I have heard good things about a place called Laconda Daniel located on Via Nazionale and is in the same building as the Hotel Nazionale. <BR> <BR>I also heard nice things about Hotel Il Bargellino (few minutes walk from Stazione Santa Maria Novella, Via Guelfa 87, 50129 Firenze, Italia , Telephone (055) 238-2658, Fax (055) 238-2698, http://www.ilbargellino.com/ <BR> <BR>Has anyone ever stayed at either of these budget hotels?

since noone has responded yet i'll put my 2 cents in even if i haven't stayed at those hotels. I did stay at and do recommend hotel casci. it's 2*, great location, very clean and run by a very accomodating & friendly family. search this board for 'casci', you'll find lots of info if you're interested. also their web site is www.hotelcasci.com.

We stayed at the Prima Vera. Clean and not expensive. They served a nice breakfast too, and it was easy walking to everything. I don`t know about the hotels you mentioned. Let us know how it all worked out.

We stayed at Hotel Elite at 12 Via della Scala, near Santa Maria Novella and about a five minute walk from the train station. For under $65 a night, we had a nice double bed in a newly painted and decorated room, with a shower and sink. The bath was in the hall, and though the hotel was full we never saw anyone else. It was quiet except around 10-11 when the guy working the desk played his TV quite loudly. The woman who works during the day speaks great English and is especially friendly and helpful. The guy working at night is friendly and helpful enough and speaks adequate English (assuming that is your first language). There is no breakfast. Florence is compact, so it is hard for a hotel to not be in a convenient location. If you are traveling by train much, it would be perfect. I am not sure whether it had air conditioning (I was there 1 1/2 weeks ago when it was in the low 70s). It is in a secure building and has no curfew. You get keys to all the doors. You will find the place listed in Frommers and Rick Steves.

I've stayed at the Il Bargellino three times and will again the next time I go. It is a very nice and inexpensive hotel that's in a good location. <BR> <BR>I've recommended it before here on the forum and a search might bring up my comments. <BR> <BR>It's a great, clean, and very safe place to stay.

We stayed at a place called "Hotel Ferdinando II" in the downtown area, on Via del Coroso. It's apparently very new, so not in the guide books and likely to be easier to get a reservation... <BR>The bathroom was interesting - the wole room was tiled, and there was no separate stall - just close the door and turn on shower. (The sink is out in the room). The room was one of the larger ones we had in Italy. 435,000 for a double for 3 nights in Sept. <BR>