18 Best Hotels in Florence, Italy

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 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 Altana Deluxe Suite, with its remarkable view and hot tub, is worth a splurge.

Bellosguardo (meaning "beautiful view") is perched atop a hill minutes from the viale, and reached via a narrow road dotted with olive trees. The reception area has soaring ceilings with frescoes by Francavilla (1553–1615). Guest rooms are simple and pleasing.There's a small menagerie on the grounds (including donkeys, rabbits, and chickens), and maintains a beautiful, peaceful garden, to which guests have access.

In this tall and imposing villa, 15 minutes out of town, public rooms are outfitted in Renaissance style and guest rooms have high ceilings, plush carpeting, and deep bathtubs. Four other buildings on the property offer a variety of choices. A pool and beautiful views of the Arno are bonuses. So, too, is the up-to-the-minute spa. A shuttle bus runs every hour to and from the center of Florence, but the place is so peaceful, you might not want to bother.

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 manor house. In fact, painstaking care has gone into making this hotel among 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.

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.

In the foothills between Florence and Fiesole are these lovely apartments, which sleep 4 to 11 people, and rooms, which vary in size, have private bathrooms, and sleep up to two adults and two children. Many accommodations are in a former convent, and some are scattered around the farm; all have wooden floors, simple and sturdy furniture, and apartments have modern kitchens; most also have splendid views onto olive groves (olive oil is produced by the fattoria owners). 

At this elegant hotel, swank reception rooms have comfortable couches and contemporary artwork, and guest rooms feature parquet floors, high ceilings, and furnishings that combine Scandinavian sleekness with the Italian love for fine fabric (think: damask draperies).

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. 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.

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 while double glazing and air-conditioning help keep street noise at bay.

The owner of this understatedly 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)—and 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.

Though it's just 15 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.

Nestled in an old building just a stone's throw from the main civic square (Piazza Signoria), this charming little boutique hotel offers peace and elegance. Many of the rooms have 18th-century frescoes on their ceilings, and all have hydromassage showers (some have a steam room). You can enjoy an aperitivo from the bar, and sip it in a comfortable sitting room.

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.

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.

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.

For a taste of medieval Florence, stay in one of these character-filled guest rooms—some with canopied beds, some with balconies—housed within a 13th-century tower. The Torre Guelfa once protected the wealthy Acciaiuoli family; now it's one of the best small hotels in the center of Florence. A simple yet ample breakfast (think Continental-plus) is served in a serene glassed-in loggia.