The charismatic general manager of J.K. Place Firenze is an enigmatic presence at the townhouse-style hotel on Florence’s Piazza Santa Novella. Raised in the Italian city, Meli has been in the hotel business since his early 20s, and is now an established expert on all things Florentine. Well known among locals, Meli is a mouthpiece for both his hotel and his city, which he celebrates in his book, the J.K. Essential Guide to Florence (all guests of the hotel receive a copy). Here, Meli shares som...