I am traveling with an elderly parent to Florence and I'm looking for a hotel that has "American" type A/C so that we can be sure of her comfort. I have been recommended the Best Western, but yuck! Can anyone recommend a hotel that has a bit more local flavor but also has real A/C? Location-wise, we would like to be able to walk to major tourist sites, but we would use transportation if needed for the right hotel. - Thanks for any help

I don't know about the Best Western in Florence specifically, but I understand that BW hotels in Europe are not the basic chain type as in the US. They are individual hotels that BW has bought, and they reflect the atmosphere of the country where they're located. So don't discard the idea without doing some research on the hotel in Florence.

Looks pretty nice to me!

http://tinyurl.com/l934c

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They are individual hotels that BW has bought
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not even. they are independent hotels that join the BW reservation network. they remain individually owned. BW in europe is generally a good sign as far as standards are concerned...and i've stayed in many that are very charming.

i used to regularly stay at a centuries old charming hotel and on one visit i noticed that BW logo started appearing around the place. i asked the owner about it and she said that nothing changed...just that they get more business now that it's listed with BW.

as betsy, i don't know the one you are looking at in florence but to avoid it just because it is part of the BW network of hotels is silly.

BTW, on the flip side of my last post...BW is a pretty good indicator that the hotel has certain standards but it does NOT indicate that it has american style ameneties like powerful aircon (or any aircon for that matter), two big beds in every room, etc. many BWs have no aircon and if it does, one should not expect that it is any better than any other small, local hotel.

you have a better chance of good A/C with a large business class hotel chain.

Hotel Hermitage is suppose to have great air conditioning. It's next door to The Uffizi Gallery and Ponte Vechio, with a view of the Arno.

Thanks - I do see that the Best Western might be a good option. And thank you for the Hermitage recommendation. Any other thoughts on staying cool but Italian in Florence?

Another thought about staying cool in Florence is to go in late fall or early spring.

Hi Mandy! Last yr. I visited with my husband and stayed at the Hotel AStoria (Boscolo chain). It was right nect to the Duomo (great location) and the hotel was always SUPER cold! (we were there at the end of July- boiling outside). The rooms and washrooms were very nice, and the breakfast very nice with an outside courtyard to eat it at! I think we payed around 100 Euro per night through the hotel website (great deal!) Highly recommended! Hope this helps!

We stayed at a Best Western in Carcassone...it was wonderful..

We stayed at the Casci Hotel. It was very nice and the airconditioning worked great! Very nice owners, and the breakfast was very good. Excellent location.

I stayed at the Hotel Albani, not far from Santa Maria Novella. <http://dev.summit.vortus.com/hotel_h...m?id=29724> We loved this hotel. The air conditioning is excellent and they also have shutters that darken the room and make it even cooler. Excellent breakfast and a nice restaurant, too.

I can second the recommendation of the Hermitage. The rooms have individual A/C controls, although you can't leave the A/C on all day in order to return at any time to a cool room. The maids will turn the A/C off when they come to clean.

I can also second the comments regarding Best Western hotels. We've stayed in several in different countries over the years. They are not always the most atmospheric, but the website is very accurate in describing the property, amenities, distance to sights, etc., so that you know what to expect and can compare with other hotel options.

Wow. Just plugged some random dates in August into the BW Florence hotel website, and it came back with a rate of 320 euros a night for a double room. I'm sure the Hermitage is a bit cheaper, although I wouldn't ask for the cheapest accommodations they have. (Arno view rooms are a bit noisy until 11 p.m.) And the Hermitage location is much better.