anton4475

I've read a ton of reviews of hotels and other lodgings in Rome and Florence. We are planning on going to Italy in Feb. 2006. Is this going to be a major issue at that time? If so, can anyone recommend some quiet hotels in those cities?

bookchick

Do you have a budget you'll be working with, or does "anything go" price-wise? The year I lived in Florence, February was a quiet month, but I visited there in February of 2003 and was surprised to see as many tourists as I did. So it may vary from year to year.

BC

sandi_travelnut

whichever hotel you choose, be sure and ask for a room on the interior of the hotel. If one is not available, make sure the windows are double-paned for noise reduction.

anton4475

Looking to keep the room price to 200 EUR or under and to be a shortish walk to the major sites.

TexasAggie

I'd think people would be more concentrated in Torino where the Olympics are being held... of course they might go touring later

grandmere

The annex of the Hotel Bellettini was a quiet, nicely appointed place with a large marble bath and well located for touring Florence. www.hotelbellettini.com

monpetit

Hotel Royal , via delle ruote : very quiet road and hotel in a garden..So, calm and calm and calm...
Website : hotelroyalfirenze.com
Erik.

maryh

You can't miss with Residenza il Villino in Florence. You will love it.

artlover

I have to perfect place for you...have stayed there twice and LOVE it. Hotel Villa Belvedere--check it out at www.villa-belvdere.com. It's out of town, but walking distance, and the views are gorgeous, the gardens are wonderful, as are the owners, and it's beautiful and quiet and a large breakfast comes with the room (eggs to order and all). When we were in Florence in May we stayed there for the 2nd time and I was so glad we did--it's a treat to be able to get away from the crowds at this place. Also, they will make reservations for the musuems etc.

VolterraGirl

We really enjoyed the Hotel Casci in Florence...just ask for a room overlooking the courtyard

Declady

We also enjoyed Hotel Bellettini and look forward to going back for our third time next month.

JSLee

In Florence, I stayed at the Plazza Luccassi (spelling). It faces the river. The room I had fronted the street, but it was very quiet. It was about a twenty minute walk from the train station. Larger rooms, restaurant, piano bar.

In rome, I stayed at the Hotel Quirinalle. Nice rooms, restaurant, bar, classic decor. Nice place, but the room I had was so big it echoed, and the gap under the door allowed noise from the next room.

leuk

In October 2005, we stayed at the Hotel DavidThe website is www.hoteldavid.it
It was terrific. They have a great happy hour with wine, cheese etc, free internet access, very helpful staff, large rooms at great rates and it was quiet. The breakfast was also tasty and there were lots of choices. The hotel is about a 10 minute walk along the river from the main sites but this suited us perfectly. We were glad to get away from the hustle and bustle of Florence at the end of each day. We would have a glass of wine and compare stories with other travellers
We paid about 120 E per night.

Leuk

leuk

whoops, meant Oct.2004.....

BATUFFOLINA

In Florence there is a lovely hotel which if I remember well is called Ville sull'Arno, on Via Cristoforo Colombo. It is an old mansion set along the edges of the river Arno, about 20 minutes walking distance from the city centre, the interiors are beautifully decorated and I would advise to get a room with a view on the Arno. If you want to have an even quieter stay in Florence, I would also advise to stay in Fiesole, and then by taking bus # 7 you can easily reach Florence. If you want to splurge, you can also try Villa San Michele which is near Florence, a wonderful relais, which if I am not wrong belongs to the Leading Hotels of the World. Very expensive though!

In Rome, a quiet oasis right in the middle of Trastevere, believe it or not, is Hotel Santa MAria. www.htlsantamaria.com
Good location, moderate hotel, good. cuisine.
As an alternative in Rome you can choose to stay at the Cavalieri Hilton Hotel set on a hill near Monte Mario. The area is around the Vatican, but as the hotel is set on a hill, there is no regular bus service apart (I think) from a shuttle bus of the hotel which will take you to the nearest bus stop which is around Piazzale Clodio.
Otherwise, the only other hotel in Rome that I know which is a bit outside the historic centre is Hotel Villa Pamphili. If you want to stay even outside Rome, try Villa Grazioli which is in Frascati, an old mansion transformed into a hotel. Frascati is linked to Rome through a regular train service.

carolll

I second the recommendation for Hotel Belvedere, on the outskirts of Florence. If you decide to stay there, know that there is a local bus within a 5-7 minute walk that will take you into the center of Florence and back, through midnight.

In Rome, we have been staying at the Hotel Ponte Sisto, a block or so off the Campo dei Fiori. The website www.reservationitaly.com will be very helpful in securing a decent rate.
Carol L

anton4475

Thanks everyone for all of your input. Time to do some research.

g33kgrl

When I was there over Xmas 2003, I stayed at lovely and very moderately priced palazzo on the street with all the high-end fashion shops. I felt quite chic to have a key to a 17th century palazzo. ;-) The woman who runs it is either British or American (can't remember) and the sitting room has gorgeous frescoes on all the walls and ceiling. Our room was tiny and a little sparse but the bathroom was nice (just renovated) and it was about 2-3 blocks from the Duomo. We intended only to stay 3 nights and ended up extending it to 5. I can't remember the name now, but it was on Via Tornabuoni, and I can find the name at home if you're interested.

Florence is really pretty small. We walked everywhere--never took any kind of transportation, so I don't think you need to worry about location as much for that reason.

g33kgrl

Yay! I found it! It's the Hotel Scoti. Here's a link to it's reviews on Trip Advisor--very good.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...e_Tuscany.html

g33kgrl

And here's the hotel's own website. (OK--I'll stop now. But it was REALLY nice.)

http://www.hotelscoti.com/index.html