klapenta

Planning a mid Sept trip to Italy. Can anyone reccomend a hotel in the Centro area of Florence that might have a private terrace or balcony? We want to be able to walk to attractions, have A/C and private bathroom. Haven't stayed in Florence before and hotel choices are endless! Hoping to keep costs below $300 US per night. We love to come back from a long day of exploring and enjoy a glass of wine sitting outside our room. You guys have always helped me find just what we're looking for---any and all help is appreciated. Thanks,K.

athena1939

Hotel degli Orafi and Palazzo Lucchesi are both on the river and have balconies.

zeppole

Don't underrate the experience of stopping after a long day of touristing and joining Italians in local piazze for a glass of wine or apertivo and socializing and people-watching. Italy is fun for the way it treasures public space in an era of "privitazation."

For that kind of experience, I would look for a b&b, hotel or apartment in the Oltrarno, where you may more easily find a piazza frequented by local Fiorentini than tourists. You'll have time to pop back into your digs for a moment, but then rejoin the Italian world on a lovely night before dinner.

klapenta

athena 1939----would "on the river" be a good area to have as a home base?
Thank you both---I will research all of your suggestions.

kfusto

I had a lovely balcony during both my stays at Antica Torre Tournabuoni, an excellent small hotel with lovely rooms, a perfect location and a terrific rooftop terrace. They have pictures on their website that show each of the rooms in detail and you book a specific room so can choose a balcony and be confirmed. Wonderful views over the rooftops of Florence.

I have also stayed several times at San Gallo Palace, a bit out of the center but an excellent value and had a small balcony. Hotel Aethenauem , also near Piazza della Liberta, has rooms with balconies and I have enjoyed both stays there. No views, just a balcony but very comfortable and a great staff.

T4TX

We have also stayed at the Antica Torre Tournabuoni and loved it. As kfusto said they have a "terrific rooftop terrace" and we enjoyed starting the morning there with their delicious breakfast buffet and ending our evening there with a glass of wine from their honor bar.

more_please

I'll third the rec for Antica Torre Tournabuoni!

ama22

We are staying at the Hotel Orto de Medici near San Marco. Look at their web site. Let us know about your trip.

klapenta

ama22---This hotel looks great! Is it a good area to stay in (walking to attractions, restaurants etc?)

T4TX

I use google map's "walking man" to look at the hotel I am considering-- in case you haven't used it ---you can basically put yourself on the street like you are standing there and you can "walk" around.

I also use www.mappy.com which you can calculate miles/time to get somewhere -- by car or walking.

Just FYI

italy06

Hotel Santa Maria Novella - they have one room that has two balconies - one overlooking the piazza that has a table and chairs and a couch - it's awesome. And the room is huge! Can't remember the room number but they should be able to help you..... We had wine every night and watched the sun set over the piazza....

http://www.santamarianovellaflorence.com/rooms/

klapenta

Hi--Thanks for all the links.Santa Maria Novella looks great but no availability for our dates. So---not knowing Florence very well is the Hotel Orto de Medici in a safe neighborhood for walking? For our first trip to Florence we would like to be in an area where we can walk to everything. Is staying by the river more desireable?

ama22

After looking at many reviews of different hotels in Florence, we have booked the Hotel Orto de Medici for October. We got a great rate for a room with a balcony. I'm not sure of the neighborhood, but can't see that it wouldn't be. I would be more leary of the area near the train station.

ThinGorjus

The Plaza Lucchesi, which is situated on the Arno, has rooms with balconies that face the river or Santa Croce. These rooms would be over $300 a night, however.

Thin

zeppole

Firenze -- which is what Florence is called in Italy -- is safe everywhere.

My concern with being right on the river would be mosquitoes -- were you thinking of drinks at sunset? -- but they don't bite everybody, and sometimes it cools down enough by mid-Sept to make it a non-issue.

My concern about being too close to Santa Maria Novella is that it is just a wee bit beyond, which makes it harder to pop back into the hotel mid-day or pre-dinner -- and the area is not rich in restaurants. All that said, Firenze is essentially small and taxis are not a fortune.

You might enjoy reading this.

http://www.letsgo.com/21056-tuscany-...ast_oltrarno-c

klapenta

HELP! We are looking at three of the many choices in Florence.
Antica Torre Di Via Tornabuoni, Plaza Hotel Lucchesi, both on the high end of our budget, but seem to be near the areas we want to explore, and Hotel Orto de Medici which had a much better room rate, but seems to be a little out of the way and farther from most attractions. Am I right? I know time is getting short so I'll need to decide soon. Can anybody help?
Thanks-K.

T4TX

I hate to repeat myself, but I am. If you get on google maps and use the "walking man" you can SEE the hotel, the street, the area. It can help you decide, really.

I have not stayed at the Orto, but we stayed at the Monna Lisa once and it too is on a long, narrow lane like the Orto. I prefer to be in a more open area, but that might not bother you at all. If you look though you will see and know that as well as what shops, restaurants, etc are next to your hotel --BEFORE arriving for your stay.

klapenta

I am sorry---I was not that interested on how the area looks. Not knowing Florence I thought my fodorite friends would have the usual good advice on each area. Plus,(hope you don't think I'm stupid, but) I haven't quite figured out how to use the walking man yet. I WILL figure it out though! And I'm sure it will be helpful.

suz1672

We stayed at the Hotel Torre Guelfa and loved it! They have a variety of sized rooms, but off a large "library" where you can sit and have drinks are stairs that lead up to the tower. There you can sit at the small tables and get a fantastic 360 view of Florence!

T4TX

klapenta, to use the walking man:

get on google maps, put in Florence, Italy, and once you are on that map, put in name of hotel, and then move cursor to walking man, click on him, holding down bar, move him to hotel location.

I am an NOT computer savvy at all, and I can do it, so you can too. I have to ask my teenagers for computer help so I would never suppose someone was stupid for lack of computer skills.

How the area looks--- tells you a bunch. For instance the Tornabuoni area has upscale shops, lots of folks on the street, it is an obviously busy area whereas the Orto area looks less so ---

If the Tornabuoni is in your budget I would choose it over the other 2 places because of its location, comfy rooms, rooftop terrace and breakfast. The breakfast was the best of our last trip to Italy.