Help! Florence hotel-student budget
 

Hi there. Can anyone reccomend a hotel in Florence for $90-$130 including AC, private showers, clean? I would like to be close to tourist attractions, ie Duomo.<BR><BR>Thank you kindly,<BR>Nikki

Nikki,<BR>two suggestions for you:<BR>RESIDENZA HANNAH & JOHANNA e RESIDENZA JOHANNA II - 5 GIORNATE.<BR>

Put Margo Classe into your search engine. She has checked out dozens of hotels in many Italian and French cities. She even recommends which rooms to stay in and one of the most helpful things is that she gives exact instructions on how to find your way from train station to hotel. I learned about her thru Amazon.com ( I think! ) E-mail me if that doesn't help. Diana

I find Margo Classe to be of limited help. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I get the impression that she knocks on a hotel's door, tells them she's writing a guidebook, and asks to see the rooms. Hence, some detailed info in her books about room numbers, furnishings, etc. But I don't think she stays in every hotel, and therefore can't comment on the service, noise, etc. I've never seen a bad or even marginal "review" in her book.

Try Hotel Maxim close to Duomo. Stayed there 4 nights in 2001 with my family. Liked it<BR>

Nikki-<BR><BR>There are a ton of hotels right between train station and duomo. We did not have reservations and simply got off the train (and this was in summer- middle of tourist season)and walked in a few 3-star hotels and asked for a a/c and shower. We ended up at one of the first stops on our right for 90 dollars (a double room). When we had called around prior we were getting expensive rates and think we lucked out due to just stopping in. I think as long as you find a 3 star hotel, you will be fine. <BR><BR>

Hotel Casci, great location, immaculate and run by the nicest family. Also well in your range. www.hotelcasci.com

I have lived in Florence and when my family would come to visit, I would always book them a room at the Albergo (hotel) Firenze located on Borgo degli Albizi (which eventually turns into the Corso). It is a great location and if you pay in cash it is cheaper. To give you a sens of the location, it is right near the department store called Coin, which is near the main drag, via Calzauoli which connects the Piazza Signoria with the Duomo. They have breakfast included and it is very clean. Unfortunately I do not have the phone number as I always would just walk in and make the reservation. With any hotel in Florence, make sure you ask for a room that is NOT on the street-side (maybe try for the back or on the courtyard ("cortile") because the streets of Florence can be very noisy 0 they are narrow and with so much stone, the noise just echoes.<BR>I would suggest NOT staying near the train station. It is a bit gritty around there and it is so much more charming to be down in the older part of town, near the Uffizi, etc.<BR><BR>Ciao e buon viaggio!

Someone I know has stayed at Hotel Il Bargellino and liked it very much. (http://www.ilbargellino.com/)

Hotel Casci - do a search here on "Casci" - you won't be sorry!