A friend is going to Florence in October and wants a place that is clean, centrally located, and betweeen $100 and $150/night. She's thinking about the Alessandra and the Torre Guelfa. I had read about the Bellettini which sounds lovely, but I read that the entrance is via an alley, and she doesn't want anything that won't feel comfortable when she's alone at night. Any thoughts on these three hotels for a single woman traveler?

Unfortunately I can't help with the two hotels you mentioned, but we stayed at the Hotel Paris in Florence, which is in that price range and one of my favorite hotels I've ever stayed in. Most of the rooms have high ceilings and interesting, original architectural features like frescoes on the ceiling or exposed brick archways (don't know about ALL, but poked my head in several doors and they were all as nice as ours). The furniture was handpainted wood, we liked the decor (huge burgundy taffeta-like drapes pulled back around the windows). The hallways & breakfast room are similarly nice, with spectacular frescoes in the breakfast room.

http://www.florenceby.com/paris/pages/apart.htm

(This site does have a picture of one room that doesn't look very nice - when I booked, I wanted the one with the arch over the bed, but it was booked, and they assured me I'd like the one they chose, and I did - so your friend may want to specify).

Good luck!

I forgot to mention that the staff at Hotel Paris was also very friendly and helpful.

Just returned from a family trip to Rome, Florence and Venice. IN Florence, we stayed at the Alessandra and were very pleased with our accommodations. Nice room, nice breakfast, good location for walking to all the sights. We had a quad room with insuite bath. $205/night. I'm not sure what singles or doubles were since my husband and I were traveling with two teenage sons--never asked about anything but quads. The Alessandra made advanced reservations for us at the Galleria Accedemia and at the Uffizi--extrememly helpful! Note that there are stairs to the lift at this hotel.

Other hotels on this trip were Hotel DES ARTISTES, Via Villafranca 20, Rome; and Ca'della Corte in Venice. We were very pleased with these hotels as well.

I agonized over hotels and the reservations, but with help from various folks on this board, we made some wonderful choices! Thanks to all.

Hotel Casci is great value with a very warm and friendly atmosphere. It's also immaculately clean, well-located and run by the nicest family.

See Hotel Della Signoria - your price range and excelent location. I am a single woman traveler too, and am very pleased to make this recomendation.
http://www.hoteldellasignoria.com/
Reservation through internet, and no problem. Friendly staff, small hotel.
Good luck!

http://www.hotelconsigli.com/

The Hotel Consigli, where I stayed on my last solo trip to Florence, is about 150E for a doule room for single use. The location is on the same block as the US consulate (with round-the-clock guards standing outside) and right on the Arno with an amazing view of the river and hills from the roof garden.

A bonus is the fact that it's only about 6-7 blocks from the train station (though you'd never know it.) I walked!

I was very happy with my last stay at the hotel Torre Guelfa, great location , very nice rooms, and wounderful staff.
I think the prices may be more then $ 150 with the decline of the dollar.
I am staying in Sept. and my room( double) is 185 euro.
Best of luck
Fluffy

I was in Florence alone just last month and spent a week at the Hotel Capitol, which is in the Santa Croce neighborhood. It is a Best Western Hotel. They had a special and I paid 93 Euros pernight, which included all taxes and breakfast. The room was very basic but had AC, satellite cable and it's own bath. The staff were very helpful and all spoke English. The neighborhood felt very safe to me, I walked around there late at night with no problem, and it is about a 10 or 15 minute walk to the Duomo, or you can catch a bus right outside the hotel. It was a very quiet neighborhood and seemed more residential than some near the tourist areas, which I like.

Dei Mori B&B. www.bnb.it/deimori/. I stayed in a single with private bath for 80.00 euro a night last September. Clean and great owners. Right next door to the American Express. Can't ask for a better location. She can spend all that extra money on shopping and food, the way a vacation should be!

Also check out www.eurocheapo.com
good inexpensive hotel suggestions in Italy.
Fluffy

Hi, Andib: Why not stay at a convent/monastery? You don't have to be Catholic. My wife & I are staying at the Casa Santo Nome di Gesu in Florence.

Cost, including breakfast, is 66 euros.

Hope this helps. Ken Lansing

Send her to:
Instituto Oblate dell'Assunzione (L65.000 per person)
Borgo Pinti, 15
Firenze 50121
Fax: 39 0155 234 629

Lovely, shiny, clean, inexpensive convent in a great location not far from Vivoli. Sisters speak Italian and French. I had to fax twice before receiving a response. Book early. You don't have to be Catholic to stay there.

I stayed on my own at the Plaza Lucchesi this past spring and felt very safe. It is a lovely hotel on the Arno near Santa Croce. For 170 Euros inclusive I had an unusually huge single room with a balcony overlooking the Arno. A standard single was 140 Euros. The entrance to the hotel is on the Lungarno, and it has a well staffed front desk.

I second the vote for Hotel Casci. You will feel like you are staying with your Tia Maria. It is run by the most gracious family; they will make you feel cared for.

I highly recommend the DeiMori BNB - here's their e-mail[email protected] - they can send you their web site so you can view it.
The location is unbeatable - between the Ufizzi (where all the action is) and the Duomo) & it's quiet and very lovely.You can come and go to everything so quickly. The owners, 1 handsome Italian and a handsome Brit are so welcoming. The stairwell up is kind of brutal w/ heavy suitcase. The rooms are very updated, roomy, but our bathroom was tiny with a small enclosed shower, all very new. The BNB below it looks nice too. If I were a woman alone, I'd definitely stay here. I stayed there 2 wks ago w/ my daughter. A/C is 5 euros more /night, but worth it. Highly recommend the Giostra restaurant too - Huge servings, excellent service ([email protected]). 2nd time to go there-my dtr doesn't drink & they don't sell wine by the glass so they surprised me by giving me a 1/2 bottle of wonderful chianti. Also shop at the nearby market-great deals.
Ciao,
Sylvia

I would feel very comfortable, as a single woman, staying at the Alessandra. It's location is great, on the oldest street in Florence, only a short walk from Piazza della Signoria, the Uffizi, the Ponte Vecchio, the Cathedral, and other important sites. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The room (a triple) was quite spacious and clean. It is a two star hotel, so bring your own shampoo!

I sent a friend to the Alassandra, last winter, she was very pleased with the location of the hotel, her room was a single with private bath down the hall( sorry I don't know how much she paid) she was very happy with her accomidations, and the service of the hotel.
Fluffy

Had a wonderful stay at the Morandi alla Crocetta see it hear as a favorite of Fodors. Rating: 4.1

MORANDI ALLA CROCETTA
Via Laura 50, Santissima Annunziata, Florence 50121, Italy
Phone: 055/2344747 Fax: 055/2480954
EUR105 to EUR180
Piazza San Marco
Near Piazza Santissima Annunziata, this is a charming and distinguished residence in which guests are made to feel like privileged friends of the family. It is close to the sights but very quiet, in a former convent, and is furnished comfortably in the classic style of a gracious Florentine home. The Morandi is not only an exceptional hotel but also a good value. It's very small, so try to book well in advance. Breakfast is not included in the room rate. www.hotelmorandi.it. 10 rooms. In-room safes, minibars, Internet, parking (fee), some pets allowed. AE, DC, MC, V

We loved it- would give it a 4.8