December visit, 3 nights, I'm paying for 3 rooms and I'm not rich. Degli Orafi = most expensive. More reasonable: Monna Lisa, Grand Hotel Minerva, Hotel Plaz Lucchesi. I want central, clean & comfie, good breakfast, nice ambience.

Thoughts?

I can highly recommend the Casci Hotel on via Cavour 13. It is not considered a 4 star hotel, it is classified as a 2 star. I give it 5 stars though, witness to the fact that I have been there 4 times, last time just last week.

It is not fancy, but : ultra-clean, fabulous, friendly and super helpful family that run it, great breakfasts, centrally located about 2 blocks from Duomo and less than that from Accademia. They have rooms also that can hold up to 5 people.

Price now at high season was 150E per couple per night including breakfast. 10% discount for cash payment. And in December at low season it might be about 100E only per room.

Check it out.

www.hotelcasci.com

Correction: The Plaza Lucches is the same price, 210 Euros, for a double as the degli Orafi, and 10 Euros more for a single. So they're both considerably more expensive than the Monna Lisa (169 per double, 100 per single) and Grand Hotel Minerva (125 Euros per double).

Are the Orafi or Lucchesi worth the splurge, or will we be just as content with the Monna Lisa or Minerva?

I haven't finished checking all 4^ central hotels on Florenceby.com, so there could be some other good choices.

Thanks for your input!

Hotel J & J, Santa Croce.

I see to remember the Hotel Lucchesi and the Minerva as not being "central" locations. When I lived in Florence, I met many people staying at the Mona Lisa and always heard good things. What is your price range? There are some great pensiones near the Duomo off of Via Calziouli.

We just spent 3 nights at the Relais Grand Tour. Absolutely smashing! Great location, very reasonable price, immaculately clean, and as beautifully decorated as any place I've ever seen. They have a website. Only 4 or 5 rooms, though, so they book up fast.

I would highly recommend the Hotel Pierre, and found the location, amenities, etc. absolutely perfect.

http://www.hotelpierreflorence.com/

Buon Viaggio,
BC

Thank you for all your suggestions. I'll follow up on them.

The Casci doesn't have availability on the first night of our visit, but I'll keep trying in case of cancellations.

I'd like to get the best I can get for under 200 Euros a night. The closer to 100 the better, but I'm willing to splurge to get the best location in case it's raining during our stay.

We loved Hotel Calzaiuoli on the street of the same name - half way between the Duomo and Piazza Signoria, the location can't be beat. All of the centro storico is very walkable, but this location reduces much back tracking. Wonderful breakfast, friendly staff, not huge rooms but nicely decorated.
http://www.calzaiuoli.it/index.html
A check of rates for December show the cost of 130 Euro for double occupancy, standard room. I'd gladly return to this charming hotel.

the hotel casci is really great. We stayed there in 2004, but if you're expecting a 4 star hotel, you may be disappointed. It is VERY basic. Definitely clean and friendly, but very much like a college dorm room.

Thank you for being so honest! I would not be content with a college dorm room unless the location is stupendous and they have made-to-order omelettes and the best capuccino for breakfast.

That one is out of the running.

Bookchick as per usual is right on the money with her Hotel Pierre recommendation! I used to put my mother at the Pierre when is was on Via della Posta next to the central/main post office of Florence. They since converted that location into condos and moved the hotel closer to SMN train station. It is a beautiful hotel and good location.

Thank you, all. I'm about to e-mail Hotel Pierre. HOTEL CALZAIUOLI made me an offer of 110 Euros per room. They're also very well located but TA ranks Pierre higher. Neither is perfect, according to TA reviews, but I'll settle for a decent (or better) place in a great location at an affordable price.

While I enjoy staying at Hotel Casci every time I am in Firenze, there are obviously people who will choose other hotels according to their wishes and likes. As I wrote before, this is not a 4 star hotel. But it is far from being a college dorm room!!

Enjoy your vacation and I hope you are pleased with your end choice of hotel.

hi
try checking out the following link to get an idea of whats available:
http://destinia.com/hotels/hotels--i...urope/28783/en
hope its useful to you

We recently stayed at the Plaza Lucchesi and loved it! The hotel staff was wonderful! They were friendly and very helpful. They were able to secure last minute reservations/tickets to both the Uffizi and Accademia. We especially enjoyed the walk along the Arno and did not find the location inconvenient (although we did take a taxi to the Accademia). Our room was large compared to most. Good luck!

We always stay at the Continentale - which is 4* and in a very central location (right near the end of the Ponte Vecchio and a few minute walk from the Duomo and the Uffizi).

Great roof bar and wonderful breakfasts.

Thank you all!
Flame, I did ask Hotel Casci to put me on the waiting list. They are booked for the first night of our 3-night stay.

The Lucchesi is much more expensive than some of the other popular and centrally located hotels. And the Continentale probably is too, but I e-mailed them just now to find out. Doesn't hurt.

Wish I knew if the Lucchesi is worth the splurge. I'll check it's location again.

I've decided against the Minerva because of construction at the Piazza Santa Maria Novella.

With all three destinations--Venice, Florence, and Rome--I plan to check for last minute bargains at some of the plusher hotels a couple of weeks before the trip.

Thank you all for your tips. Now I'm off to check the link Begbie sent.

Judy, you may want to try (if you hadn't already thought of it for the check 2 weeks before leaving) at lastminute.com. That's how I booked myself into the Pierre when I had a change of plans in itinerary a couple of years ago.

Buon Viaggio,
BC

Hi judybarnes, you probably know but just in case you do not..

The star rating for hotels in Italy is predicated about the services they offer (elevators, room service etc). It has nothing to do with ambience, upgraded furniture, bedlinens etc. So one can have a beautiful hotel room with a 3 star rating and an unappealing hotel room that provides more "services" but does not have as attractive hotel rooms.