Thank you Fodorites! Your advice was ABSOLUTELY PRICELESS! As of today we have confirmed reservations for LOVELY and CONVENIENT (and CHEAP!) locations in Venice, Siena, Rome and Florence. Not a single place is more than $115 Euros (including taxes, fees and food) and we'll be in the heart of everything! It's such a relief to know where we're going to rest our heads (and some of the managers/owners we spoke to were just WONDERFUL people whom we can't wait to meet!). Now we can focus on the REALLY fun stuff- museums, restaurants and shopping! Thank you again, everyone. We are so grateful for your brilliant advice.

Will you share your final decisions with the rest of us? It could be very handy for many of us.

Thank you, and have a wonderful time.

Sounds like you got some bargains, please share.

I just posted a trip report and included info about a really nice apt in Rome. VRBO #115536. Great neighborhood and very clean and comfortable at 135 euro.

there's some really good advice here, thanks everyone, I'll be using this information for my own trip in September 2011.