Florence Hotels: Please Advise...
 

My husband & I will be staying 5 nights in Florence & Tuscany in September. I am looking for a Florence hotel reccomendation. I have come across the following that look nice to me....Albergo La Scaletta, Alessandra, Torre Guelfa,
Beacci Tornabuoni, or Villa Poggio San Felice. Has anyone stayed at these places and what were your likes/dislakes. Or, do you have a reccomendation for a nice hotel in Florence not on my list. We aren't on a budget but are looking for a mid-range quality hotel (~150 Euros per night).

Hi

Sounds a bit like the trip my wife and I did to Italy last summer. My wife and I stayed 4 days in Florence and then 6 days near Castellina in Chianti and it was wonderful :d Check out my trip reports on http://gardkarlsen.com/florence_italy_travelogue.htm and http://gardkarlsen.com/tuscany_italy_travelogue.htm . I hope that you can find some useful info there. Get in touch if you have any questions :d When it comes to hotels you should check out http://www.tripadvisor.com for reviews.

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

I have stayed at Beacci Tornabuoni. It is lovely. The location is in the midst of the high-end shopping area and walkable to virtually anyplace in the city. You can walk over the bridge to the Oltrarno, where I like to eat at night.. I am wondering if their rates will fit your budget, though..have you checked with them? The building encompasses both a hotel and a B&B, I believe..

Another good one in that area is the Davanzati.

Another place that I have stayed is La Residenza. I am guessing that it is less expensive than the Beacci and it is on the same street Again, good location for sights and upscale shopping; less good for great, reasonable eating places in the immediate vicinity. their rooms vary a bit in size. There is a tiny lift from the ground floor to the hotel which is located on floors above the ground floor.

http://www.laresidenzahotel.com/en/location.htm

In Florence, we stayed at Relais Grande Tour, in the Diva suite, and we loved it! We couldn't believe the comfort and elegance for the price. Breakfast was at a fantastic little cafe right up the street and the owners were very helpful in every way. I highly recommomend it!
http://www.florencegrandtour.com/index.php

I have stayed at Torre Guelfa twice and enjoyed my stays. I think their prices may be too high for your budget though.

I enjoy staying at the Davanzati these days- excellent experience for the price.

We always stay at Hotel Casci when in Florence (5 times so far!!). It is not a luxurious hotel. It is a small B&B with about 25 rooms, in the midst of the city but quiet and serene. It is run by a fabulous family who will constantly go out of their way to ensure your stay is wonderful. They are professionals, extremely helpful and courteous. The rooms again are not luxurious but they are SOOO clean you could eat off the floor, have great bathrooms (some have tubs). The breakfast is wonderful and very varied with more than the usual Italian cornetto (pastry) and coffee. I highly recommend.

www.hotelcasci.com

I have stayed at the Alessandra, albeit about 4 years ago. It is wonderfully situated, quiet, clean. Huge room and gigantic bathroom (if that matters to you). Our bedroom window opened out over a belltower in a courtyard and past that a view of the Arno. The staff was also amazingly friendly and helpful, facilitating our early departure (at no cost for the nights we didn't stay!) and finding quick flights home due to a death in the family. I'd definitely stay there again.

Hotel Bellettini. Good location near the market and San Lorenzo area. Very good breakfast. Very helpful staff.

I would confirm the Casci as a great hotel(we stayed 8 nights in 2006)-after all is said & done, the most compelling aspect of the Casci was its cleanliness-think of the times you stayed in a hotel or motel & found a problem w/a lack of cleaning & wanted to run out of the place. The staff is wonderful & it is centrally located. Good Luck