Agnes1228

I am looking for a decent hotel (double, WITH private bathroom a must), and pref. with a/c, as we'll be there in July.
Any suggestions about Florence neighborhoods? I do not mind walking - 15, maybe 20 min from center is ok.
Please, advise.
Thank you,
Agnes

joiedevivre

That is not going to be easy. Most prices are not negotiable in the high season. Your best bet might be to find a short-let apartment (min. 2 or 3 nights, price should go down the longer you stay). Air conditioning is also something that isn't too common, usually only in the places that cater to bigger spenders. Open windows and a ceiling fan are bearable.

fishee

Maybe Hotel Europa? Central location, basic rooms, nice owners, bathroom ensuite, not sure about the A/C.

I don't know how much they increase fares for high season -- we stayed for around 65 Euro in Winter.

ira

Hi A,

I can highly recommend the B&B Peterson: www.bedinflorence.it

See my trip report for details.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34451044

amandab

We stayed at the Toscana Hotel a few weeks ago - centre of Florence, only about 5-10 minutes walk away and also close to the railway station. It was very basic but had private bathroom (small one), tv and I do believe it had aircond (but can't guarantee it, obviously we didn't have the need for it in winter). It cost 66.50 euro a night for a double room, including breakfast. The staff were very pleasant, particularly the young lady on reception - extremely helpful and nice. In general we found Florence to be very expensive - for example we paid 6 euro each for a gelato - we were absolutely shocked and about 20 euro for a coffee and sandwich in a cafe. I found the hotel on Venere.com. and it seemed to be one of the cheapest.

basingstoke2

The Hotel Enza www.hotelenza.it would meet your requirements. It is a 2 star, has AC, good sized well maintained rooms with very good bath and friendly, helpful staff. It is a 10 minute walk to the duomo.

Leely

Try Residenza Johanna. We stayed in...2000? or so. Prices are still reasonable. We liked the neighborhood.

http://www.johanna.it/

fishee

these b&b's are adorable. Is it usually necessary to book well in advance?

Agnes1228

Leely,which Johanna did you stay at?
There is Johanna 1 and 2. How much of a walk was it from Duomo? What kind of the neighborhood was it?
TO give you an example, when in Paris, we liked ST Germain, but were not too crazy about Marais (too artsy, seedy, and so on)
Everybody, thank you.
By the way, did anybody stay at Villa Atnea or Hotel Malaspina?
A

Leely

Agnes, it's good you described what you like in Paris because I'm exactly the opposite.

I stayed in the first Johanna, on Bonifacio Lupi. It is a quiet street in a somewhat out-of-the way location. Probably took about 15-20 minutes walking to Uffizi. Much quicker to Museo di San Marco (don't miss if you like Fra Angelico) and Accademia, of course.

The neighborhood wasn't seedy or artsy in my opinion, but I sort of like those qualities so perhaps I'm not the best judge. Also, there are many, many students in Florence (including American exchange students), so I always think of it as having a pretty heavy student vibe in general.

Hopefully someone who knows Florence better, and that area in particular, can answer more thoroughly. If you like St. Germain you might prefer being closer to the Duomo, etc.

Hard to compare Florence to Paris, though. Both beautiful cities and the similarity ends there.

If you're considering it, definitely check tripadvisor for reviews of the Johanna; it is more like a B and B than a hotel, so keep that in mind. No 24-hour check-in, no room service. We really liked it, but it's not for everyone.

And enjoy Florence.

Agnes1228

Thank you!
Agnes

basingstoke2

Agnes1228 - if you decide to follow the link to the Hotel Enza site, you will find photos that are representative. However, I would take the distances noted in the location section with a grain of salt. The train station is not 300 meters, but still a comfortable 10 minute walk. Also an interesting 10 minute walk to the Duomo, passing the Lorenzo market on the way. Another 10 minutes to the Uffizi. I also wouldn't go so far as to call it a mansion, but I guess that depends on your own definition. What I really liked other than the size and cleanliness of our room were the big, white, fluffy, American style towels with a towel warmer as an extra. The two young ladies on the day desk spoke excellent English and couldn't have been more helpful. Our Uffizi reservations were all set up when we arrived. They invited DW to use the internet for free, but I don't know if that is a hotel policy. All in all a great place to sleep. If you need a view, try somewhere else.

ronin

I was a confirmed "private bath or else" type before my 1st trip to Europe, but after this last trip I'm starting to relax a bit. We stayed at Il Bargellino with Pino & Carmel (the best!) for 3 nights in May. We'd requested a private bath, and the room was available - but when we saw the option of the balcony rooms with a shared bath (happened to be right next door - just like in my house), I was sold! So nice having the balcony in the a.m. and the welcoming gatherings of the hosts' friends and hotel guests in the evening. A very memorable stay! http://www.ilbargellino.com/

Agnes1228

Thank you. I do not mind a nice view, but frankly, I am not going to spend a lot of time in the hotel; so, it does not matter. We want a clean room, with a bathroom that is large enough that you can close the door and manage to dry yourself without hitting your elbows every so ofter (small is fine, but not extremely small)
Breakfast included in the cost of the room a plus.
I do not mind walking, but I do not want to stay somewhere too seedy/artsy/etc
Thank you,
I will check all the suggestions.
More suggestions appreciated!
Agens

Agnes1228

Signed - Agnes