Beauty has long been an Italian export. Renaissance art, tailored fashion, and delicious cuisine, for instance, have reached global status. Today, a new generation of hoteliers is refining how that beauty is experienced. Among them, notably, is the Cecchi family. A Family Name, Encoded The Cecchis are the force behind the La Gemma Hotel Firenze and the expanding La Gemma Collection. This young, independent Italian hotel group was founded by Massimiliano Cecchi and his four siblings. From that first meticulously restored Florentine palazzo, the project is evolving into a plan for a national portfolio of properties in Italy’s most popular destinations. In fact, even the name is autobiographical. The first initials of each family member form the name La Gemma: Luca and Alessandra (the parents), and the children: Ginevra, Eduardo, Massimiliano, Mariasole, and Andrea. It reads like a brand, but functions like a crest. Photo courtesy of La Gemma Collection The Founding Vision At the center of the origin story is Luca Cecchi, father of the five siblings. He built his reputation in Florence as a real estate visionary, specializing in identifying and repositioning architecturally significant properties. He instilled in his children a belief that buildings are long-term cultural assets. Indeed,…