Siena Hotel
 

We'll be in Tuscany the last 10 days of June and have booked a hotel in Florence for the entire time. For the first time we've planned a trip to Europe that does not entail lugging luggage from city to city. Maybe a sign of age.

We'll not only be taking several daytrips but also a couple of overnight trips as well. We'll be travelling by train as much as possible with buses kept to an absolute minimum (let's not get into that again).

For convenience (and hotel discounted somewhat for booking the entire time) we'll be keeping our hotel room during the overnights and taking with the absolute bare necessities in my backpack.

One of the overnights is to Siena (evening and next day) after spending a good part of the day in San Gimignano.

Since I'll be paying for two hotel rooms I'd like to try and keep the Siena hotel inexpensive if possible. We'll be travelling by train so I'd like it as central as possible.

Priorities are central location, A/C, clean and comfortable. Luxury is definitely not a requirement. Plain/oridnary is fine.

Suggestions?

Didn't see your previous bus discussion, but you won't be traveling by train from San G (no train station there). The nearest train station to San G is Poggibonsi. Bus is best/fastest as the train station in Siena is not central as it is in many other Italian cities. It is at the edge of town and to get from the train station to the historic center of Siena you would have to take a taxi or bus from the train station (bus is caught underneath the mall across the street). If you take the bus from San G, it will drop you in the center (most likely at Piazza Gramsci or sometimes Piazza Sale a block or so away). The bus back to Florence is the rapido which departs Piazza Gramsci (tourist office underneath the piazza - look around for stairs/walkway to go down) and arrives Florence about 70 minutes later (travel is mostly autostrada).

A short walk from Piazza Gramsci is a budget hotel/convent, Alma Domus. It is about a 1 minute walk from San Domenico, a 5 minute walk to the Duomo and about 5-10 minute walk to the Campo. Rooms are basic with private bath and small balcony. There is an internet point (free for a certain amount of time and a charge if you want to use longer), a tv room on one floor and a breakfast room. You can see the Duomo from your room balcony.
http://www.hotelalmadomus.it/

Another option not far from Alma Domus and closer to Campo is Cannon D'Oro.
http://www.cannondoro.com/
http://www.cannondoro.com/

Several years ago, we stayed at the Hotel Duomo and were very happy with it. The location is excellent, just up the street from the Campo.

Our room had a wonderful view of the Duomo, and there wasa nice rooftop terrace hat we enjoyed.

Since our stay was several years ago, maybe you can find some more recent information.

Byrd

Fforgot to post the link:

http://www.hotelduomo.it/en/index.php

Opps. I don't think Cannon D'Oro has AC.

There are a lot of nice options outside of the city walls, but it gets pretty expensive once you require a central location.

I stayed at the Hotel Duomo about six years ago. It meets your criteria of a great central location, A/C and clean. The rooms are NOT fancy but were comoftable (if a bit dull). Price isn't super-inexpensive, but not bad considering the location.

Last summer we stayed several days at a lovely B&B in Siena, Villa Elda. It has A/C, it worked great (was very hot when we were there)I think we paid 130 Euros per night wiith breakfast. The train station is outside the city. Eventhough we came by bus from Rome and there is a bus stop near the B&B, we decided to get out at the train station because it was raining very hard and we knew the bus stop in Siena would be in the open. We took a cab from the train station to the hotel, it cost around 9 euros.

A lot of people seem to mention Hotel Duomo.

On the map it appears quite far past the Campo and Duomo and the bus station.

Is that the case.

Our experience at Hotel Duomo was not a good one. Had a room on the front and there was lots of street noise and it was quite warm (late May). We complained about the heat and were told the AC would not be turned on until it became unbearably hot due to the high cost of electricity--the AC was not controlled in each room. This hotel was not real cheap either. I would look at Alma Domus if I were you.

Thanks.
I'm looking at Alma Domus.

Villa Elda only seems to have a few expensive rooms.

How about Chiusarelli or Piccolo Hotel Etruria?

If you look on the map on the Hotel Duomo website and click the up arrow once to move the map up a tad the Campo is where the A in Siena is, the bus hub (there isn't a station) is under the via in via dei Montanini, Alma Domus would be above Fonte part of Via di Fontbranda. Nothing is far and easily walkable although you are right about Hotel Duomo being on the far side from the bus hub.

Chiusarelli (it's giving a 138€ rate for a random date end of June) is on a busy street with lots of traffic, but within sight of the bus hub. I think the other hotels mentioned are in areas where there aren't cars although I haven't been as far as the Hotel Duomo I would assume cars aren't allowed there either.

Myer,

What price are you looking for?

We also considered another B&B inside the walls called Antica Residenza Cicogna, it was less expensive than Villa Elda and had A/C as well. It only has 5-6 rooms.

I enjoyed my stay at this very central B&B-

http://www.residenzadepoca.it/

My "classic" room was large, had a nice view of the Siena rooftops and had a skylight. The hosts were very nice.

We were very happy with Hotel Alma Domus ... although one of the front-desk nuns gave my husband nightmares about being in first grade again.

I recall skipping over the Alma Domus because of their curfew. However, it looks like it's now at 1 a.m. (I could have sworn it was more like 10 p.m when I looked years ago). Without that issue, I'd choose it over the Hotel Duomo.

just27,

Am I going to have to convert if I stay at the Alma Domus?

Think they'll check . . . .?

Absolutely, they'll check! That front-desk nun will probably also whack your knuckels with her ruler when you check in. Other than that, it's a wonderful location, and has a fabulous vista over the old city, which is an 8 minute walk away. (Even my parochial schooled husband would go back in a heartbeat.) We shut down the grande place and had no curfew problems. Whenever I watch "Quantum of Solace" I remember that Siena visit, fondly. It's also squeeky clean.

I forget, sometimes, that email doesn't show when I'm kidding. Er, of course you won't have to convert ... I didn't ... :)

This religious stuff is making me a bit uncomfortable. I'll have to think about it.

Anybody stay at Antica Residenza Cicogna.
Very good ratings/comments on TA.

Hotel Alma Domus isn't run by nuns at least not when I was there, it's contracted out. The young guy working the desk insisted it wasn't even a convent, but a hotel. I did see a nun in the breakfast room one morning, but not any other times.

If I may ask, how much luggage do you take to need to stay in
one place and go back and forth? It just seems such a waste of
your time and money. Have you considered a rolling carry-on size piece of luggage that you can easily manage on the trains, buses etc? We travel for 2-3 weeks with one each plus I have an extra tote-type bag. Hope you have a great trip.

Oops, I should have been answering your question instead of
questioning you about your luggage.:) We also stayed at Hotel Duomo. The location is the best part about the hotel. It was
clean, simple furnishings, nice breakfast and helpful staff.

violetduck,

I have two overnighters planned. In both cases we'll sleep over in a second or third destination at the end of the first day, then we'll spend the second day in that area.

For instance, we'll make a quick stop in Pisa (little interest here but the train from Florence works better) and spend the rest of the day in Lucca. We'll go to La Spezia either before or after dinner to be in Cinque Terre the next day before returning to Florence in the evening.

Likewise, we'll go to San Gimignano for a good part of the day then move over to Siena for the evening and the next day.

Walking around all day with a carry-on is not what I'll do. I'll put a few necessities for both of us in my backpack and that will have to do.

= = = = =
A lot of people seem to be giving Alma Domus good reviews. I'll have to think about this.

In the meantime, anybody stay at Antica Residenza Cicogna.
Very good ratings/comments on TA.

just27,

I could read the humor in you message.

= = = = =
Well that settled that.

The Alma Domus won't take a one night reservation for the date I wanted (June 28th).

I guess I'll followup on Antica Residenza Cicogna unless other good suggestions appear.

Don't expect Alma Domus to be the same quality as it's only a 1 star. I suggested it because it met your guidelines of inexpensive, central, AC. You can't compare it to many of the other hotels you are looking at(some of which are three star) which are double the price.

I definitely see that your backpack will work better with all your changes. You are going to see lots of beautiful and interesting places. Enjoy!!!!

I've stayed at the Chiusarelli at least 3 times, and always been quite pleased with it. Beware, though - if you ask the server to bring you a cappacino at breakfast, instead of getting your own from the machine, you'll be charged extra for it now.

And the gruff guy who was at the front desk a few years ago - who many people here complained about, including me - is still there, but he's nice now.

Here's another place I've stayed in Siena - a small hotel called the Fani Mignanelli. A bit more than the Chiusarelli. 5 minutes walk from P. Gramsci, 1 minute from the Campo. Lovely place.

http://www.residenzadepoca.it/

Holly,

Could you comment about the setup of the Fani Mignanelli? I shied away from booking it as I read many reviews that said it was awkward to get into something about having to walk through a construction site??? I was going to check it out last year while staying at the Villa Elda but totally forgot!

We moved to the Chiusarelli after a poor experience with a place inside the walls. The room was very nice and comfortable and the breakfast was excellent. It has beautiful public spaces. BUT kybourbon is right that it is on a busy street, so if you choose that hotel you must insist on a room towards the back. The central bus station is a few hundred yards down the road.

The hotel's location is just outside of the walls near a gate, so the walled part of the city is very convenient and walkable.

All in all, we were very pleased with the Chiusarelli.

cruiseluv: The Fani Mignanelli is located almost directly across from a really large pasticceria (sp?) on the "main drag" heading into the old town. Maybe you've seen it - lots of pretty decor in the windows, a seating area in the back with a lunch and dessert type menu. You turn right into what looks to be the start of a calle, storefronts on both sides, then after about 30 feet, there's a gate. Go through that, and there's an elevator on the right that goes to the hotel on the upper floors. If someone said something about a construction site, all I can think is that maybe something was going on in the street out front, or they were tearing up something in that little calle area at some point. It was all clear when I stayed there, and when I went through the area again last year.

Thank you so much Holly. Wish I had known about this last year, I would have certainly considered staying there. Now I know for next time. I think I know the pasticceria you are talking about. Actually, we went in once , wanted to buy some stuff and couldn't get anybody to help us! They only had one woman working the long counter and many patrons waiting to be helped.

I considered the Chiusarelli but in the end decided to go with a very small place in the same area but a little closer to the Campo.

Antica Residenza Cicogna has only 6 rooms, recently renovated with A/C, private bathroom, breakfast room and the whole place is non-smoking (how do they enforce that). It gets great reviews on TA but I'm suspiscious of that.

Needless to say that when I write my trip report I will discuss how all this worked out.

We're doing a few things very different than what we've done in the past. Should be an interesting adventure.

What rate did you get? Do the rooms have views?

kybourbon,

I have no idea if the rooms have a view. When I look at the prioroties that is certainly not one of them for this hotel. We'll only be there for one night.

I expect we'll arrive at the hotel early evening. We'll walk around, have dinner, sleep, have breakfast (included) and check out. The rate is 90E.

The priorities are clean and comfortable (TA seems to indicate so), location (this seems to be), non-smoking (neither of us smoke and this is a big plus) and price since we're keeping our hotel in Florence.

Like I wrote, this trip is built very differently from all of our previous trips. In the past we've changed locations every 2-4 days. We'd packup, carry luggage, get on the train and move around.

As we get a bit older (and we had a few surgeries last year - knee for my wife and hip replacement for me though we're both fine now) we want to try not carrying luggage around.

I'm sure we'll learn something for the next trip.

Myer,

I think that is a great rate you got for June. I never went in, but I did walk past the entrance to the Antica Cigogna and it looked fine, location is excellent. Please post after you stay there and let us know of your experience.

cruiseluv,

I write extensive reports (probably too detailed) following each of my trips and expect to write one after this trip as well. I will report on this hotel.

It was you who suggested I look at this hotel.

Thanks for the responses.