25 Best Hotels in Florence, Italy

Each simply furnished room in this residenza (guesthouse) is painted a different pastel color—peach, rose, powder-blue—and double-glazed windows ensure a peaceful night's sleep. You might ask for one of the rooms that has a small private terrace; if you contemplate a longer stay, one of the well-located apartments might suit. Coffee, tea, and fresh fruit, available all day in the sitting room, are on the house.

In addition to guest rooms with four-poster beds and sweeping drapes, this 19th-century palazzo has a charming, flower-filled terrace where you can sip a glass of wine while taking in a view of Brunelleschi's cupola. Complimentary coffee, tea, and fruit are on hand all day in the comfortable sitting room; there's also an honor bar with both wine and spirits. Single rooms are large by Italian standards—a boon if you're traveling alone.

If you're looking for a room with a view you'll find it here, where just about every room looks out onto the awe-inspiring Duomo or the Arno (some even have small terraces). When it's warm you can sit on the rooftop terrace with a glass of wine and enjoy a 360-degree panorama. The tastefully furnished rooms, with their high ceilings and sweeping draperies, create a fine backdrop for historic Florence.

Nuns of the Oblates of the Assumption run this convent holiday house, where some of the simple but spotlessly clean rooms have views of the Duomo's cupola, and others look out onto a garden where you are welcome to relax. Several rooms have three and four beds, making them well-suited for families. You can join Mass every morning at 7:15. A simple continental breakfast is included, and the nuns provide half or full pension for groups of 10 or more. None of the nuns speaks English, but you can book online.

In the foothills between Florence and Fiesole are these lovely apartments, which sleep 4 to 11 people and which are generally rented by the week. Many apartments are in a former convent, and some are scattered around the farm; all have wooden floors, simple and sturdy furniture, and very modern kitchens; most also have splendid views onto olive groves (olive oil is produced by the fattoria owners).

High design resides at this art showcase near the Ponte Vecchio, where sleek, uncluttered rooms are dressed mostly in neutrals but have luxe touches such as leather headboards and kimono robes. The coolly understated public rooms have a revolving collection of photographs by artists like Helmut Newton adorning the walls; the reception area is subtly but dramatically lighted. Both the bar and restaurant attract sophisticated, fashionable locals; brunch is served on weekends.

Some rooms here have views of the Palazzo Vecchio, and others of the Arno; the rooftop terrace, where you can have breakfast or an aperitivo, is decked with flowers. The lobby suggests a friend's living room—its warm yellow walls are welcoming. Double glazing and air-conditioning help keep street noise at bay.

A key scene in A Room with a View was shot in this pensione, which is today a luxury hotel adorned with chintz and marble. Many rooms have luscious views of the Arno, and a few have their own terraces. Breakfast is served in opulent surroundings—check out the crystal chandelier and the frescoed ceiling.

From the cozy yet sophisticated lobby with its stone columns to the guest rooms decorated with prints, you might feel as if you're a guest in a sophisticated manor house. In fact, painstaking care has gone into making this hotel one of the prettiest and most intimate in town. It has the bonus of being in the center of the centro storico, making this a luxurious base from which to explore the city.

The owner of this quietly understated, elegant hotel has a real passion for watches, which is why he chose to name his hotel after them (and why you will see them throughout the property). The location can't be beat, as it abuts the increasingly beautiful Piazza Santa Maria Novella. Public rooms have soft, comfortable chairs; the art deco–style breakfast room offers everything, including bacon and eggs. The building, a former 15th-century palazzo, has high ceilings and dark wood floors. Spacious rooms, most with bathtubs, offer a perfect place to recover after a day of touring. Attentive staff make a stay here a true pleasure.

In addition to a tremendous view of the Boboli Gardens, this cozy pensione near the Ponte Vecchio and Palazzo Pitti has simply furnished but large rooms and a sunny breakfast room. In warm weather, two flower-bedecked terraces are open; one has a stunning 360-degree view of Florence and is the perfect spot to sip a glass of wine or enjoy dinner, and you don't even have to be a hotel guest.

Many rooms and suites here have private terraces that jut out over the Arno, granting stunning views of the Palazzo Vecchio and the Lungarno; a studio suite in a 13th-century tower preserves details like exposed stone walls and old archways, and looks over a little square with a medieval tower covered in jasmine. The chic interiors approximate breezily elegant homes, with lots of crisp, white fabrics with blue trim.

Though it's just 10 minutes from the Accademia and Michelangelo's David, this hotel—in a 19th-century mansion adorned with rich fabrics and period-appropriate furnishings—is a true retreat from the city's noise and crowds. The restaurant here is equally sophisticated, and the Piazza d'Azeglio, a small public park across the street, also evokes 19th-century Europe.

Rooms in this 15th-century palazzo, entered via a courtyard with potted plants and sculpture-filled niches, are simply furnished; some have Arno views, others have stuccoed ceilings. Breakfast may be taken in a room that preserves an Empire feel (including two chandeliers from the early 19th century). When it's warm, a large, sunny terrace is the perfect place to read.

The 15th-century building has all modern conveniences, but Renaissance charm still shines in the high-ceiling rooms. The Bargiacchi family has run the place for more than 20 years, and their collection of 20th-century art contrasts nicely with classic furnishings. Larger-than-usual single rooms have French-style beds, and are a good choice for those traveling alone. Breakfast can be taken in a small outdoor garden when weather permits.

In this home that is part of a 15th-century palazzo, a cozy feeling permeates the charming rooms, all of which are uniquely decorated and lovingly furnished; some have damask curtains, others fanciful frescoes in the bathroom. With the exquisite service, too, proprietor Alessandro Pini and his late wife Sonia have made it clear they want you to treat their house as if it were your own.

Although some rooms are small, all are tastefully decorated and housed in a 15th-century palazzo that retains its original staircase and some of its wood-coffered ceilings. The inviting public rooms, with gleaming terra-cotta floors and Asia rugs, have more of a 19th-century aura, as does the little bar, where a jovial barman mixes tasty libations. A box-hedged garden offers a good place to unwind. 

You're made to feel like friends of the family at this charming and distinguished residence, furnished comfortably in the classic style of a gracious Florentine home and former convent. Located near Piazza Santissima Annunziata, it has been in the hands of the Antuono family for more than 100 years. One room retains original 17th-century fresco fragments, and two others have small private terraces. There's also a common courtyard with tables providing a perfect place to unwind.

The genial Viti family oversees this property with clean and simple rooms near the train station and well within walking distance of the sights. Air-conditioning and triple-glazed windows ensure quiet nights. Some rooms can accommodate extra beds.

The perfect place to play the part of a Florentine aristocrat is here at this 16th-century palazzo, which despite its massive halls and sweeping staircase could almost feel like home.

The graceful Marchesa Ginevra Niccolini di Camugliano has taken the palazzo of her husband's family (acquired by an ancestor in 1532) and turned it into a luxurious place that still manages to evoke a cozy, yet highly sophisticated, home. She refers to her lovingly restored hotel as her third child. Rooms have high ceilings, damask drapes, and spacious, marble-floored bathrooms. Some have original 18th-century frescoes, others terrific views. The well-priced Dome Suite, with its remarkable view and hot tub, is worth a splurge.

If you're looking for a swank setting, and the possibility of staying in for a meal (each room has a tiny kitchenette), look no further than this hotel which, while thoroughly modern, dates to the 15th century. It belonged to the powerful Vecchietti family, and you enter the hotel—after ringing the doorbell—through a 13th-century tower. The public room has a large, Renaissance fireplace and very high ceilings: the courtyard is open, and looks all the way up.

This 15th-century palazzo is perhaps the city's most luxurious hotel, where many guest rooms have original 17th-century frescoes, and an 11-acre garden is dotted with centuries-old trees. There's also a pool, a state-of-the-art spa, and 16th-century courtyard that sweeps along to an elegant bar where Florentines enjoy aperitivi.

Hard to spot from the street, this sumptuous place provides all the comforts of a luxe home away from home—expect soothing earth tones in the guest rooms, free minibars, crisp linens, and room service offering organic dishes. A library serves as the reception room, and buffet breakfast is served on a gleaming chestnut table in an interior atrium; a rooftop terrace makes a perfect setting for an aperitivo, as do the ground-floor sitting rooms with their large, pillow-piled couches.

The cypress-lined driveway provides an elegant preamble to this incredibly gorgeous (and very expensive) hotel nestled in the hills of Fiesole. The 16th-century building was originally a Franciscan convent designed by Santi di Tito. Not a single false note is struck in the reception area (formerly the chapel), the dining rooms (a covered cloister and former refectory), or by the tasteful antiques and art that decorate the rooms. The open-air loggia, where lunch and dinner are served, provides one of the most stunning views of Florence—a good thing, too, as it compensates for the highly overpriced food.