2 Best Hotels in Santa Croce, Florence

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.

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.