Overwhelmed with selection and confused Please Help me with Holel recommendations in Florence!

It isn't uncommon for people to doubt their choice. Do you have a short list for us to review? Also, is a fridge a deal breaker?
I have not been in 15 years and my hotel had no elevator.
As alternatives, do you have friends or family members to help navigate the web? Or find s travel agent?
Tomorrow I can try to help short list but final decision would be yours. Hopefully others will offer first hand options.

Hello Maria,
Thank you for your fast and helpful reply.
That's one of the problems, there are so many hotels, I'm very confused. What do you think of Hotel Pierre? No the frig would not be a deal breaker, but everything else would. I can manage a few flights of stairs, but plan to stay about a week, and I think several flights of stair several times a day for a week might wrench my back and ruin my holiday.

Yours, in traveler's confusion,
Elaine

Here is a similar question- you might find some hotel suggestions in this post:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/two-seniors-need-hotel-that-is-easy-for-walking-to-sites-in-florence

No you aren't asking too much. You just need to know where to look and how to narrow down your choices. Where have you been looking so far? I usually start with booking.com. Use the filters to set your budget and the amenities you need and preferences you want. You can set a filter for the historic center of town to minimize walking. Using their ratings system, anything over an 8 is usually pretty good.

From the list provided, read the listing, look at the map to see it's location, and read the reviews. An elevator seems to be a must-have. The listing should say whether or not it has one. Cross check with the listing and reviews on TripAdvisor. Ive never had occasion to find their listings misleading, nor have I seen any reviews to that effect. Once you have a short list, come back here for feedback if you want.

Take a look at Hotel Casci. (They have their own website, and are on booking.com.) Up 4 steps from the street to the elevator. Great, perfect location (2 long blocks to the Duomo, 10 minute walk to Accademia (David), about 12 minute walk to train station). Very nice people, with desk staffed 24/7. Mini-fridge, and everything else on your list. I've stayed there probably 5 times, both with someone else and when traveling by myself (and I'm in your age range). Should be in your price range, depending on time of year you are traveling.

As Maria says, a short list would be helpful.

You are probably not asking too much (I haven't investigated specifics for Florence recently). One way to check on some of these things is to look at pictures on TripAdvisor taken by actual travelers (not the "official" ones provided by the hotel). Others will be mentioned on the hotel's website (such as hairdryers). If an otherwise appealing place doesn't mention something you want or need, you can email them directly to ask.

Here are some pointers on your specifics.

"I don't fancy climbing 30 steps to enter a hotel several times a day"

You have to not only look for an elevator, but make sure there is not a flight of steps to get up to the elevator, or that the elevator does not go to all the floors (I have encountered both scenarios).

"And would like to zip in and out for little walks around the neighborhood."

Yes, a central location is important. Luckily, central Florence has tons of hotels.

"Would like a hotel close to or on a bus line and fairly close in."

Central Florence is small, flat, and walkable. You won't be taking buses around town; if you can't walk (say, if you're laden with luggage), you'd take a taxi. The only local bus you might take is the one to Fiesole (highly recommended on a nice day), and there are some small electric buses that wind their way through the center. Otherwise, you'll by using your feet, not a bus.

"Budget is about 100-150 euros/night"

Particularly at the upper end of that, you should be able to find something suitable.

"It must have a room safe"

Not only do all hotel rooms not have safes, but those they do have vary in size. If you want to put in your passport, any room safe will work; if you want to put in a laptop, you have to make sure the safe is big enough.

"ensuite bathroom/shower"

This is easy to find these days. While there are certainly rooms with a bathroom down the hall, it's not nearly as common as just 10 or 20 years ago.

"mini frig"

As Maria says, this is not common. Is this a want or a need (say, for medication or a special diet)?

"hairdryer"

This is very common these days, and is usually indicated on the hotel's website. If you don't see it in the bathroom, it may be in a drawer in another part of the room, or you may have to borrow it from the front desk.

"24 hour desk."

You are right that you need to check, but this is not hard to find, particularly in larger places. Smaller ones may just give you a key, instead of having a staffed desk later at night, or even in the middle of the day.

Again, other than not talking about needing stairs to reach an elevator, I haven't encountered "misleading advertising" on these matters. Hotels don't want angry customers, so they tend to be pretty up front about what they offer. If something isn't mentioned, assume it's not there. This is particularly true of air conditioning!

So I debated whether I should respond at all. Hopefully, I will be of some help. I am going to Florence mid October. I found and booked this B & B in Rick's guide. www.ilbargellino.com I'm sure it doesn't have everything you are looking for, but what i will tell you , is that the owner/operator is already very attentive. She has provided lots of information without my asking, and is offering to get tickets and reservations for the sights we'd like to visit--just an included service. It is in more of a residential neighborhood so it'd be quiet and safe for walks. It is very close to the bus station and it is under your budget, whether that is good or bad. I'm guessing there is not an in room fridge, but I would guess they would have one you could use. There are common places both inside and outside where guests gather, which I should think would be lovely for a single traveler. I have never stayed anywhere in Europe that didn't have a hairdryer either in the room or available if requested.

If this doesn't strike your fancy, I would recommend looking at the many properties in the RS guide. I typically stay at his recommended properties and have never been disappointed or surprised. He rather tells it like it is. Please don't let something like a less than wonderful inn choice spoil your vacation. There are so many other aspects to a fun trip. Good luck!

EDITED TO ADD: Just looking at the inn photos, all the rooms seem to have a coffee maker (a nice one!) and I saw an in room refrigerator in at least one room.

Thank you all for your help. I will get going on this and come back.
Hotel Pierre had everything I need/want. Does anyone have experience with it?

I have no personal experience with Hotel Pierre and it looks lovely on-line (booking.com reviews & photos, and also their own website) and in a good location. However, when I put in various dates at different times of year, the cost that I saw for a single room (on both websites) was well above your stated budget. Hopefully, your dates will coincide with lower costs than I am seeing.

My husband and older children stayed at hotel Giglio a few year back for 4 nights. They still mention it today because is was so unique and not at all cookie cutter like. It is convenient to most sights by walking or transport. We felt safe in this area. It is on the second floor of a historic building with a small but functioning lift but no frig. It is spotless inside and each room unique with tall ceilings/moldings, grand windows with green velvet curtains and delicious breakfast. The staff were very helpful when we asked questions. I booked directly through their website via email. Enjoy
Erin

Hotel Pierre quoted a price via email that was within my price range. I've found that if I contact the hotel directly that it's less expensive than listed on their website.

Hotel Pierre looks well situated and well reviewed.
I notice the website has a flash sale on putting some dates into your price range.
2 things to be aware of.
1. European hotels have single rooms we don't have in North America. That means small and a smaller bed. Pictures clearly show a double or smaller 'french' size bed rather than a large room/bed for 2 used by 1 person. Their standard room would be comparable to typical US hotel room. Price is higher accordingly, but uou are welco
Me to book it.
2. I recommend booking a free cancellation room. Note they require a 2 day before cancellation.
Otherwise, it looks like you made a good choice😁
I am not 100% certain it has inroom safe, but it has a safety deposit box....which could be at the front desk. Alternatively minimize your valuables and lock them inside your suitcase. My practice is to minimize anything left out, and use my locked suitcase for valuables.
When you book, and again when your reconfirm your reservation a week or two prior, ask for any specifics. I.e. quiet room away from Via Calimala. I read Via Calimal may be noisy, so you might want to specifically request a room away from there.
Have a great trip.
EDIT just saw your post above . Ensure you know what size room your quote was for. I.e. single vs standard room and that your are satisfied with it. Photos of both look adequate and co fortable.

Note that a mini bar and a mini fridge are not the same thing. You should not store your own food or drink items in a mini bar, which is what the Hotel Pierre website says it's rooms have. I point this out as you mentioned a mini fridge as an item important to you.

Elaine, know we mention these things so you are aware of the differences and don't feel you made a wrong choice or that expectation diminishes your enjoyment.
I would ask front desk to empty minbari when you arrive so there is no misbilling for items they think you consumed.

Thank you all so very much for your kind and helpful advise, I was in Italy about two years ago, solo in a group tour. So I slept on a couple of those narrow beds, and had a little tiny cosy room in Rome overlooking the kitchen back door. haha. I loved it. The mini frig comment threw me. In the states I put my own food in a mini frig/bar, but not in Italy? Is it not allowed? That's a good suggestion to ask staff to take out all the items. If I do that can I use it as my own frig?

I'm going to stop obsessing over this, and pick one and be done with it. Thanks everyone you have been absolutely wonderful, as always.

I will take all the suggestions you have, as this is my first solo trip abroad.

Also, I'm pretty good at navigating the internet, and have been in Florence. My process so far has been to research suggestions by Rick Steves, Frommers, and Fordor's. From those three lists using my price range, I check the hotel location , then check the trip advisor reviews, then the hotel website, then email with questions and requests for quotes. I 've found some of the sites to not behave very well, and sometimes the email quoted price is less. So I will continue to look using all your wonderful suggestions. I didn't realize about the screens on Booking.com, so will use those. I wanted something on a bus line so I can get up to Piazza di Michangelo and have a good snoop around.

I wanted something on a bus line so I can get up to Piazza di Michangelo and have a good snoop around.

I wouldn't worry about being near the bus line - buses 12 and 13 stop at the train station and will take you to Piazzale Michelangelo. The train station is about a 15 minute walk from Hotel Pierre. I think Rick also denotes a stop on the route on one of his maps in the RS Italy guidebook (I just checked, there are 2 on the Heart of Florence map, p500 of the 2019 edition). I couldn't find it, as construction in April seemed to have displaced it, but a nice bus driver nearby told me to get on his bus and he showed me where I could transfer to a bus that would take me up. Your hotel can almost certainly tell you where to pick up the bus, too.

Enjoy, the views are lovely from there!

PS - also try some gelato at Perche No? - they had my favorite flavors in Florence.

Elaine, I hope you slept on the decision about choosing Hotel Pierre and are confident to go ahead with it.
The flash sale,on their website is a good one. Getting a 4* for that price is a good find, and it ticks your boxes.
As to using the fridge....since you seem to have done this before, do what you usually do. Some people are extra cautious about using the mini bar for fear of false charges. I have been known to never use items, but put my own stuff in it....if space. You can assess the situation when you get there, and if you want, ask them to clear the fridge if you want to use it.
There are hundreds of hotels in Florence. You have done your due diligence and seem happy with one. So bite the bullet and make the reservation and consider it a job well done.

Thank you everyone so very, very much. After more research and correspondence with Hotel Pierre, this s the one I will go with, I will post a review on trip advisor if you all want to check it
in the future after Nov. Am EXCITED.

If you are checking on hotel websites and not finding answers to your questions, the answers might be found by researching the property on booking.com or Travelocity.com. They often provide comprehensive lists of “what is included” and amenities. Then just reserve directly or through one of the booking sites. Lastly, when in doubt, email the property with your query.