Florence Hotels
Dec 19th, 2003, 09:34 AM
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Florence Hotels
We are doing (probably foolishly) a quick trip through Italy at the end of January to take in a bit of Rome and Venice.
We are driving between the two, and naturally Florence is halfway. We can spend only one night there (I hope to persuade the girlfriend to go back), but I have narrowed the choice of Hotel to:
Calzauioli
Olimpia
Brunelleschi
Has anybody got anything to say about these, or if there is somewhere else to consider? Again, we will be driving so a hotel with parking is important.
Thanks for your time.
We are driving between the two, and naturally Florence is halfway. We can spend only one night there (I hope to persuade the girlfriend to go back), but I have narrowed the choice of Hotel to:
Calzauioli
Olimpia
Brunelleschi
Has anybody got anything to say about these, or if there is somewhere else to consider? Again, we will be driving so a hotel with parking is important.
Thanks for your time.
Dec 21st, 2003, 06:22 AM
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We will be leaving in three days for Florence and the hill towns of Tuscany. Not sure if it will help you by the time you make your reservations, but I will provide an update on Hotel Calzauioli (as there are few here on site).
Couple of things to think about....
If you type in the names of these three hotels and do a "search" here on Fodors you should be able to pull up the threads that might give you some info as a help.
While I was considering the Hotel Calzauioli for our stay in Florence I checked out reviews that were available at one of the "consolidator sites" - Venere (www.venere.it). I did not use Venere to book the room, found the Utell site and the hotel itself provided the same / lower rates, but the reviews that people had left at Venere regarding the hotels gave me more information with which to make my decision.
BTW - the Hotel Calzauioli was also given a positive rating by Frommers (www.frommers.com).
In the end, there are three of us travelling together, and the bottom line was that the Hotel Calzauioli provided a triple room for 150 euro - which, on the days preceeding New years, was the best price we could find for a hotel with its location and positive reviews.
We could not get a reservation because they were only taking 3 day reservations, but the Residenza dei Pucci has had a number of very good reviews (Travel and Leisure mag, and Rick Steves) and good prices.
Oh yes, and with parking - good luck, it is quite expensive (have seen rates for 25 euro at some hotels) to keep a car in Florence.
Are you tied into Florence specifically? If you were to head toward Siena or other hill towns in Tuscany you will get a little more flavor for the country so to speak. It sounds like you will already be spending your time touring two cities. Siena is a little more than an hour from Florence - it is a very interesting place to visit, and you will get much more for your money with the hotel possibilities there....
Couple of things to think about....
If you type in the names of these three hotels and do a "search" here on Fodors you should be able to pull up the threads that might give you some info as a help.
While I was considering the Hotel Calzauioli for our stay in Florence I checked out reviews that were available at one of the "consolidator sites" - Venere (www.venere.it). I did not use Venere to book the room, found the Utell site and the hotel itself provided the same / lower rates, but the reviews that people had left at Venere regarding the hotels gave me more information with which to make my decision.
BTW - the Hotel Calzauioli was also given a positive rating by Frommers (www.frommers.com).
In the end, there are three of us travelling together, and the bottom line was that the Hotel Calzauioli provided a triple room for 150 euro - which, on the days preceeding New years, was the best price we could find for a hotel with its location and positive reviews.
We could not get a reservation because they were only taking 3 day reservations, but the Residenza dei Pucci has had a number of very good reviews (Travel and Leisure mag, and Rick Steves) and good prices.
Oh yes, and with parking - good luck, it is quite expensive (have seen rates for 25 euro at some hotels) to keep a car in Florence.
Are you tied into Florence specifically? If you were to head toward Siena or other hill towns in Tuscany you will get a little more flavor for the country so to speak. It sounds like you will already be spending your time touring two cities. Siena is a little more than an hour from Florence - it is a very interesting place to visit, and you will get much more for your money with the hotel possibilities there....
Dec 21st, 2003, 06:48 PM
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We had a car and stayed at Hotel Villa Belvedere on Via Benedetto Castelli 3 just outside of Florence. They had parking, great views, large rooms, a pool, lovely garden and restaurant, were very helpful and had a wonderful St. Bernard named Ben.
Dec 22nd, 2003, 01:11 AM
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Frankly, given the frantic traffic (although it isn't necessarily any worse than some cities in the US regardless of what people tell you), not to mention parking, "conditions" in Florence and the fact that unless you stay on the "mainland" you can't use a car in Venice anyway, you just might want to consider alternative, and much more relaxing, transport means between these three cities, i.e, rail. Easy to use, very fast, and the driver actually gets to see some of the intervening scenery. Given your self-described short visit timeframe I'm not sure a car is worth the hassles. But whatever you decide, have a great trip anyway.
Dec 22nd, 2003, 09:11 AM
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I agree you don't want to drive in Florence (or Rome.) We left the car at the hotel and either walked or took cabs in and out (it was a fairly long walk, but we love walking). And of course, you don't want a car in Venice.
Dec 22nd, 2003, 10:20 AM
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I agree with JonJon and Artlover - unless you have some serious reason for doing so, DON'T rent a car. The train system would work so much better for the two of you!
Having mentioned the Hill Towns in Tuscany, that would be the ONLY place that you might need a car, and if you wanted to, you could take the train into those towns too!
When you figure in the cost of a car, plus insurance (get it ALL - chances are pretty good that you might have some minor scrapes there), the price of fuel (last year for us it was $1.15 a liter US), plus the tolls on the Autostrada (about 1 Euro per 10 miles) its actually pretty expensive for the luxury of having a car. (Oh yes, did I forget parking?)
Using the train system between the cities can be a pretty comfortable experience - as opposed to driving. With that, and the good local transportation systems, you can get to where you need to, and without worrying about the car. PLUS you get the opportunity to interact with the people!
Having mentioned the Hill Towns in Tuscany, that would be the ONLY place that you might need a car, and if you wanted to, you could take the train into those towns too!
When you figure in the cost of a car, plus insurance (get it ALL - chances are pretty good that you might have some minor scrapes there), the price of fuel (last year for us it was $1.15 a liter US), plus the tolls on the Autostrada (about 1 Euro per 10 miles) its actually pretty expensive for the luxury of having a car. (Oh yes, did I forget parking?)
Using the train system between the cities can be a pretty comfortable experience - as opposed to driving. With that, and the good local transportation systems, you can get to where you need to, and without worrying about the car. PLUS you get the opportunity to interact with the people!
Dec 26th, 2003, 05:23 PM
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Ciao! I stayed at the Hotel Olimpia in September 2003. I would gladly stay there again. The location is perfect, right on the Piazza della Repubblica. The rooms were clean; mine was recently repainted. It is on the fourth floor, but they do have an elevator.
I was there the weekend of The Blackout (when most of Italy was without power), and they still served us hot coffee at breakfast.
The owner, Signor Maurizio, and his staff are wonderful.
Buon viaggio!
I was there the weekend of The Blackout (when most of Italy was without power), and they still served us hot coffee at breakfast.
The owner, Signor Maurizio, and his staff are wonderful.
Buon viaggio!
Dec 26th, 2003, 05:32 PM
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I'll ask too. Where are you going that you want a car? If you are only doing Rome, Florence, and Venice, you really don't need and really shouldn't want a car. Trains will solve a lot of problems and be so much easier. Probably less expensive as well.
Jan 1st, 2004, 03:07 AM
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Thank you for all of your messages - and a Happy New Year to you all, too!
We have booked up for the Calzauioli, supported by your comments and the write-up on venere.com. However we didn't book it through Venere as it was more expensive than Expedia.
We have made reservations for a car, but not committed to it yet. We would be using the car only for two days; to get out of Rome, and to get to Venice. I've driven in Italy before, and so far have come off unscathed, but we will have a better look at the rail option.
I looked at trenitalia.com and the prices are OK, but the problem I've always had with trains is that they tend to leave at times when we don't want to travel, or tie us to schedules that we usually can't keep. Better timekeeping on our part would be a good New Year's resolution!
Speaking of trenitalia.com, does anybody else have problems getting to the "Purchase" pages?
We have booked up for the Calzauioli, supported by your comments and the write-up on venere.com. However we didn't book it through Venere as it was more expensive than Expedia.
We have made reservations for a car, but not committed to it yet. We would be using the car only for two days; to get out of Rome, and to get to Venice. I've driven in Italy before, and so far have come off unscathed, but we will have a better look at the rail option.
I looked at trenitalia.com and the prices are OK, but the problem I've always had with trains is that they tend to leave at times when we don't want to travel, or tie us to schedules that we usually can't keep. Better timekeeping on our part would be a good New Year's resolution!
Speaking of trenitalia.com, does anybody else have problems getting to the "Purchase" pages?
Jan 1st, 2004, 08:27 AM
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First time travel talk participant and visitor to Italy. We'll be traveling to Rome, Florence and Amalfi in April. We have booked The Hotel Porta Faenza in Florence. Is anyone familiar with it? Also, we would like some info on The Hotel Siena in Rome. Our hotel in Amalfi is The Luna Convento. Some family members are repeat visitors there so we have a pretty good idea of what to expect. We will be traveling with a 13 year old and an 8 year old. Any special recommendations?
Jan 1st, 2004, 11:15 AM
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We have stayed frequently at the Hotel (Porta) Faenza in Florence and are fond of it. It is run by an ex-pat Canadian family named Rosemarie Zarb, very knowledgeable about the city, helpful and accomodating. The rooms are larger than usual in most Florentine hotels and very well-equipped (gorgeous black marble bathrooms). Good elevator, airconditioning, heating, pleasant breakfast room, TV's that work without an engineering degree. The location is excellent especially as it is close to our other Florence favourite the Trattoria Antellesi (number 13 Via Faenza).
Having said all those good things about the Hotel Faenza, I don't think its the biggest bargain going: we recently experienced similar facilities in the much larger, more impersonal Croci di Malta for about 20% less money.
However, we will be returning to the Hotel Faenza for all the personal little touches.
Having said all those good things about the Hotel Faenza, I don't think its the biggest bargain going: we recently experienced similar facilities in the much larger, more impersonal Croci di Malta for about 20% less money.
However, we will be returning to the Hotel Faenza for all the personal little touches.
Jan 1st, 2004, 11:29 AM
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Thanks for the info LJ. Sounds like we'll enjoy it. For our first visit I think the personal touch might well be worth the higher price. We'll take advantage of the Zarb's knowledge and experience. Do you think the rooms will be large enough for comfort with a family of 4? Also, can you tell me more about the Trattoria Antellesi?
Jan 1st, 2004, 11:46 AM
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I believe that the hotel does run to one or two "family rooms" big enough for 4, but usually the room arrangements of Italian hotels do not allow for this: i.e. they do not run to the sort of two double-bed layouts that are the norm in North American hotels.You should make a specific request at time of booking.
The Trattoria Antellesi is a family run restaurant (husband Joe, wife Renee, sister and brother all pitch in) with a simple menu of 3-4 choices of each of the standard Italian courses (antipasti, pasta, primo secondi and dolce or appetizer,pasta,meat/fish, sweet). The bill with wine for 2 might run you about 40-60 Euros which is good for Florence. They like kids and the atmosphere is casual: even people who actually live in Florence go there which is not always the case with restaurants that appeal to tourists too!
The Trattoria Antellesi is a family run restaurant (husband Joe, wife Renee, sister and brother all pitch in) with a simple menu of 3-4 choices of each of the standard Italian courses (antipasti, pasta, primo secondi and dolce or appetizer,pasta,meat/fish, sweet). The bill with wine for 2 might run you about 40-60 Euros which is good for Florence. They like kids and the atmosphere is casual: even people who actually live in Florence go there which is not always the case with restaurants that appeal to tourists too!
Jan 3rd, 2004, 08:37 AM
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Hello overlandrover and all,
We just got back from our holiday excursion to Siena, Orvieto, and Florence - will post up details as soon as I can shorten my travel log to a workable and interesting size. I wanted to post some quick info on Hotel Calzauioli with overlandrover's upcoming trip...
We really enjoyed Calzauioli - the location was FANTASTIC, the staff was most accomdating, and the price was good (a "triple" at 150 euros per night, which will probably jump to about 190 bucks with our current weak American dollar - not complainin', just explainin' - so please don't get bent out of shape you Bushies out there - after all, according to Pat Robertson, 'God is on W's side'...).
Information you might want to know:
You CAN drive up to the hotel on Via Calzauioli, even though it is reserved for pedestrians and limited traffic. Just have everything ready to go up to your room. It is not easy to get to the hotel, but it is not impossible if you take good care - I had routed my trip on www.viamichelin.com and printed out pretty specific directions right to the hotel.
A number of staff members could speak English, though we did use our limited Italian for greetings and basic information. For the "nitty gritty" details we conversed in English to make sure all was correct. Our primary contact was Oestra (sp) pronounced 0 - A - straw. He took great care of us, setting up dinner reservations and other matters (I did write down each item / reservation that we requested using Italian terms as much as possible, including days of the week and the 24 hour clock ). We used Rick Steves and Frommer's guides for dinner ideas - he agreed with one reservation (Pailoli), and told us we would not be happy with the other (Il Ritrovo), so we went with his suggestion (Ottorino).
The location is great - kittycorner to Orsanmichele - about halfway between the Duomo and the Uffizi Gallery. We walked EVERYWHERE and felt comfortable doing it - great when we shopped, and needed to drop the bags quickly!
BTW, GREAT "grocery store" just a couple of blocks away near the Duomo - Pegna. Seemed to be where the locals shopped. We picked up olive oil, vinegar, cheese, wine and other tasty snacks there, and at a couple of other stores near there (Via del Studio and Via delle Oche).
Hope this helps! Have a great trip - if you would like any other information let me know!!!
We just got back from our holiday excursion to Siena, Orvieto, and Florence - will post up details as soon as I can shorten my travel log to a workable and interesting size. I wanted to post some quick info on Hotel Calzauioli with overlandrover's upcoming trip...
We really enjoyed Calzauioli - the location was FANTASTIC, the staff was most accomdating, and the price was good (a "triple" at 150 euros per night, which will probably jump to about 190 bucks with our current weak American dollar - not complainin', just explainin' - so please don't get bent out of shape you Bushies out there - after all, according to Pat Robertson, 'God is on W's side'...).
Information you might want to know:
You CAN drive up to the hotel on Via Calzauioli, even though it is reserved for pedestrians and limited traffic. Just have everything ready to go up to your room. It is not easy to get to the hotel, but it is not impossible if you take good care - I had routed my trip on www.viamichelin.com and printed out pretty specific directions right to the hotel.
A number of staff members could speak English, though we did use our limited Italian for greetings and basic information. For the "nitty gritty" details we conversed in English to make sure all was correct. Our primary contact was Oestra (sp) pronounced 0 - A - straw. He took great care of us, setting up dinner reservations and other matters (I did write down each item / reservation that we requested using Italian terms as much as possible, including days of the week and the 24 hour clock ). We used Rick Steves and Frommer's guides for dinner ideas - he agreed with one reservation (Pailoli), and told us we would not be happy with the other (Il Ritrovo), so we went with his suggestion (Ottorino).
The location is great - kittycorner to Orsanmichele - about halfway between the Duomo and the Uffizi Gallery. We walked EVERYWHERE and felt comfortable doing it - great when we shopped, and needed to drop the bags quickly!
BTW, GREAT "grocery store" just a couple of blocks away near the Duomo - Pegna. Seemed to be where the locals shopped. We picked up olive oil, vinegar, cheese, wine and other tasty snacks there, and at a couple of other stores near there (Via del Studio and Via delle Oche).
Hope this helps! Have a great trip - if you would like any other information let me know!!!
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