Hotels in Florence

HI
We stayed in Katti House in late May in their newest rooms and I recommend them to you. Very nice people, I'd suggest having dinner there one night also. regards

Hi Gerard, How far is Katti House fro the major sights: Duomo, Uffizi, etc. Can you see the Duomo from the hotel? Thank you
R

Hi I used google maps, both to get an idea where I would be and also with street view to look at the area I would be staying. (Just grab the little man icon an place it on the map anywhere the street has a blue line)
Kattis House is two doors from the cnr of Via Faenza / Via Sant'Antonino, Florence,The restaurant just past that. There is a laundromat right in this street. So 500m from The Duomo, Their third B&B is a little further, on Via Nationale just beyond the markets, (just opposite a Rick recommended restaurant), but this was still close. Another place to eat is The Bermuda Triangle on the cnr of Via Faenza and Via Nationale, regards

Rachel, I haven't stayed at Katti House, but I did have a nice chat with the owners when I was in Florence in June, and would have NO hesitation in recommending it. Katti is a charming young lady, and speaks excellent English. They also operate a restaurant which I have tried, and I definitely recommend that. I'm not familiar with the other two hotels you mentioned. It's a very easy to walk from there to the Duomo (IMO), but I'm not sure the Duomo is visible from Katti House due to other high buildings in the area (which is probably also true of other hotels in the area). One other "benefit" of Katti House is that there's a very convenient Laundromat right across the street. Happy travels!

Thank you Gerard and Ken, this is very helpful. Ken, might I ask where you stayed while in Florence? Cheers
R

Rachel, while you are still in searching mode, maybe you'd like to check out Villa Bonelli in Fiesole, just above Florence. You can get there in about 15 minutes on the No.7 bus and the view overlooking Florence is breath taking.

Rachel, I stayed at Hotel Aldobrandini which is a budget hotel in Piazza di Madonna degli Aldobrandini. It's the same Piazza as the Basilica of San Lorenzo and where part of the large San Lorenzo street market is held. It's an easy five minute (or so) walk to the Duomo and an easy walk from Firenze SMN station. In short, it's a very convenient area! I don't usually suggest the hotel on the HelpLine as it's a one-star and a bit "quirky" but it's in a great location and perfectly comfortable. I often travel solo and I'm not in the room except to sleep and shower, so I don't need five star luxury. The owner, Ignazio, is one of the nicest people I've met in my travels and he's extremely helpful (his English is excellent). If guests need anything, it's taken care of quickly. On a previous visit, I asked about reservations for the Uffizi and Accademia. He got on the phone and one minute later they were arranged. The breakfast is a bit "spartan" but quite adequate (Juice, Croissants, French Bread, Coffee). On my stay this year, I had a room facing Via del Giglio and the Disposal trucks showed up about 06:00 every morning to empty the Dumpsters, a process accompanied by much banging, crashing and hydraulic noises, which was a bit of a nuisance. I've stayed there before so I knew what to expect and the price was right so I'll put up with a few minor issues. Cheers!

We stayed in Katti House for 5 nights. We were very happy. While we stayed in one of the older rooms, it was large, air-conditioned and had a decent size bathroom. Most of our dealings were with Katti's mother (who does not speak English) but we got by just fine. They are a wonderful family and I highly recommend them. We thought the location was perfect.

Thank you all for your recommendations and suggestions, this has been a huge help. GRAZIE!

Rachel: All the popular European cities can get expensive on rooms. I stayed across from the Florence train station for about 85E last year because Hotel Katti was too expensive. That hotel is now more like 200E. I can easily find accommodations on Booking.com for anywhere in the world. And, I've yet to be disappointed. I start by filtering by price range. Then, I'll filter by customer ratings of the properties. I'm also quick to look at customer ratings on TripAdvisor.com for any hotels I'm considering. Lastly, I'm looking at property pictures and maps to make sure it's where I want to be.
Have a great trip!

Rachel, We are currently staying in the Hotel Accademia, which is a couple of doors down from the Katti, and is also a RS recommended hotel. It is a great location, close to the train station and easy walking to most major attractions. Basic breakfast buffet, clean, comfortable rooms. I need to wear earplugs because the sound their mechanical system makes sounds like my old pager vibration, and I jump every time I hear it! Get a good map, Florence is a maze!
Bill