Need Help Finding a Hotel in Florence
 

Please be kind. I screwed up big time. We are flying in and out of Florence. I booked the Hotel Porta Roma for the first few days. We are then heading for a wonderful restored convent in Umbria for several days. We thought we could decide once we arrived if we wanted to return to Florence either a day or two earlier and where to stay. I just found out that the Convent needs to know NOW exactly how long we are staying. I am therefore NOW looking for a hotel in Florence for June 21 - 23. Hotel Porta Rosa is booked, Casi is booked but Hotel Rapallo is available. We leave Florence at 6:45 am so I did not want to be too far away. I am traveling with 3 grandparent, 3 boys, and a husband who is giving me those "I told you so" looks. Do any of you wonderful travelers have a quick suggestion on a hotel? Since I am already frazzled please don't beat me up too much. I would really appreciate any help. Gini

Hi, when we arrived early at Hotel Torre Guelfa last year, they were able to put us up at an apartment they own right across the street. It had at least two bedrooms, a kitchen, and was very roomy. While I didn't like the actual hotel when we moved to it after one night, the apartment for $175 was a very good deal for a family, I thought at the time, and the location of it is great. I know the hotel is reviewed by fodors here on the site, so they must have the latest phone and fax numbers.

Try Hotel Bellettini; great location, reasonable, etc. Do a search on here, and you'll find out lots about it.

Thank you for your thoughts. I've have checked your suggestion but to no avail. The Family is happy staying outside of the Center of Florence but it would make sense staying towards the airport. So any other thoughts on a Hotel for our last nights in Florence would be greatly appreciated.

Gini, we stayed for a week at Hotel Jolly in Florence. I thought it would be terrible but it wasn't. It's about a mile from the city center so it is walkable; right along the Arno. The rooms are nice, there's a pool, taxis right out front, and a good breakfast. It might be a good resort for last nights and comfortable for your grandparents and all.

Did you try Hotel Silla? It's a nice hotel, but doesn't fill up as fast as some of the others because it's on the oltrarno side and the immediate vicinity is not a sightseeing destination. However, it's just a very short walk across the river to part of the center. <BR><BR>Waht I usually do is go to a bookstore, surreptitiously take quick notes on the hotel recommendations in several guidebooks in addition to the ones I'm buying, and then go home and keep trying them until I get one. I usually fax about 3 choices at a time, and just go down my list and settle on the first acceptable one that replies.

Thank you Carol and Grasshoper. I tried Jolly and they are booked and I just sent an email to Silla. I am crossing my fingers. I will hit the bookstore after I leave the office, but if you have any other suggestions ...

Try B&B In Piazza Della Signoria. Their website is www.inpiazzadellasignoria.it<BR>They are kind of a well kept secret so may not be fully booked yet.

Try www.laterooms.com

One thing to do when a hotel is booked is ask them to put you on their cancellation list. I often get a room within a few days.

Did you try charmingflorence.com

Hi I don't know if this will help; but I stayed at an adorable place on the outskirts of Florence; just a short bus or cab ride to the center of Florence and I think it would be good for a family it's called La Torricella ( see Karen Brown's web site). although it's not near the air port. Good luck.

We just got back and were booked into the Monna Lisa on via Borgo Pinti near the Duomo and Santa Croce areas. Very beautiful and great service.

Have you tried the venere.com search site? I can't vouch for its accuracy, but it is impressive. Put in the nights you want, number of rooms (and category, if you want) and it will tell you exactly which of 265 Florence hotels are available for those nights. Not knowing your precise arrangements, I put in 3 double rooms for the nights of June 21-23 and it came up with 21 hotels, maybe 10 of which are 3 or 4 star. You can link to a map showing the location in the city. It also calculates the total price for you, for the arithmetically challenged (e.g., 3 rooms x 3 nights = 1,500 Euros).<BR><BR>http://www.venere.com/it<BR><BR>Good luck!

Try Quisisana Ponte Vecchio which is in the same area of the Porta Rossa along the Arno and next to the Uffizi Gallery. Have stayed there on several occasions and enjoyed the hotel, location and service.

Try the Hotel Brunelleschi, a few blocks from the Duomo and the Piazza della Republica...they have tons of good rooms and it is a restored medieval church with a 'museum' of all the archaeological finds in the basement.<BR><BR>You can't beat the service OR the location!<BR><BR>Buon Viaggio~ Wendy

Try the Basilea. I just cancelled a room there.

Last summer, we stayed at : <BR>Hotel Maxim Via dei Calzaiuoli 11 50122 Firenze<BR> 011-39-055217474 fax –011-39-055283729 email- [email protected]<BR><BR>It was very convenient, about a block from the Duomo. We had a quad room that was quite large, with a bath and an extra bath next door.

Thank you for your good suggestions. Hotel Silla is booked. I will try your other suggestions. Apparently there is some fashion show that week-end at the Pitti Palace so many of the Hotels are booked for that show. You guys are great. Gini

If you have no luck call Il Viaggio in Phoneix Az..I thhink off the top of my head their number is 888-864-8362..they are a booking agent for Italy and are great with good rates..please tell them Carolyn Starr recommednded them///good luck