You can stop looking for your perfect Florence hotel

Posted by Andrew from San Francisco on 6/3/06

There isn't a better hotel experience in town, provided you choose the right room. Those with balconies overlooking the Arno, with views of the Ponte Vecchio and Duomo, are unsurpassed. Sit outside over espresso in the morning, or cocktails in the evening, and enjoy the soft light and the swallows swooping up and down the river. You are walking distance to most of the treasures in Florence, yet the riverside rooms are quiet and private. The service is understated, friendly and always accomodating. The lobby overlooks the river, and is decorated in crisp white and blue for a relaxed feeling--perfect for a leisurely drink in the afternoon, or for quietly reading the paper in the morning. The included breakfast is uncomononly good, and is served in the attached restaurant, which is an equally attractive space. The rooms are not huge, but are comfortable and decorated in the same white and blue palette. One warnbing...you'll pay only 15% less or so for interior rooms that overlook the street, but the experience is nowhere near the same. Don't bother staying here unless you are willing to pay the premium for a room with a terrace on the river.