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Very close to main train station and good facilities!
www.ishflorence.com
Via Faenza 67
Florence
Italy
Ciao Bambino is an online guide to family-friendly vacation properties with many accommodations in Italy. I used them to research a family reunion trip for 17 people. It's easy to use and has age appropriate ratings - this is great if you have toddlers/small children and need things like highchairs, cribs, etc. Many of their properties are apartments with hotel amenities which is a great combo.
Ostello Gallo D'Oro is a central, pleasant and extremely clean hostel in Florence, owned by the most remarkable couple: Massimo and Silvia.
They drive every aspect of this lovely Florence hostel, and are constantly on hand to make sure that their guests (and you really do feel like a guest rather than a customer!) have everything they could possibly need.
I didn't stay long enough to take advantage of the offer, but long-term guests are invited out to their Tuscan farmhouse for the night.
It was a real wrench to tear myself away.
No. 104 Via Cavour, Florence
www.hostelbookers.com/hostels/italy/florence/3711/
A combination of the Italian words agriculture and tourism, these farmhouse accommodations are ideal for families of all sizes. And don’t worry about staying on a typical farm, these locales often feature extensive amenities more along the lines of a high-class resort and are an ideal choice for families with children of any age.
The setting is rural, with all the picturesque features you might expect from staying under the Tuscan sun. The condo-style living arrangements come well equipped, with kitchens and living rooms that give families a spacious home base.
Most have swimming pools and you can also find full resort amenities with an onsite restaurant, tennis courts, a fitness centre and myriad other features.
There are more perks that come along with Italian farmhouse living. The owner or manager of the property may live onsite and serve as a point of contact to help your family with anything you need - from planning activities to offering general guidance about the region. Most are conveniently located so your family can sightsee for part of the day, touring neighboring towns and experiencing the local culture and history of Tuscany, and then relax at the pool for the afternoon.
Some Agriturismi offer structured onsite activities such as Italian cooking classes, horseback riding, and wine and/or olive oil tasting. Many properties serve their very own farm-harvested food in an onsite restaurant, so you won’t need to worry about cooking up meals - unless you’d like to showcase your new Italian cooking skills. Some accommodations even offer daily housekeeping, so you’ll be able to focus on the fun stuff.
Unlike the isolation you could expect if your family rented an independent villa, Agriturismi provide a wonderful balance of services and privacy. Well-located throughout Tuscany, it is easy to explore the surrounding areas. Most options are small with family-focused services including babysitting and equipment rental, making it easy to relax and experience the best Tuscany has to offer, both onsite and off.
When I've visited Florence before, I've stayed in cheap places with sagging mattresses and thin walls. This time since I was travelling alone from the States and wanted somewhere to recover peacefully and safely after my sightseeing, I decided to shell out a few more Euros and stayed in this hotel. I found the staff to be courteous, helpful and very accommodating, Andrea (one of the family that own the place) was really welcoming and arranged museum and restaurant reservations for me and also gave me good tips to move around.
The place (built in 1500) was very central and the neighbourhood was safe, I could walk to all the main tourist sights. Ponte Vecchio and Uffizi Gallery are about 2 blocks away. At the end I had a discount for paying cash without asking for one, the cost of my single was originally €88.00 but they gave it to me for €80.00 per night. A bargain!
The hotel also offers a left luggage facility which is handy if you have a late flight/train. I will definitely return for a longer stay in the future.
In the heart of Florence's San Lorenzo district, the hotel is very convenient to the Santa Maria Novella train station. Laid out over three floors, Hotel Corona D'Italia is housed in an nineteenth-century palace with clean and pleasing lines. Its interior, decorated with beautiful Florentine ceramics and elegant stucco cornices, is large and light-filled.
Via Nazionale 14
50123, Florence, ITALY
Ph. +39.055.261501
Fax +39.055.288639
www.hotelcoronaditalia.com/en/index.htm
A beautiful old Tuscan farm at the top of a hill. Great views of the surrounding countryside and the medieval village of Casole d`Elsa. Private garden and swimming pool.
A clean, reasonably priced hostel near the station and well located for all of the city centre. Some rooms en-suite. Internet access. Friendly staff.
Tel 0039-055-282086
Via Faenza n°63
www.ilghiro.it
This the best agency you can find in Florence to rent or buy apartments and villas. Their service is outstanding. The owner is bilingual, knows how people "think" in the US and can help you deal with all the cultural differences and the problems you would certainly find if you wanted to rent or buy properties in Italy. Simply The Best.
"A Room with a View" Real Estate
Florence, ITALY
info@roomwithview.net
Tel. +39 055229611
Mobile. +39 335 5404387
Web site www.roomwithview.net
We have recently rented a holiday flat in Pisa for our holiday. The owners were just the most friendly and welcoming people we have ever met. They have another holiday home near Florence, called Casina di Rosa, and we want to recommend you at least consider renting with them because we had such a fantastic experience. They told us that they also organize wine tasting tours, olive oil tours and cooking classes and more. Say hi from Laura and Xavier!
Gloria and Marcel
www.casinadirosa.it
I'm a fairly regular visitor to Florence and have, over the years, built up a shortlist of my favourite places to stay. However, on my last trip, I happened to be in town at the same time as a large convention at Fortezzo da Basso; my shortlist was no use - I had to find somewhere new, which is how I came to be staying at Hotel Relais Il Cestello.
It's located on the south bank of the Arno, a short walk from both the centre and one of my favourite getway places, the Boboli Gardens (must write a tip about them one of these days). The only downside was no dedicated parking, but that's not so unusual in the centre of Florence, and you can get special rates at some nearby garages.
The hotel was a pleasant mix of old and new and has been well restored. Staff were friendly, not always a given in Florence, and gave me a great restaurant tip.
Not much more to say really - pricing was reasonable, and it's featured on my usual booking site for Italian hotels.
www.ahotelinitaly.com/hotel-relais-il-cestello-florence/
www.relaisilcestello.it/
Piazza di Cestello 9, 50124, Firenze
Santo Spirito, as i think a few have pointed out, gives you a welcome breather from the tourists yet it can only be a hundred yards from the Ponte Vechhio.
It is popular with students and with the locals (nearby are some delis and whatnot so you actually see Florentines) and comes to life after nine or so in the evening.
At the top of the square is Brunelleschi’s spectacular church - as well as having a crucifix by a very young Michelangelo, it was studied and admired by many including Da Vinci and it is easy to see why. It is especially pretty when the facade is lit at night.
There are a few restaurants and a couple of bars in the square, the type of spots where, if you drink too many amerettos, they give you a tequilla on the house - the atmosphere is friendly at all of them.
Istayed at Antica Dimora with a friend but it would be especially nice to go there romantically - ask for a room with a little balcony. You can watch (and listen!) to the market being set up in the morning. The rooms are huge with lovely wooden beams and, maybe vaguely kitsch decor but it feels like you’ve been to Firenze! It’s a short back street walk to the wonderful, wonderful Bobili gardens too.
piazza santo spirito no.9
t. +39 055 2658376
50125 Firenze
www.residenzasspirito.com
Excellent bed and breakfast. Really central, near the Duomo and Piazza Signoria. Only six small rooms but very clean and really cosy. Staff are helpful and recommended some great places to visit and good restaurants. You can choose between an en-suite, a private bathroom across the corridor or a shared bathroom.
12 Via D. Alighieri
Tel: 055 219126
info@badiafiorentina.com
www.badiafiorentina.com
Very new, very modern, and very reasonably priced hotel south of the Arno. About a 25 minute walk from the centre, but worth it for the cool bar, funky showers, and to get away from the tourists in the evening.
Via Pisana, 59;
tel: (+39) 055 22771;
fax: (+39) 055 22772;
email: una.vittoria@unahotels.it;
www.unahotels.it
B&B on Piazza Duomo. Very central, comfortable and reasonably priced. The rooms at the rear are quieter.
tel: (+39) 06 77250543 (10am - 2 pm Italian time);
email: info@bed-breakfast-florence.com;
www.bed-breakfast-florence.com
Every thrifty (i.e: poor or stingy) traveller is - or certainly should be - familiar with these guides, which are the distillation of the experiences of many steerage class (mostly student) travellers.
There are several nice, clean, inexpensive pensiones on the Via Faenza - just a short walk from the cathedral. See op cit for addresses.
This place was absolutely fantastic with the type of service that really makes you feel at home. It has a great central location and loads of other features such as free internet, free national home phone calls and free CD burning! And the staff were very informative and helpful while at the same time very funny and quite charming.
Via Nazionale, 7, San Lorenzo Market, one block from central station
A beautiful Pensione in a small square south of the river - it's on the 4th floor and has a fantastic loggia on two sides of the building. Very simple, basic rooms - clean but no mod cons, yet that's the joy. You really feel like you're staying in an authentic pensione, not a hermetically sealed hotel.
Piazza Santo Spirito 9, Oltrarno;
tel: 055-215-308;
fax: 055-282-761;
email: pensionebandini@tiscali.it
Last October (2005) for our second trip to Italy we booked a week at the Alessandra in Florence. We planned to spend the week on foot visiting the many churches and museums and just enjoying this beautiful and historical city we had briefly visited the year before. We spent a little more and booked their Suite Boccio which gave us a lot of relaxing space to rest and to drop off purchases between our many excursions. The suite, which has a balcony with a wonderful view of the Arno River, made for a most pleasant stay. The rooms were very clean. We didn't find the steps up to be a problem (we're in our upper 60's), especially when we realised we were staying in a very old building, built before elevators, rather than in some modern, no character and no personality hotel. "Mamma" and sons were very accommodating and suggested delightful places for dinners. They were always willing to help with any questions and concerns that arose. We found the Alessandra, as well as the three other hotels in Italy we stayed at during this trip through TripAdvisor, and all exceeded our expectations.
B.go SS Apostoli, 17, 50123 Florence;
tel: +39 055 283438;
email: info@hotelalessandra.com;
www.hotelalessandra.com
Great little B&B. Great location, between Duomo and Piazza Della SS Annunziata, one block from Museo dell Academia. Feels like you are stepping back in time to the renaissance, all heavy dark wood furniture, white walls and lots of art. The staff are also great and bend over backwards to help.
Via de Servi 49, (if there's no-one in go to their other location at no 39);
tel: 055 264 103 or cell 339 3626409;
www.soggiornopanrai.it
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