bonniejean

Thanks everyone for taking the time to post a suggestion. As soon as I finish this Thanksgiving marathon kitchen tour of duty, I look forward to looking up everyone's suggestions.

Bonniejean

mulifat

Definitely JK Place. No contest. Just avoid the standard room category

Weadles

Yet another vote for Hotel Lunarno, riverview room with terrace. ( You should specify- some rooms overlook the Arno, but have no terrace.) The Lungarno is perfectly located for exploring Florence, and is a real haven at the end of the day. The Lungarno and Hotel Poseidon in Positano are definitely at the top of my favorite hotels list! Have a great time-

rex

I'll be glad to answer your question about train travel between Paris and Rome when you post it here (hint: it would not be my choice, but others will speak in its defense, including some who have actually done such a thing!)

bonniejean

OK, Rex, please let me have your thoughts regarding a train trip from Paris to Rome. We would book first class tickets and have a private sleep compartment. My husband seems fixated on the notion of pursuing this mode of travel to get us from Paris to Rome. I am willing to indulge DH, but I don't know what I am agreeing to. He has yet to agree to my spending a half day shopping in Paris--with him!

Thank you. Bonniejean

rex

Personally, I just wouldn't do it under any "ordinary" circumstances. It will cost you a whole lot more than a flight - - see www.whichbudget.com - - though others will point out the subtraction of one night's hotel accommodations. I personally think that arriving in Rome, without the usual pleasantries of your hotel room in the morning... showering, sleeping in, breakfast, canoodling, whatever... makes for an unpleasant start of a day which will be more challenge on your nervous system than you realize. Rome is very, VERY intense - - it takes a day or so to get used to the rhythms, the sights and sounds, the scooters and the (sometimes) crush of people. Starting the day without access to your hotel room until... when? noon? later? well it just doesn't appeal to me.

Would I ever? Well, after years of saying I would never try it... my wife and I finally did plan an itinerary, for which an overnight trip made sense: from Biarritz to Paris, departing at 23:00 and arriving at 07:00 - - on the day we were scheduled to fly home. Since these overnight trips are sometimes praised for money saving (and our fares were indeed a bargain at 35 euros each for the PREM fare), we decided to go ahead and "rough it", taking the 6-couchette 2nd class accommodations.

How was our experience? Well, pretty darn good actually - - so I can only imagine that the first class compartment for two would be all the better. With an Ambien, I slept like a baby (my wife not quite as well), and traipsing around Paris for a few hours before heading to the airport was entirely tolerable.

But in your situation... I just wouldn't do it.

Ideally, this question would have been better as a separate post (you could still do that, of course; this way, I don't know what other answers you will get besides mine) - - but to refuse to answer you when you posted it here to me seemed too "lecture-y"... even for me.

rex

topping...

Alajan

Room no. 8, Beacci Tornabuoni. I know there are pricier hotels in Florence, but I love this place. Understated elegance and old world charm.

lawchick

Villa San Michele, Fiesole

tcreath

bonniejean, I will give you our overnight train experience. DH and I took an overnight train from Vienna to Florence and had a private sleeper car. While the sleeping car was great, unless you are a very deep sleeper be prepared to not get as much sleep as you would like. We arrived in Florence at 6:00 a.m. absolutely exhausted and disoriented (as we were woken up only about 20 minutes before we had to be off the train). We went to our hotel and dropped off our luggage but had no energy to do anything. We hopped on a train to Pisa just so we could sleep for an extra hour or so, knowing that trains between Florence and Pisa run frequently.

I really did enjoy the overnight train experience. There is something almost romantic about it. Still, if I had to do it again I would reserve a hotel at the city I am arriving in for the night before so that I would have somewhere to go once I arrived. I know that it is an extra cost, but I would have gladly paid double that morning to have our room ready when we arrived.

Rome is a fabulous city and quite honestly I didn't find it as intense as many do, but we were there in March and December when obviously it isn't as crowded. Still, I personally wouldn't want to wake up in Rome after a lackluster night of sleep and no hotel room to retire to.

Best of luck!
Tracy

bonniejean

Rex and Tracy, many thanks for replying to my new inquiry-train trip from Paris to Rome-posted on this thread. I appreciate your comments. DH continues to remain dedicated to the train trip, and it is my pleasure to indulge him. However, Tracy, great idea about booking a hotel room for the night prior to our actual arrival. I am using hotel points for our Rome stay, and I have beaucoup points. I will just ensure that our actual arrival date is made clear to the Rome hotel staff.

If I was clever, I would move the posts associated with the train travel aspect of this thread to a new and distinct thread.

Many thanks, again. Bonniejean

Scottstig

Bonnie, I to would have to recommend hotel Lungarno! Beautiful hotel great location and great decor. Besides it's owened by a very fashionable italian family!!!!! If it fits into your budget you can't go wrong we loved it. Try a negroni the best in Florence! Also make sure you get a Arno view and not a courtyard view cost difference, but well worth it.

Astigiano

Palazzo Niccolini al Duomo, an old family palazzo wonderfully restored and family owned, very close to the doumo. elegant and luxurious.

Cicerone

How many nights are you going to be there? Have you been to Florence before? Do you want do to any walking in the countryside or spend any appreciable amount of time in the countyside? Is room size very important to you? Is a large bathroom very important to you? Where are you staying in Paris and Rome (so maybe you can have a different experience in Florence.) These would affect my reccos.