aveva ragione. La nostra casa e il luogo deputato aa ospitare tutto il necessario e il superfluo alla nostra soppravvivenza. Difficile ritrovare gli stessi odori e sapori proustiani nelle camere asettiche di un grande albergo. Quando ci mettiamo in viaggio, subiamo una sorta di malessere, quasi ci venisse reciso di nuovo il nostro cordone ombilicale. E forse questo il motivo che ha spinto quattro signore romane (non per nascita ma per scelat) a inventare une nuovo formula di ospitalita che risolva in se i servizi e i confort di un grande albergo in un ambiente in cui gli ospiti si sentano a casa. La prima, "capostipite" delle felice intuizione, nel 2000 inaugura il suo Casa Howard in via Capo le Case: cinque stanze decorate con gusto in un appartamento di un antico palazzo, una diversa dall'altra, tutte di grande prestigio. La differenza sta nella piccole cose che solo la sensibilita e l'arguzia femminili consoscono. Gli ospiti sono amici in visita, il loro soggiorno deve esssere impeccabile. Questo il senso di Casa Howard che nel 2002 allarga i suoi spazi con altre cinque stanze in via Sistina, questa volta affidandosi al genio di Tommaso Ziffer, l'architetto dell'Hotel de Russie. Ciliegine sulla torta: un hammam strepitoso, colazione in camera con croissant cladi, servita da una femme-de-chambre che ricorda la bonne lasciata a casa, kimono giapponese e pantofole per ogni ospiti, sappone dell'Officina Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, fiori freschi del giardino di Frascati dei proprietari. Solo che Casa Howard non e un albergo ma "una casa privata aperta solo a persone introdotte da amici", spiega Jenifer. [...] "

NewsMag: Il Mondo
Year: 2006
Guesthouse: Casa Howard Florence Guesthouse
Review: "A Firenze si va in famiglia. Guest house nel palazzo nobiliare. Con i proprietari al terzo piano. A due passi dlla stazione e dalla chiesa di Santa Maria Novella e a pochi minuti del Duomo di Firenze, Casa Howardnon e un hotel, bensi un elegante guest house. E stata inaugurata nel 2005, dopo due anni di restauri che hanno lasciato intatti gran parte dei pavimenti originali e dei soffitti. Adottando la stessa formula sperimentata in due case di Roma, Massimiliano Leonardi di Casilino e la moglie Jenifer Howard hanno allestito 12 camere (di cui sette minisuite, con divano transformabile in letto) nello storico palazzo di famiglia, di cui occupano l'ultimo dei tre piani. Le camere sono piccole ma accoglienti e dotate di aria condizionata. La piu grande e la Drawing room, circa 50 metri quadrati: ha pavimento in marmo, decorato con un mosaico, e tre ampie finestre che si affaciano su via della Scala; come le altre camere, la tv satellitare e a schermo piatto ed e possibile navigare in internet in modalita wi-fi. In alternativa, la Fireplace room ha due camini (uno nel bagno), la Camel e dedicata ai fumatori e la Game ha une cuccia per piccoli cani e ampio terrazzo. Agli ospiti Casa Howard offre la colazione e il bagno turco, che puo ospitare fino a cinque persone ed e disponibile quando i proprietari non sono in citta."

Newspaper: Independant
Year: 2009
Guest house: Casa Howard Florence Guesthouse
Review: "24 Hours in Florence - Check in: Casa Howard (5), Via della Scala 18 (00 39 06 69 924555; casahoward.com ), is another good choice. Doubles start from €110, including breakfast."

Guide Book: Italia Gastronomica
Year: 2006
Guesthouse: Casa Howard Florence Guest House
Accommodation Review: "This Florence guesthouse is a combination of charm, location anbd decoration, offering various amenities and beautiful furnishings. It has kept all the original floors and ceilings to fully achieve the private houe concept: to provide guests with a beautiful house or apartment with a personal touch, whilst not forsaking the convenience of hotel service. Situated within walking distance of the railway station, the Uffizi, the Duomo and Via Tornabuoni, it is a wonderful base from which to enjoy one of the most delightful cities in the world, expect an intimate and elegant mansion, warm rooms - as well as personal service... "

Guidebook: Le Petit Futé (France)
Year: 2009
Guest house: Casa Howard Florence Guesthouse
Review: "Qu'on s'y tienne, la Casa Howard refuse d'être rangée dans la case « hôtel ». Et il ne suffit pas d'attendre très longtemps pour s'en rendre compte. A l'arrivée, il faut appuyer sur l'interphone pour ouvrir la porte, comme on viendrait sonner chez un ami. Le petit ascenseur élève alors le visiteur au première étage d'une ancienne maison entièrement restaurée entre 2003 et 2005. Les ouvriers ont travaillé avec soin, préservant les sols (parquet, carrelage d'exception...) et les plafonds (moulures, boiseries, fresques...), et changé tout le reste. Il suffit d'admirer le très beau plafond de la twin right pour s'en rendre compte. Chaque chambre est décorée différemment et porte un nom propre. Chacun peut y trouver son compte. Les clients accompagnés d'enfants peuvent choisir la « play room », qui garantit une ambiance très détendue avec des jouets et même un petit mur d'escalade. Les amoureux de littérature choisiront la « library room » cernée de bouquins et aménagée avec un secrétaire, les amateurs d'horizon lointains investiront la « camel room » ou « l'oriental room », et ceux qui hésitent se laisseront peut-être absorbés par la chambre cachée... D'une manière générale, toutes les pièces sont décorées avec soin, souvent dans des couleurs chaudes. Les matériaux employés sont de haute qualité : bois dans certaines douches, excellents matelas, mobilier ancien... Bien entendu, avec un tel niveau de confort, toutes sont équipées de la climatisation, de leur salle de bain privée, d'une connexion internet... Les deux jeunes femmes d'origine philippine qui occupent les lieux sont amusantes et très attentionnées. Une adresse foncièrement différente, intelligente et inoubliable pour tous ceux qui auront eu la chance de pouvoir réserver. Une adresse unique."

Magazine: Living Abroad
Year: 2006
Guesthouse: Casa Howard Rome & Florence
Accommodation Review: "[...] The guesthouses are called Casa Howard. All the rooms are individually designed on different themes: from the exotic Zebra room to the classic Flower room, there is something for every taste. And each house has a limited number of bedrooms (10 in all in Rome and 11 in Florence) to make guests feel at home. [...] "

Guidebook: Lonely Planet Florence
Year: 2006
Guest house: Casa Howard Florence Guesthouse
Review: "Casa Howard, Boutique Hotel. With six rooms, this is a delicious retreat near the train station. Building on a successful business started in Rome, the owners have created a set of unique and different rooms. Starting with the paintwork, ranging from lime green to russet red, each room boasts an unpredictable mix of styles and furnishings. You might have an old-style bath, a fireplace and antique furniture."

Guidebook: Luxe City Guide - Florence
Year: 2009
Guest house: Casa Howard Florence Guesthouse
Review: "This lovely little pied-à-terre B&B features 12 uniquely designed rooms featuring a creative mix of sumptuous, comfy, modern and antique. Try for the Owner’s duplex."

Magazine: Marie Claire (Italia)
Year: 2006
Guesthouse: Casa Howard Florence
Accommodation Review: "[...] Un viaggio tra le suite piu lussuose: da le residenze di citta del Capo alle 13 stanze a tema (ce n'e una per i cani e una per arrampicate al chiuso) della fiorentina Casa Howard [...] "

Magazine: Marie Claire (South Africa)
Year: 2009
Guesthouse: Casa Howard Florence
Accommodation Review: "Florence may be the ultimate romantic destination, but it's also the perfect location for a girls-only break, says Georgia Black. So what happens when you send three yummy mummies to live la dolce vita?
Our trip starts out as something entirely different. Lulu calls me from London to say that she and Lucy are going to Italy with their kids;I must come with mine. I don't even need to think about it. 'No way', I say. Not even the thought of sipping prosecco in a springtime piazza with my two belve school friends can convince me to fly to Europe accompanied by my toddlers. A few months later I get the call I've half been expecting. 'I'm shattered. Let's live the kids at home.' I launch into action (I'm the obsessive organizer;they are the committed relaxers. It's a division of labour that works well for us). I SMS my two Italian friends –Olivia, who edits a French/Italian travel magazine, and Enrico, a sexy, stylish architect who knows his stuff when it come sto having a good time. '4 days, 3 girls, Rome or Florence?' His replay comes straight back: Roma! More fun.'

Hers is more thought-out: 'It's difficult to advice [sic], but in both cases I would recommend you stay in a B&B named Casa Howard!' In the end we opt for Florence because we like the idea of walking everywhere and because there is availability at what looks like the most perfect guesthouse on earth.

Also, the three of us decide, we're not interested in bars and parties. Nope. We're esauste and we haven't been together in years, so we're there to catch up on each others' lives and much-needed sleep. Capisci?
We arrive in Florence on a Thursday, and we are very kindly – and entirely unexpectedly – taken to the local trattoria, La Martinicca, for lunch by the owner of Casa Howard, the slightly dishevelled, wonderfully debonair Massimiliano Leonardi (or Max, as we settle on after our first bottle of wine.) He's leaving that afternoon for Sarteano - his farmhouse in the country -, but he'll be back for a big party on Saturday night. Why don't we join him as his guests? Sure, we say, between forkfuls of the most perfect bistecca alla Fiorentina.Tuscan love meat, and the bistecca – basically a huge T-bone so tender, when it's coke right, that it can be cut with a spoon – is a source of National pride.

Before he sets off, Max asks the housekeeper to hand me the keys of the house (Casa Howard is an 'anti-hotel' he explains) and show us around. There's no doorman or concierge and they don't do any marketing except enhancing their website, so Guests are always either friends of the owners or, like us, have had the place recommended to them by previous guests. It feels like the apartment of your fantasy Florentine friend – smart, discreet, a little flamboyant, and totally relaxed. Max credits his wife, Jenifer Howard Forneris, for the impeccable style of the rooms but I notice that he too knows the story of every antique and light fitting.

After Max has left, the three of us decide that he has that humble, rumpled, slightly melancholic air that makes women want to look after him. A friend has told me that we absolutely must head up to Fiesole (in the hills above Florence) for a sundowner at Villa San Michele, a 15th- century Franciscan monastery that's now a very grand hotel. 'It's expensive but so worth it,' she said, seducing me with descriptions of the terrace overlooking the city and their famous peach bellinis made from the sweetest, freshest fruit. Ignoring the ominous stormclouds gathering, I squeeze myself into my new favourite dress and we grab a cab. By the time we're there, it's bucketing down. (The best thing about travelling with girlfriends, I decide at this moment, is that they never say 'I told you so'.) We are led to the completely empty verandah by our gracious waiter who, with a sweep of his arm, says 'You may sit anywhere'. Things deteriorate further when he tells us that the chef sampled the peaches that morning and has pronounced them unripe. We order martinis and I'm only half cheered up by the fact that these arrive with a tray of delicious antipasti that the waiter keeps filling up – miniature crostini with decadent toppings and small silver bowls of olives and capers. We stretch out our drinks as long as is politely possible and admire Nicodemo Ferrucci's famous 'Last Supper' fresco in the bar (which used to be the monk's refectory). Then we leave, giggling at the hush-hush fur-and-diamonds-filled dining room.

Aaah, the sweet memory of our next encounter! As we enter Trattoria Sostanza, a narrow restaurant on a side street near our “anti-hotel” where, I am assured, 'only the real Florentines eat', we spot a table of four men (all dressed in black, of course) i flash a cursory look and notice immediately that one of them is gorgeous – lean with floppy hair, a big nose and good teeth. By the time we sit down, the air's bristling, and suddenly we're 19 again, whispering animatedly behind the menus. I should have paid more attention when the waiter recommended their famous pollo al burro (chicken breasts cooked in butter) because when Lulu's sizzling pan arrives it is heavenly. Lulu has always been the boldest in these situations and before we register she's grabbed her camera and is at the next-door table. Moments later, the gorgeous one is walking over towards me. He smiles, pulls up a chair and casually puts his arm around me. 'I told Niccolò that he looks just like your husband and we must take a photo', Lulu says, hiding her wicked smile behind the camera. Now I am not easily fazed, but I feel like I'm going to faint – a result of the combination of embarrassment and the fact that Niccolò is so completely beautiful up close. He looks right into my eyes, gives a slight, sexy, smirk while he talks (I would be lying if I said I remember what he said) and leaves his arm draped around my shoulder long after the camera has stopped flashing. Before long, Maurizio, Stefano and Massimo who work at the Bulgari head office, are also sitting with us, talking as if it's the most normal thing to hook up and make friends.

Back at Casa Howard late that night, we're all love-struck by Niccolò, who, we agree, has that rare, sexy and very dangerous ability to make each of us feel he was singling us out. The next morning calls for some grease with our cappuccinos and we head to Caffè Giacosa, an elegant 19th century bar-cafè where my new favourite cocktail, the Negroni (gin, red vermouth and Campari ) was invented. Now owned by Florentine fashion designer Roberto Cavalli and frequented by the women in leather pants who are disciples of his store next door, it's the kind of place I'd love to slag off were it not for the most delicious hangover cure I've ever tasted: a valsdostana of ham, cheese and tomato in buttery layers of phyllo pastry. Heart attack on a plate, but worth it. We plan to head to the Uffizi Gallery after breakfast, but somehow the long queue and sudden appearance of Zara conspire against us.(I buy a short python-print skirt that I know I will never wear). Shopping for fashion in Florence falls into two categories: High Sreet, and very high end on the Via Tornabuoni (many of these designers have huge factory stores at The Mall outside Florence too – need a Gucci saddle anyone?). Florentines are lamenting the gradual disappearance of a once-thriving artisan community, though there are still some gems on the Oltrarno (the south side of the Arno river). Cobbler Francesco (of Francesco da Firenze fame) and his joung Japanese protégée make me some red leather sandals that lace all the way up my calves – a bargain, I reckon, at R500. I could have gone to a shop only in Florence (conveniently located right next door to Casa Howard) and my trip would have been worth it on the shopping front : Santa Maria Novella Pharmacia. Dominican Monks started concoting herbal remedies here in the 13th century and although the brand now has stores worldwide, the Florentine headquarters are magical – from the architecture and dimly lit, frescoed rooms to the magnificent product display and the strong, sweet smell of flowers and essential oils. I go back three times, always leaving with a sense of virtous calm as Iclutch a beautiful handmade pomegranate soap or bottle of rose-water. It would take a lifetime to appreciate all the art that Florence has to offer, so we're selective. We've asked Maria , our wonderfully offbeat guide, to take us up the hill to San Miniato al Monte, which remains mysteriously unfrequented even though it's the most beautiful church in Florence with the best panoramic views of the city. There are still eight Benedectine monks living there who sing Gregorian chants in the crypt at 5pm every day. (They also make olive oil, Maria tells us – the 'work' component of their motto, 'Work and prey'.

From there we head to the Brancacci Chapel to see Masaccio's harrowing depiction of of the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Eden. Maria tells us that the relationship between Masaccio and his teacher Masolino was similar to that of Mozart and Salieri. Masolino, jealous of his pupil's talent, probably caused Masaccio's untimely death at the age of 26 poisoning him. (I can't work out if Maria's view is shared by the rest of the art world – an on-line search suggests perhaps not, but it's fascinating anyway). Max collect us that evening, wearing red trousers.

His friend Filippo Mazzei will be joining us for dinner before the party, he tells us. 'Two of us I can handle, three is too much' he says seriously, as if we're naughty children. Filippo, it turns out, is from one of Italy's most famous wine-making families. CEO of the business, he's divorced and seems to know everyone. He orders a bottle of their award-winning Chianti and we talk about Italians and fidelity.

Max sums up what seems to be the generally accepted view – that 'marriage is a long-term project' and if you have a few days off it shouldn't be a problem. 'So what happened to you then?' I ask Filippo boldly. 'My wife fell in love with another man' he says, which shuts me up. After midnight we head out of town to the party – in a club attached, bizarrely, to a Virgin Active gym. As we walk in we're descended on by the host, a tubby, over-friendly guy who seems intent on pairing us up with his three sons (they are the only other people under the age of 50, and two of them look terrified of us). I grab three Cuba Libres and only half-registere that Italians don't drink with our kind of determination – the bar is almost empty. But boy oh boy, the dance floors's not. There are TV screens everywhere and about 200 very tanned men and women dancing frantically to Mika. I feel as if I've descended into karaoke, plastic-surgery hell, though the girls apparently aren't sharing my desperation. Lucy has temporarily fallen in love with Adam Broody lookalike called Francesco who works behind the bar, and Lulu is working both spectrums of the age gap, fitting from the host's third son – a cute 20-year-old who knows how to shake his skinny hips – to a man we nickname 'Papa Nicolas' because he has a big white beard. She wispers to us that she's paying him attention because he's so old – until he tries to smooch her, after which she doesn't feel quite so sorry for him anymore. Sometime just before dawn the three of us are sprawled on the huge velvet couch back at Casa Howard, swapping stories of the night with tears of laughter running down our faces. So what's left to do but order a Napoletana pizza (tomato, mozzarella, and anchovies), perfectly thin and burned (Max's suggestion) from the restaurant right outside the guesthouse? Lulu sighs as she sums up why it's been such a perfect trip: 'We were adored wherever we went' ."

Magazine: Marie Claire (South Africa)
Year: 2009
Guesthouse: Casa Howard Florence
Accommodation Review: "

Florence may be the ultimate romantic destination, but it's also the perfect location for a girls-only break, says Georgia Black. So what happens when you send three yummy mummies to live la dolce vita?
Our trip starts out as something entirely different. Lulu calls me from London to say that she and Lucy are going to Italy with their kids;I must come with mine. I don't even need to think about it. 'No way', I say. Not even the thought of sipping prosecco in a springtime piazza with my two belve school friends can convince me to fly to Europe accompanied by my toddlers. A few months later I get the call I've half been expecting. 'I'm shattered. Let's live the kids at home.' I launch into action (I'm the obsessive organizer;they are the committed relaxers. It's a division of labour that works well for us). I SMS my two Italian friends –Olivia, who edits a French/Italian travel magazine, and Enrico, a sexy, stylish architect who knows his stuff when it come sto having a good time. '4 days, 3 girls, Rome or Florence?' His replay comes straight back: Roma! More fun.'

Hers is more thought-out: 'It's difficult to advice [sic], but in both cases I would recommend you stay in a B&B named Casa Howard!' In the end we opt for Florence because we like the idea of walking everywhere and because there is availability at what looks like the most perfect guesthouse on earth.

Also, the three of us decide, we're not interested in bars and parties. Nope. We're esauste and we haven't been together in years, so we're there to catch up on each others' lives and much-needed sleep. Capisci?
We arrive in Florence on a Thursday, and we are very kindly – and entirely unexpectedly – taken to the local trattoria, La Martinicca, for lunch by the owner of Casa Howard, the slightly dishevelled, wonderfully debonair Massimiliano Leonardi (or Max, as we settle on after our first bottle of wine.) He's leaving that afternoon for Sarteano - his farmhouse in the country -, but he'll be back for a big party on Saturday night. Why don't we join him as his guests? Sure, we say, between forkfuls of the most perfect bistecca alla Fiorentina.Tuscan love meat, and the bistecca – basically a huge T-bone so tender, when it's coke right, that it can be cut with a spoon – is a source of National pride.

Before he sets off, Max asks the housekeeper to hand me the keys of the house (Casa Howard is an 'anti-hotel' he explains) and show us around. There's no doorman or concierge and they don't do any marketing except enhancing their website, so Guests are always either friends of the owners or, like us, have had the place recommended to them by previous guests. It feels like the apartment of your fantasy Florentine friend – smart, discreet, a little flamboyant, and totally relaxed. Max credits his wife, Jenifer Howard Forneris, for the impeccable style of the rooms but I notice that he too knows the story of every antique and light fitting.

After Max has left, the three of us decide that he has that humble, rumpled, slightly melancholic air that makes women want to look after him. A friend has told me that we absolutely must head up to Fiesole (in the hills above Florence) for a sundowner at Villa San Michele, a 15th- century Franciscan monastery that's now a very grand hotel. 'It's expensive but so worth it,' she said, seducing me with descriptions of the terrace overlooking the city and their famous peach bellinis made from the sweetest, freshest fruit. Ignoring the ominous stormclouds gathering, I squeeze myself into my new favourite dress and we grab a cab. By the time we're there, it's bucketing down. (The best thing about travelling with girlfriends, I decide at this moment, is that they never say 'I told you so'.) We are led to the completely empty verandah by our gracious waiter who, with a sweep of his arm, says 'You may sit anywhere'. Things deteriorate further when he tells us that the chef sampled the peaches that morning and has pronounced them unripe. We order martinis and I'm only half cheered up by the fact that these arrive with a tray of delicious antipasti that the waiter keeps filling up – miniature crostini with decadent toppings and small silver bowls of olives and capers. We stretch out our drinks as long as is politely possible and admire Nicodemo Ferrucci's famous 'Last Supper' fresco in the bar (which used to be the monk's refectory). Then we leave, giggling at the hush-hush fur-and-diamonds-filled dining room.

Aaah, the sweet memory of our next encounter! As we enter Trattoria Sostanza, a narrow restaurant on a side street near our “anti-hotel” where, I am assured, 'only the real Florentines eat', we spot a table of four men (all dressed in black, of course) i flash a cursory look and notice immediately that one of them is gorgeous – lean with floppy hair, a big nose and good teeth. By the time we sit down, the air's bristling, and suddenly we're 19 again, whispering animatedly behind the menus. I should have paid more attention when the waiter recommended their famous pollo al burro (chicken breasts cooked in butter) because when Lulu's sizzling pan arrives it is heavenly. Lulu has always been the boldest in these situations and before we register she's grabbed her camera and is at the next-door table. Moments later, the gorgeous one is walking over towards me. He smiles, pulls up a chair and casually puts his arm around me. 'I told Niccolò that he looks just like your husband and we must take a photo', Lulu says, hiding her wicked smile behind the camera. Now I am not easily fazed, but I feel like I'm going to faint – a result of the combination of embarrassment and the fact that Niccolò is so completely beautiful up close. He looks right into my eyes, gives a slight, sexy, smirk while he talks (I would be lying if I said I remember what he said) and leaves his arm draped around my shoulder long after the camera has stopped flashing. Before long, Maurizio, Stefano and Massimo who work at the Bulgari head office, are also sitting with us, talking as if it's the most normal thing to hook up and make friends.

Back at Casa Howard late that night, we're all love-struck by Niccolò, who, we agree, has that rare, sexy and very dangerous ability to make each of us feel he was singling us out. The next morning calls for some grease with our cappuccinos and we head to Caffè Giacosa, an elegant 19th century bar-cafè where my new favourite cocktail, the Negroni (gin, red vermouth and Campari ) was invented. Now owned by Florentine fashion designer Roberto Cavalli and frequented by the women in leather pants who are disciples of his store next door, it's the kind of place I'd love to slag off were it not for the most delicious hangover cure I've ever tasted: a valsdostana of ham, cheese and tomato in buttery layers of phyllo pastry. Heart attack on a plate, but worth it. We plan to head to the Uffizi Gallery after breakfast, but somehow the long queue and sudden appearance of Zara conspire against us.(I buy a short python-print skirt that I know I will never wear). Shopping for fashion in Florence falls into two categories: High Sreet, and very high end on the Via Tornabuoni (many of these designers have huge factory stores at The Mall outside Florence too – need a Gucci saddle anyone?). Florentines are lamenting the gradual disappearance of a once-thriving artisan community, though there are still some gems on the Oltrarno (the south side of the Arno river). Cobbler Francesco (of Francesco da Firenze fame) and his joung Japanese protégée make me some red leather sandals that lace all the way up my calves – a bargain, I reckon, at R500. I could have gone to a shop only in Florence (conveniently located right next door to Casa Howard) and my trip would have been worth it on the shopping front : Santa Maria Novella Pharmacia. Dominican Monks started concoting herbal remedies here in the 13th century and although the brand now has stores worldwide, the Florentine headquarters are magical – from the architecture and dimly lit, frescoed rooms to the magnificent product display and the strong, sweet smell of flowers and essential oils. I go back three times, always leaving with a sense of virtous calm as Iclutch a beautiful handmade pomegranate soap or bottle of rose-water. It would take a lifetime to appreciate all the art that Florence has to offer, so we're selective. We've asked Maria , our wonderfully offbeat guide, to take us up the hill to San Miniato al Monte, which remains mysteriously unfrequented even though it's the most beautiful church in Florence with the best panoramic views of the city. There are still eight Benedectine monks living there who sing Gregorian chants in the crypt at 5pm every day. (They also make olive oil, Maria tells us – the 'work' component of their motto, 'Work and prey'.

From there we head to the Brancacci Chapel to see Masaccio's harrowing depiction of of the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Eden. Maria tells us that the relationship between Masaccio and his teacher Masolino was similar to that of Mozart and Salieri. Masolino, jealous of his pupil's talent, probably caused Masaccio's untimely death at the age of 26 poisoning him. (I can't work out if Maria's view is shared by the rest of the art world – an on-line search suggests perhaps not, but it's fascinating anyway). Max collect us that evening, wearing red trousers.

His friend Filippo Mazzei will be joining us for dinner before the party, he tells us. 'Two of us I can handle, three is too much' he says seriously, as if we're naughty children. Filippo, it turns out, is from one of Italy's most famous wine-making families. CEO of the business, he's divorced and seems to know everyone. He orders a bottle of their award-winning Chianti and we talk about Italians and fidelity.

Max sums up what seems to be the generally accepted view – that 'marriage is a long-term project' and if you have a few days off it shouldn't be a problem. 'So what happened to you then?' I ask Filippo boldly. 'My wife fell in love with another man' he says, which shuts me up. After midnight we head out of town to the party – in a club attached, bizarrely, to a Virgin Active gym. As we walk in we're descended on by the host, a tubby, over-friendly guy who seems intent on pairing us up with his three sons (they are the only other people under the age of 50, and two of them look terrified of us). I grab three Cuba Libres and only half-registere that Italians don't drink with our kind of determination – the bar is almost empty. But boy oh boy, the dance floors's not. There are TV screens everywhere and about 200 very tanned men and women dancing frantically to Mika. I feel as if I've descended into karaoke, plastic-surgery hell, though the girls apparently aren't sharing my desperation. Lucy has temporarily fallen in love with Adam Broody lookalike called Francesco who works behind the bar, and Lulu is working both spectrums of the age gap, fitting from the host's third son – a cute 20-year-old who knows how to shake his skinny hips – to a man we nickname 'Papa Nicolas' because he has a big white beard. She wispers to us that she's paying him attention because he's so old – until he tries to smooch her, after which she doesn't feel quite so sorry for him anymore. Sometime just before dawn the three of us are sprawled on the huge velvet couch back at Casa Howard, swapping stories of the night with tears of laughter running down our faces. So what's left to do but order a Napoletana pizza (tomato, mozzarella, and anchovies), perfectly thin and burned (Max's suggestion) from the restaurant right outside the guesthouse? Lulu sighs as she sums up why it's been such a perfect trip: 'We were adored wherever we went' ."

Newspaper: Pool - Life & Culture
Year: 2005
Guesthouse: Casa Howard Rome & Florence
Accommodation Review: "Die Casa Howard Gästehäuser von Jenifer Howard Forneris une Conte Massimiliano Leonardi di Casalino in Rom und Florenz dürfen mit fug und recht für sich Anspruch nehmen, eine neue Dimension der Hotellerie erõffnet zu haben, mit eine, einzigartigen detailreichtum und phantasiereicher innenarchitektur verwõhnen sie ihre Gäste..."

Magazine: Res Florence Guide
Year: 2007
Guest house: Casa Howard Florence Guesthouse
Review: "Ett guesthouse efter anglosaxiskt koncept helt inrett av arkitekten Tommaso Ziffer. Inget rum är det andra likt. Gä igenom rummen pä hemsidan och se vilket du gillar bäst. Bokning via hemsidan eller kontoret i Rom. "

Guide Book: Rome For Romance
Year: 2006
Guesthouse: Casa Howard Florence Guest House
Accommodation Review: "B&B is far too pedestrain a term to describe this 12-room extravaganza in an old palazzo just yards from Piazza Santa Maria Novella. As the latest creation of owners Count Leonardi and Jenifer Howard forneris it joins their original Rome success story. That means burying blandness and uniformity in favour of orifginal and imaginatively themed rooms. Twin this with all the warmth of a private home plus can't-do-enough service and you're in clover. Ancient features are axiomatic in Florence and there's no cheating here; parquet and stone floors, heavy wood doors, marble chimney pieces and numerous fine artworks. However its the stunning decor and host of luxurious little extras that turn a stay into a treat. We were hard pushed to decide between the extravagant drawing room in soigné black; the lavish Oriental room with its emperor-sized bed and erotic prints or the impressively tome-lined Library. There is even a Turkish bath - exclusively yours when staying in the Garden room. Housekeepers, aka "House genies" are also trained to add to Casa Howard's spells."

Website: Secret Places
Year: 2005
Guesthouse: Casa Howard Florence Guest House
Accommodation Review: "A delightful city house right in the centre of Florence

The Casa Howard in Florence shares many of the characteristic its of its namesake in Rome. The same title, the same urbane owners, the same elegant decoration and fabulous location. In fact, they both have a common concept, which is to provide guests with a beautiful house or apartment to stay in, keeping a personal touch to proceedings whilst not forsaking the convenience of hotel like service. Hence, it's just "like staying at a friends house" as a guest once said. A very good friend we may add and this is not any ordinary old house either, as the Casa Howard is located right next to the Santa Maria Novella Piazza - a wonderful base from which to enjoy one of the most delightful cities in the world. That personal touch we mentioned beforehand is in fact everywhere. From Chinese dumpling holders used as soap boxes to a porcelain monkey hanging from the ceiling light and the use of top notch fabrics from Paris, London and other renowned fashion centres. As for the rooms, many have a common theme to them and appropriate names attached. The Camel room is, well, for smokers. The Playroom - for families. There is also a Turkish Hamman Bath for guests to enjoy. Guests who visit the Casa Howard tend to come back (they are even given priority in booking, as to the Casa Howard way of doing things, they are seen as old friends) and given its combination of charm, location, decoration and service<, we can see why. "

Magazine: Shelter Interiors Chicago
Year: 2007
Guest house: Casa Howard Florence Guesthouse
Review: "Falling in love with a place means going beyond tourist clichés and absorbing the texture and flavour of its daily life. It is to dream of living there, making local friends, spending time in private homes. Visitors to Florence are especially prone to this sort of lovesick behaviour. After just one visit, many of her guests find it impossible to abandon this jewel and return to normal life just as if nothing had never happened.
A sojourn at Casa Howard Guesthouse – where travellers live as residents and get a taste of true Italian life – if only for a few days – is likely what did them in. Bed & Breakfast is too reductive a term to describe this boutique, 12-room secret address in an old Florentine palazzo, just a few yards from Piazza Santa Maria Novella and its magnificent church.
Opened in 2005, the residence is the latest creation of Count Massimiliano Leonardi and his English wife Jennifer Howard Forneris, who in 2000 launched the designer guesthouse wave in Rome.
Casa Howard Florence is not unlike its two Roman sisters. They share the same name, elegant decoration and authentic Italian charm.
“Staying with us is like living at a friend’s home,” Leonardi says, while explaining how he came to the idea of starting the Casa Howard concept.
“My grandmother gave birth to 21 children. So I have relatives scattered around the world: Rome, Naples, Florence, Milano, Barcelona, London, Hong Kong”, he adds. “Most of the original family houses are empty and derelict. Why not bring them back to life and give hospitality to people who value beauty above all else in life?”
Leonardi’s reference to his guests as “friends” is not by accident. Visitors who stay in Casa Howard tend to come back, so they are considered part of an enlarged family. They are given the keys to the house during their stay and are granted priority in booking a second or third vacation.
Several unexpected treasures are tucked away in Via della Scala, where Casa Howard is located. In the back streets along with art galleries, tiny arts and crafts shops, and cosy cafés is the famous Officina dei Profumi di Santa Maria Novella, one of the oldest pharmacies in the world with stunning original furnishing.
“We profited from the presence of the pharmacy just a few steps from our door. We are the only guesthouse in the world to which the Officina provides herbal liquid soaps,” boasts the owner, who also teases his guests with fresh-baked croissants and homemade jams from his Tuscan farms for breakfast, which is served in guests’ rooms (the house has no lobby or common spaces).
Respectful of stringent preservation rules, Casa Howard was restored in accordance with Florence’s historic heritage. Originally built in a humble neighborhood, the building now stands out for its discrete elegance.
“The exterior lacked nothing. It was a 15th century house with sober façade details, such as slatted window shutters and a stately panel door,” recalls Fabrizio Cuniberto, the architect who was commissioned to make over the whole property along with Patrizia Ruffa. “But the interiors wherein a deplorable state: dark, cluttered and with claustrophobic rooms that flowed awkwardly from one to another.”
The designers recuperated ancient features such as the parquet and stone floors, heavy wood doors and marble chimney pieces. Beamed ceilings were also restored to either original glory.
The daughter of a famous manufacturer who used to design textiles for the best Italian couturiers in the 1960s, Jennifer was the beautiful mind behind the interior decoration. She decided that fabric and colour would transform the interiors. She was right. The textiles add a casual comfort to the rooms and enliven simple objects such as an ordinary chair or an upright, uptight sofa, while colour is used to add energy. Into this scheme, original period furniture and family heirlooms are mixed, along with carefully selected new items.
“To me, decoration means coupling things I really like and making them work together. As a result a feeling of well-being and relaxation pervades the house,” a proud Jennifer says. Living well can be found in small pleasures. A stay at Casa Howard can be counted among them.

Website: SocksforSir.com
Year: 2008
Guest house: Casa Howard Florence Guesthouse
Review: "After a day of indulging in Florentine delights, Casa Howard is the place to rest your head. Casa Howard is an eccentric and eclectic boutique hotel, comprising 13 individually designed rooms including a room made soley for dog lovers with its own dog baskets. A stumble from Santa Maria Novella and ten minutes from Ponte Vecchio, Casa Howard is ideal for a long weekend."

Website: Suzanne Files
Year: 2009
Guest house: Casa Howard Florence Guesthouse
Review: "Eclectic, eccentric and excellent. An intimate, modern guesthouse owned by Massimiliano Leonardi and his wife, Jenifer Howard (who also own two similarly styled Casa Howard guesthouses in Rome), this boutique has a coveted location in Florence with 14 themed rooms filled with antiques, art and contemporary pieces, as well as TV, DVD, and WiFi.

Bookworms will enjoy the Library room full of books and fashionable belongings from the owner's parents, while pets will lap up the doggy bed available in the Terrace Room, a space intended for guests traveling with their furry companions. Families should check into the room with Disney DVD library and climbing wall—perfect for keeping little monkeys occupied while you explore the Turkish Hammam in the spa. I've been told breakfast in bed is worth not getting up for—warm, freshly baked cake, homemade jam & honey from the Casa Howard farm, and hot cornetti or croissants. Florence—fabulous!"

Newspaper: Times
Year: 2005
Guesthouse: Casa Howard Florence Guest House
Accommodation Review: "Casa Howard Florence - Casa Howard, which opened last month, comes with a good pedigree: it's the sister hotel of the highly popular (and quirky) property of the same name in Rome. Rooms are individually themed, their names telling you about the decor -- one is called Oriental, another is Black and White, another "Library" -- and each has original features such as marble fireplaces, heavy old wooden doors, parquet flooring and antiques. The style is a mixture of old and contemporary, with splashes of colour amid period pieces. There's also a large Turkish bath."

Guidebook: TimeOut Florence
Year: 2006
Guest house: Casa Howard Florence Guesthouse
Review: "Where to Stay – Santa Maria Novella - Expensive. Casa Howard. The owner of this stylish pied-à-terre sets out to offer comfortable, upmarket accommodation at reasonable rates in the discrete atmosphere of a handsome mansion. The 12 rooms are classy and vaguely eccentric, decorated with strong colours and a mix of antique and custom-made furniture. Check online to choose the one you like best: the big, dramatic Drawing Room, perhaps, or maybe the Black and White Room, in which a blown-up reproduction of Monet’s Olympia covers one wall. Bathrooms are similarly quirky but well equipped, and come with Santa Maria Novella’s smellies. There’s even a Turkish bath on site, should you have overdone in on the sightseeing. Bookings are made through the original Rome branch. When is a Hotel not a Hotel? You may find yourself confused about the names given to the various categories of accommodation in Florence and Tuscany. Rules about this are established on a regional level, so they vary to some degree throughout Italy. In Florence, to be officially classed as a hotel (and therefore subject to a star classification), you must have seven or more rooms. To qualify as an affittacamere (literally “rooms to rent”), you can have no more than six rooms. Some are basically private houses with a couple of rooms for rent (unlike in the UK, most owners don’t live on site), while others are, to all intents and purposes, small hotels. Some more upmarket affittacamere are now allowed to class themselves as bed and breakfasts.
Residenza d’epoca is the term used for a listed building with no more than 12 rooms, while to call yourself a residence you must have a minimum of self-catering units. To add to the confusion, a number of establishments adopt certain names because they sound nice, but they may officially be classified as something else. There are ‘B&Bs’ in Florence, for example, that don’t actually serve breakfast.
In practice, though, these rules and regulations don’t really affect the average traveller – all you need to know is that you don’t have to stick to regular hotels if you want something with a bit more character.Our favourite include Casa Howard Residenza d’Epoca, Le Stanze di Santa Croce, Residenza Santo Spirito, Villa Poggio San Felice, B&B Borgo Pinti and Johlea Uno & Johlea Due. In addition to these there are dozens of other listed in the tourist board’s annual accommodation booklet."

Magazine: Traveller UK - High Culture, Low Prices
Year: 2007
Guest house: Casa Howard Florence Guesthouse
Review: "In the cradle of the Renaissance, finding a place to lay your head can be an expensive business. Nicky Swallow tracks down five guesthouses that offer elegant accommodation and great value. The owner of Casa Howard, Massimiliano Leonardi, feels ‘uncomfortable’ in hotels. In fact you get the impression that he positively hates them, so don’t mention the H-word in association with his 12-room guesthouse. When Leonardi’s Florentine pied-à-terre first appeared in our annual Hot List, in 2005, the Champagne had barely chilled in the honesty bar. It has since settled in and become one of the best places in Florence to find a touch of luxury combined with the discrete atmosphere of a private home. The handsome palazzo is located between the train station and the centre of town. Its décor is stylish and vaguely eccentric, with an eclectic mix of furniture including custom-made pieces and selections from the family vaults. Fine fabrics and strong colors play a major role. The bedrooms, several with private terraces, are all very different, and the bathrooms, stocked with Santa Maria Novella products, are quirky and fun (in the Fireplace Room, you can watch TV soaking in a claw-footed bath). Unless you count the Turkish bath, there’s no public space to speak of, so breakfast (warm croissants and organic jam from Leonardi’s farm) is served in your room. ‘Honesty Fridges’ on each floor are stocked with Champagne, wine and soft drinks. ROOM TO BOOK. Very much a question of personal taste, mood and budget. If cost is an issue, go for one of the diminuitive Twin Rooms. If not, have a look at the website photos and take your pick. "