A glassed courtyard, with glass, cylindrical elevator, and an inclusive in-house spa with jacuzzi and Turkish bath comes with the comfortable rooms in this cavernous, impressively decorated place. The buffet breakfast is served on a terrace with beguiling views. The double rooms, some of them wheelchair accessible, with air conditioning and wi-fi, can be snatched up for as little as...
I was really stuck by how proactive the staff was about guiding guests to attractions, activities and great restaurants (including making reservations). All rooms, some of them astoundingly large, are away from the incessant noise of the street and some have neo-classical frescoes. Wi-fi, safe and air conditioning are included in the price, as is the especially nice breakfast buffet,...
This flashy and endlessly visually pleasing property has the Ferragamo fashion house touch all over it. Clever design flourishes are everywhere – the couch and pillow festooned lobby elevator alone will leave an indelible mark. The pillow fixation continues up on the roof terrace which has views of the Ponte Vecchio, Arno River and Palazzo Vecchio. Rooms vary greatly in...
A great and, as advertised, grand location right across from the train station. The massive property is furnished with a regal, Old World feel – including original floors, creaking with history. As for the rooms, the beds are firm, the toiletries are generous, and the bathrooms, with hairdryer, are smallish but immaculate, all done in white tile and ceramic. The...
You’d be hard pressed to beat the location, atmosphere and views from this swanky place, lording over Piazza Santa Maria Novella only a couple minutes walk from the central train station. It’s a four-star property with a number of artistic flourishes and the additional perk of a striking rooftop terrace with bar and swimming pool. Rooms facing the piazza are...
After passing the unsettling plaque inside the entrance marking the 1966 Arno River flood line, a tiny elevator zips you up to this highly pleasing, 28 room hotel just a few steps from the Ponte Vecchio and only a minute from the Uffizi. The views here are outstanding. You can see the Ponte Vecchio and Arno River from the common...
Pay for your room in cash and get air conditioning and breakfast for free! This seven-room place is mildly worn, but in a pleasing way and adventurously colorful, particularly the bedspreads. Huge perk: special double windows protect from the significant street noise. Wi-fi is free. No elevator.
Great location, in a palace dating from 1507, great staff and very reasonable prices (which can drift from budget into the mid-range area during some weeks in high season) are what sets this two-star option apart from the others. The rooms, while not dazzling, are well-kept and well-outfitted with air conditioning, free wi-fi, safe, hair dryer and attractive wood furniture....
A high-energy mother and son team run this 24-room hotel, which has the distinction of being the first hotel in Florence to have both hot and cold running water in the rooms (1926). The buzz around town is that the great value rooms, hospitality and amenities here makes it Florence’s best two-star option. Each room has a refrigerator, safe, DVD...
They’ve tossed in a few, appropriate Old World flourishes, otherwise this is a slick, modern and elegant choice. The single rooms are on the small side, but very well outfitted, including a mini-bar, fully stocked bathroom with a variety of toiletries, hairdryer, slippers, robe, safe, air conditioning, desk and wi-fi (extra charge). Also, the sound-proofing was probably the best I’ve...
The rooms are a bit plain and there’s no breakfast, but you do get free wi-fi, free coffee and tea, and a resounding recommendation by one “Rick Stevens,” according to a sign by the door. There are rooms without bathrooms, but the tiny price break probably isn’t worth it. Prices drop by 10-15% in the low season. They also have...
People averse to stairs or lightweight luggage should know that reception here is on the second floor (that would be the third floor for the Americans) and the tiny elevator starts at the first floor (aka second floor). That said this is a lovely place. Located in a restored 15th century, typical Florentine building, the rooms are bright and colorful,...
A budget-friendly, 14-room place about 10 minutes walk from the train station, run by the same people at Soggiorno la Pergola. Simple, clean double rooms range from 35 to 90 euros per night depending on season, with 24 hour reception, satellite TV, and air con. Breakfast is included in the price as well as free wifi.
The panoramic views from their rooftop terrace (where breakfast and dinner are served in nice weather) are a little ridiculous – in a good way. You can see Pitti Palace, the Pitti Palace Gardens and the somewhat distant Duomo, for starters. The 15th century palace that houses this 14-room hotel has been pleasing restored. Rooms, some of them quite large,...
This is a really fascinating place. Never mind the impressive and hilarious collection of Mona Lisa spoof paintings, this is a beautifully decorated and massive property, housed in a 14th century palace. The common areas are a sight: classic furniture, fire places, columns, art, wood-craved accoutrements, velvet, and flowery courtyards seem to never end. Rooms generally face the inner courtyards...
This is classified as a three-star place, but if ambiance counted on the rating system, it would score higher. Its former incarnation as a convent endures, with an overarching peace and coziness, while bits of exposed brick and wood beams combine with the furniture to give it a distinctly classic feel. Rooms have air conditioning, mini-bars and safes not big...
Exquisitely central, not even a minute walk from the Duomo, this 20-room hotel has bright, large rooms, some with great rooftop views. Beds are nice and the shower-only bathrooms come with hairdryers. This is a great option for families, with some rooms accommodating up to five people. (Tip: Room 416, a triple, has views of the Duomo.) Breakfast, air conditioning,...
Gorgeous, Old World décor and marble bathrooms fill this ideally situation hotel, just a few minutes walk from the central train station. Harmoniously inserted into these classic, four-star rooms are panel TVs, air conditioning, free wi-fi, safes and mini-bars. Some rooms have enviable views of Piazza Santa Maria Novella. During peak weeks of the year, prices edge into ‘high-end’ territory.
Run by an Australian/Italian couple, this great value place enjoys wild word-of-mouth buzz (which is how I found it). The common room is adorned with jaw-slackening wall frescoes (circa 1770!) and classic furniture. Breakfast (five euros) is served in the rooms or just step out to a café on the piazza. Though the space has served as a pension for...
It’s not too far out of the way, though their claim to be only “five minutes walk” from the Ponte Vecchio and Uffizi Gallery is a little ambitious. However, it is a pleasant property, with an elegant dinning room and bar and a nice terrace which affords views of the river (the view is better in fall and winter when...