TAMPA, FL—Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants has unveiled plans to manage a new, luxury lifestyle boutique hotel here that will incorporate a restaurant from Michelin-starred Tuscan chef Silvia Baracchi.
The property, which is slated to open in early 2018, is the brand’s seventh hotel in the state and expands its footprint on the Gulf Coast. Giunta Group, based here, is the owner and developer. Architect Albert Alfonso will design the hotel featuring 150 rooms and suites spanning five stories, along with a rooftop bar.
The hotel will be located in the city’s Westshore neighborhood and will be part of a community gathering place built as a modern interpretation of an Italian piazza, creating an intimate town square in an otherwise commercial area, according to the company.
The new hotel will also serve as the first U.S. outpost for Chef Silvia Baracchi, who gained international acclaim at Il Falconiere, a Michelin-starred restaurant and retreat in Cortona, Tuscany, according to the company. An off-site, hydroponic farm will supply the restaurant with produce. The dinner-only restaurant will feature a menu that reflects the culinary traditions of the Tuscan countryside and Chef Baracchi plans to bring her signature cooking classes to the local community.
In addition, there will be a second restaurant providing breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as a bakery serving coffee and snacks. All dining experiences will include live music and performance art, with venues ranging from performance areas on the piazza to indoor stages.
“The combination of stunning architecture, a Michelin-starred chef, a fantastic rooftop and Kimpton’s authentic, unscripted guest service make this a special project for us,” said Mike DeFrino, CEO of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants.
“This signature boutique hotel will be unlike anything else in Tampa, from the rooftop bar and access to the fresh air piazza, to the design by renowned architect Albert Alfonso, to the one-of-a-kind dining experiences,” said Richard S. Giunta, CEO of The Giunta Group.