Hello all,
I am working to book 4 nights in Florence for October and would love some hotel recommendations. Our budget is about $125/night although I am finding a lot of higher-priced hotels with great deals close to this price.
I am thinking to stay in the Oltroarno neighborhood near the Pitti Palace and Spirito Santo Piazza. Someone recommended a hotel near Duomo Piazza but I'm afraid it will feel too busy and touristy. Perhaps October will still be somewhat quiet.
Any favorites?
Thank you!
This hotel , a block from the Duomo , is lovely . Despite the location , it was extremely quiet . I have stayed there several times - https://www.hotelcentralefirenze.it/en/
Hotel Monna Lisa. Lovely garden. Free WiFi. Free breakfast. Near the Duomo.
Hotel Loggiato dei Serviti, https://www.loggiatodeiservitihotel.it/. In the closing sequence of Rick's videos I think Rick is pictured in the room I stayed in back in the day. It's a former monastery and every room is unique. It has A/C. wi-fi and breakfast. However, if you have mobility issues it is not for you. Stairways are very narrow and the elevator small and I don't believe it serves each floor.
A number of years ago we had the pleasure to stay at Hotel Silla along the Arno. The historic Altrarno area was perfect. Centrally located, it was minutes to sites & restaurants. We would definitely stay there again. hotelsilla.it
We've stayed here twice since 2018 and would continue to go back.
https://www.locandaorchidea.it
Great host and great breakfast.
Thank you all! We want to tour the Uffizi Gallery, Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens, but that is all that is truly on our list. We have been to Florence a few times years ago and are most anxious for our daughter to show us her spots. Unfortunately the university hasn’t assigned apartments yet.
Steven and Janis, do you recall authentic wine bars and cafes in the areas of your hotels? I tend to book wrong and end up blocks from charming local-feeling cafes for some reason. I really want to stay where we can walk “next door” to the local restaurant- if that makes sense.
Janis, I’ve heard so much about how charming the Oltrarno is. Did you feel your hotel was in a good location?
In 2019 we stayed at Il Guelfo Bianco for 4 nights: https://ilguelfobianco.it
It is close to the duomo, but on a side street so it was very quiet. I was hesitant to book it because it was considerably less expensive than many other places and included breakfast, but it turned out to be a great decision. There's a little restaurant associated with the B & B, but unfortunately we were there in late August when it was closed for holiday.
Being centrally located meant that we often returned to our room during the day if we wanted. We walked to all the popular sites, even the Pitti Palace.
The only time we took the bus was to go to the San Miniato Church for the Gregorian chants. We walked back to the city walking via the Piazza Michaelangelo. We'd definitely stay there again if we returned to Florence.
The hotel is located on the left bank of the Arno. We liked the quiet neighborhood. It’s not touristy, which was what we appreciated. Nice local scene. We happened to be on a culinary tour and enjoyed the short walk across the bridge to local restaurants. The Silla has an interesting history. It is family owned & a former 16th-century palace. The Ponte Vecchio is 10 mins. away. The Piazzale Michaelangelo, Giardino di Bobili are on the same side and a short walk away. We were happy with the location.
The Hotel la Scaletto near the Pitti Palace looks great on the internet. But we stayed at the moderately priced Hotel Paris between the Duomo and the Piazza di Santa Maria Novella, a very busy area. The hotel is a little worn down but the breakfast was good at least in 2019. Also you may know this already but when you are done touring the Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens hold onto your ticket, and you can enter the nearby Villa Gardini which has fantastic views of the city from the outdoor cafe.
We really like the area near piazza Santa Maria Novella. This is also super convenient if you’re taking the train because it’s you can walk. There are a few hotels in that area in your price range.
Our go-to hotel in Florence is Hotel Pendini. I'm not certain if it fits your budget but we really enjoy it.
We stayed at the Convitto fella Calza, which is temporarily closed, I would assume for Covid. It's close to Pitti Palace, and along a bus line. A lovely neighborhood. Perhaps if you email them, you can see when they're opening.
