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Florence hotel or B & B recommendations

Hi

Now that I've got Venice and Sorrento nailed down, I'm looking for help with some places in Florence.

We'll be there three nights in October, and would like to be within walking distance of the main sites, so nothing out of town or on the outskirts.

There's two of us, and ideally I'd like to keep it to 125E or less/night. I'd like a quieter street, and don't care at all for things that give hotels the ***'s. ie. restaurant, bar, elevator. A simple, well-located, clean, friendly B & B would be wonderful. Close to restaurants would be nice too. Not threadbare linens with stained bathroom tiles even if it is clean.

Does such a place exist?

We stayed at www.relaiscavalcanti.com/ the last time we were in Florence. Venere reviewers give it 9.2 and tripadvisor 4 1/2 stars. Best bang for the buck we have found in Florence. My review is below

Francesca was the greeter and was wonderful. She is extremely helpful and even marks free maps with grocery stores, restaurants, etc, and gives each guest one. Great location. Can be a little noise early morning when the new market is being set up, but location more than makes up for it. If you have a room on the front side, you can lean out the window and see most of the domo dome. Easy walking distance to all the sights. Is on deadend street so no traffic and rooms have double windows. Air con works very well and was no extra charge for it. Have one flight of stairs to the elevator. There are snacks and make your on coffee and tea. Irish pub on front with good beer and wonderful restaurant (even mentioned in Rick Steves) on ground floor. Back side overlooks the new market. Only negative was too many keys (4), but is manageable. Another reviewer was correct - it does have the softest toilet paper in Europe. Will definitely stay there again

we stayed at Hotel Centrale in March and it great. Free internet in the room, great breakfast, a short walk to the duomo and best of all a straight shot walking from the train station. It was as its name says very central. We even gor a Rick Steves rate. Ask for that when booking.

In April we stayed at Il Marzocca B&B. Nice and clean, quiet, decent breakfast. Near the train station. Very nice owner. and Fredricka is very helpful. I think we paid about about 80€ for a twin.

Alloro B&B

Hotel Cestelli

Hotel Balestri

This is a good resource for 3 star hotels and B&Bs: www.florenceby.com.

Thanks for all the information. It's just the kind of info I was looking for.

This is why I love Fodorites - so willing to take the time to share!

charlesg. I've read on TA about possible noise from the bar downstairs. What's your recommendation about what room to ask for or to stay away from? Did you experience much of a noise issue?

Markland,

we read about noise too but never noticed it. We were there in mid-Sept so was not very crowded. We did notice the carts when they were setting up the market. We were directly above the bar on the front side. The few people we talked to staying there did not complain about the noise from the market.

Just donned on me my Flr knowledge is getting dated. I thought we were there in 2008 but was 2006. We not been there our last three trips to Italy. The same family still owns it and the daughters work there. There is no staff there after 5 and no breakfast, just self catered tea, coffee, juice, and little snacks.

The price and location made it a great deal.

The http://www.anticatorre.com/ is also good but more expensive. Was there in 2003 Location excellent, staff very friendly and extremely helpful. One long flight of stairs before elevator and no one to help with luggage. Gold room has a view. Pink, one stayed in, is light and quiet. Ditto on Red and Green, but no view from any. Ivory & Blue open on inner court yards with back of restaurants on ground floor. Will stay here again. Staff on duty from 8 am to 8 pm.Li mited breakfast is extra or was when were there.

Ditto on http://www.relaisuffizi.it/profilo-eng.htm It has staff all night and breakfast. it is next to the Uffizi and the antica t.

Have been to Flr in Oct and is good time to be there people and weather wise. Don't know if you have been to Italy before. We want a bath with shower and clean and central location in historic district. All three of these worked out very well for us. We're going back in Sept, but not sure if will go to Flr. If we do will stay at the RC.

Yell if you have any more questions. If you're driving can tell you some about parking.

I'll toss mine into the heap as well - stayed at the Alloro B&B just a few blocks from the Duomo and very comfortable. The rooms are apacious, you can hear the church bells ringing (but no street noise) and breakfast is rolled up to your door on a tray in the morning.

We went into a nice winebar up the street to buy a bottle, and the owner uncorked it for us before we left the shop (because we didn't have one)

http://www.allorobb.it/Eng/index.html

Try the hotel bellettini in florence, it is central and close to all the sites, I'm paying 234euros for 4 nights in september.

We liked alloro, too. Even the bathroom was spacious!

aussieparker, I'm amazed at the price of Bellettini!! We used to stay there back when it was a pensione, and it was definitely a lovely budget hotel. The price was in lire back then, and I can't remember how much, but nothing to compare with approx.$300 it is now!

Oops! Is that €234 the total for 4 days? If so, ignore what I just said! We really loved that place.

http://www.soggiornobattistero.it/ We just stayed here in April. It's a 4th floor (3rd piano) walk up but you can practically touch the Batistro and Duomo from you window. It's clean and the owners are wonderful. The windows keep literally all the noise from the piazza out.

We just got back and stayed at the Relais Campanile B&B just one block from the Duomo on a very quiet street. You do have to walk up one flight of stairs to reach the B&B but it wasn't difficult and the staff helps with your luggage. The room was very nice and the bathroom spotless. It was a great find for the price. We didn't eat breakfast there but did see a tray that was taken into another room but it looked nice.

A lovely player in a quite area, with fantasy Theme room... really romantic, and IMPORTANT cheap price !!

http://www.hotelmasaccio.eu

try to check !