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Safe, Affordable Accommodations In Milan and Florence?

First of all, thank you to everyone who posts in these forums! I’ve found all of your advice and experiences incredibly helpful as I plan my upcoming trip to Italy.

I hoping that I can get some guidance from this community on hotels in Milan and Florence. My sister and I will be landing in Rome and then taking the high speed train up to Milan on November 12. We’ll be staying for two nights. I’d prefer to stay closer to the city center/Duomo, as I have read some reviews that the hotels/neighborhoods closer to the central train station can feel slightly less safe at night (for two single women traveling, safety is up on there on the top of my priorities, along with finding the best gelato in each city we visit). I’m looking to stay at the $100/night level, and I found a few hotels that fit that description, but many have some not-so-great reviews on other travel sites. I’m nervous about booking these places, as it will be our first stop and I’d like to make sure the trip starts on the right foot. Any recommendations would be very much appreciated!

For Florence, I’m having quite the time selecting a hotel, mostly because Florence is my favorite city in the world and I want to make sure my sister has a great experience! Again, a safe, affordable, and clean hotel near the city center would be great, and I’m hoping to stay in the $100-120/night range (though closer to $100 would be ideal). I’d love to hear your experiences about hotels that help you experience the beauty that is Florence!

Thank you so much for reading this very loooooong request and for your recommendations!

-A

Posted by
4061 posts

$100 per night is only about 90€. Many hotels, but not all, include breakfast in their rate so 90€ for 2 people may be harder to find given your concerns about first impressions, etc. I’ll take a look at both cities as I’ve definitely stayed in some mid to lower priced hotels in Florence in the past.

Posted by
4061 posts

Try Hotel De Lanzi right by the duomo on a quiet street. I’ve stayed there and see that they have an extremely reasonable rate in mid November which includes breakfast. Two other hotels where I’ve stayed are double the rate of the de Lanzi and I prefer the location of the De Lanzi. I’ve stayed there twice.

Posted by
15900 posts

Looking for a $100 (€90) hotel in Milan near the Duomo is like looking for a $100 hotel on 5th Ave in NYC. Good luck with that!
My suggestion is to do a search in Tripadvisor for the dates you are interested and see what you can find in the areas you prefer.
If you can increase your budget to 130€ (A bit less than $150), your chances will be much greater.
Same is true in Florence if you want a decent place in the historical center.

Posted by
1538 posts

Hotel Berna in Milan is a five minute walk from the train station and on some nights is close to $100 a night. Not at all in an iffy neighborhood. No need to stay near the Duomo --- public transportation in Milan is excellent and the trams are fun.

You're not flying in and out of Milan if you're going to Milan and Florence?

Florence is also my favorite city in the world but I don't know about hotels there because we always stay in apartments. As long as the hotel is within the old city walls, you can walk to anywhere easily.

Posted by
2509 posts

I stayed at the Hotel Berna as a solo female and felt very safe in the area. Good restaurants nearby, too. I believe I paid no more than $125 a night.

Posted by
2023 posts

We liked Hotel Johlea in Florence and have stayed there several times. Take a look--should be in your price range.

Posted by
372 posts

We have never been to Milan, one of these days, but not the next trip. In Florence, we have stayed at Sanctuaryb&bfirenze. Go to the website and book there directly. It is a magnificent convent on Borgo Pinti very close to the magnificent duomo, around 100E per night. Very clean, safe and quiet. Great location!

Posted by
92 posts

Check out Albergo Bencidormi in Florence. It is about 5 mins from SMN train station and 10 from the duomo complex. Cost is about $100 a night. I have stayed there 3times since 2014 w DH, always felt safe wandering around by myself. The owner, Mr Roberto speaks excellent English and is very nice and helpful. The hotel has a fully kitchen for guest use. Highly recommend and would stay again. Room 7 over.ooks a courtyard and is very quiet.