Accommodation will always be one of your biggest travel expenses…but what if it wasn’t? What if you could reduce the cost of your accommodation to zero while still enjoying the comforts of home? That’s what house swaps promise. House swaps have been around for decades. It was the entire premise of the movie The Holiday (starring Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet). They became all the rage but then were soon eclipsed by sites like Airbnb. But as travel prices skyrocketed post-COVID, more and more people have turned back to house swaps as a means of saving money while they travel while still getting a local experience (but without the hassle of an Airbnb). House swaps are exactly what they sound like. You sign up, list your home, and then swap with someone else in another city. They stay in your place and you stay in their place. The biggest and most popular platform for swaps is HomeExchange . And, in this post, I’ll go over everything you need to know to get started with a house swa...
Posted: 4/11/24 | April 11th, 2024
Florence is one of the most beautiful cities in Italy. Its entire historic center is a picturesque UNESCO World Heritage Site, there’s art everywhere, and the food here is insanely delicious.
I’ve been visiting the city off and on for the past sixteen years and am always blown away by how gorgeous it is. Visiting here feels like you’ve stepped back in time.
Since Florence is such a popular destination, there are tons of hotels here. Some of them are great, and some of them not so great. Over the years, I’ve stayed in a lot of different hotels in the city. To help you plan your visit, here’s my list of the best hotels in Florence:
1. Hotel Alba Palace
Located next to the cloisters of the Santa Maria Novella Basilica, this beautiful three-star hotel is decorated in a traditional Florentine style. Each room is unique, with soft yellow walls and historic features that include antique terracotta floors, arched ceilings, and exposed brick walls. The complimentary breakfast is fantastic, with a lot of variety (such as pastries, yogurt, cakes, cold cuts, and espresso drinks). Best of all, it’s served in a tranquil atrium with a glass ceiling.
All rooms have a flatscreen TV, minibar, desk, Nespresso machine, hairdryer, and safe. The beds are comfy and the windows are soundproofed, so you’ll be able to sleep well here. While the bathrooms are a bit small, there’s excellent water pressure in the showers, a bidet, towel warming racks, and complimentary toiletries. In addition to classic rooms with a double bed, there are also cheaper rooms with single beds for solo travelers. Overall, it’s an affordable choice in one of the better neighborhoods in the city.
2. Hotel Davanzati
This cozy three-star hotel in the heart of the historic center (just a block from Ponte Vecchio) offers a lot of value. The free continental breakfast is quite varied, with fresh fruit, yogurt, cereals, pastries, and cold cuts. There are also social hours with complimentary drinks and snacks, including afternoon tea and cakes, and an aperitivo with Prosecco and savory bites.
The rooms are decorated with pastel-colored walls that have historic drawings and maps on them. All rooms are pretty spacious and feature comfy beds, a desk, flatscreen TV, and a wardrobe. The bathrooms are large too and have heated towel racks as well as showers with excellent water pressure. The staff really go out of their way to help with anything you need too. (Just be aware that there is no elevator, so it’s not the best choice for those with mobility issues.)
3. The Place Firenze
This five-star hotel is located right on Piazza Santa Maria Novella in a restored 17th-century building. The hotel has an outdoor terrace right on the piazza, offering Tuscan specialties, drinks, and an excellent breakfast spread in the morning (it’s included in your stay). There’s also a small rooftop with incredible views and free access to a gym just a couple of minutes away.
An award-winning boutique property (there are just 20 rooms here), all the rooms are individually decorated in pastel colors, with unique artwork, chandeliers, and bespoke furniture. There’s lots of natural light in the rooms too, and amenities include a minibar (with complimentary soft drinks and snacks), flatscreen TV, and spacious desk. The elegant marble bathrooms have a bidet, complimentary luxury toiletries, plush bathrobes, and slippers. The showers have good pressure, and some rooms have separate deep tubs too. You’ll want for nothing here, though if you do, the exceptionally helpful staff will go out of their way to get it for you. It’s the most exclusive hotel in the city and the place to stay if you’re looking to splurge in Florence.
4. La Maison du Sage
This three-star hotel is tucked just off Piazza di Santa Croce in the heart of the lively Santa Croce neighborhood. A boutique property, the entire place is eclectically designed with interesting artwork and walls painted with fun pastel colors. I especially love all the cool wooden Art Deco furniture. There’s also an excellent breakfast buffet featuring pastries, juice, eggs, ham, cheese, and fresh fruit.
The spacious rooms are filled with natural light and have the same chic design as the rest of the hotel. All rooms have hardwood or parquet floors and include a minibar, flatscreen satellite TV, Nespresso coffee machine, and kettle for tea. The bathrooms are large and feature walk-in rainfall showers (some with a separate soaking tub), heated towel racks, and a bidet. This is a great choice for travelers who want to stay close to Centro Storico but want a more local experience. It’s a really nice property that offers outsized value for the price.
5. Hotel Palazzo Guadagni
This three-star hotel is set in a 16th-century Florentine palace right on Piazza Santo Spirito in the trendy Santo Spirito neighborhood. The smartly decorated rooms retain many of the features from their aristocratic days, such as high ceilings, large windows, antique furniture, frescoed ceilings, and fireplaces. In-room amenities include a minibar, flatscreen TV, and a safe. The large and tiled bathrooms offer heated towel racks, a bidet, fluffy bathrobes, and slippers.
But my favorite part of this hotel is the rooftop terrace and its stunning views over the city. In the mornings, they offer a fantastic complimentary breakfast spread, and at night you can enjoy the sun setting over the red rooftops with a drink in hand. It feels much more luxurious than your typical three-star hotel here. I think this is the perfect choice for intrepid travelers who want to experience local Florentine life on the other side of the Arno River.
6. Hotel Bernini Palace
This five-star hotel is set in a 15th-century building and, true to its name, it feels like you’re staying in a palace here. The grand lobby is decorated in fusion of Italian and Moroccan styles, featuring arched ceilings and doorways. I really like that the complimentary breakfast buffet is served in a room with a lot of history (Italian heads of Parliament used to meet here) and a beautiful, frescoed ceiling.
The elegant rooms feature wood-beamed ceilings, parquet or terracotta floors, glass chandeliers, antique furnishings, and comfy beds with gilded headboards. The rooms are spacious and have all the amenities you’d expect from a hotel of this caliber, including minibars, flatscreen TVs, desks, and air conditioning. The marble bathrooms are huge too and include a bidet, plush bathrobes and slippers, and a hairdryer. This is the best place to stay for luxury in the heart of Florence (it’s just a five-minute walk to the Duomo).
Florence is one of my favorite cities in Italy. It’s not only one of the most stunning cities in Italy, but in all of Europe. Just be sure to pick one of the hotels from the list above for your stay. Do that, and you’ll have an amazing visit to this picturesque city!
Get Your In-Depth Budget Guide to Europe!
My detailed 200+ page guidebook is made for budget travelers like you! It cuts out the fluff found in other guides and gets straight to the practical information you need to travel while in Europe. It has suggested itineraries, budgets, ways to save money, on and off the beaten path things to see and do, non-touristy restaurants, markets, bars, safety tips, and much more! Click here to learn more and get your copy today.
Book Your Trip to Florence: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Use Skyscanner to find a cheap flight. They are my favorite search engine because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
- Safety Wing (best for everyone)
- Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
- Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)
Looking for the Best Companies to Save Money With?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money when you travel too.
Want a Guide?
Florence has some really interesting tours. My favorite company is Walks, which has expert guides and can get you behind the scenes of the city’s best attractions. It’s my go-to walking tour company!
Want More Information on Florence?
Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Florence for even more planning tips!
Photo credits: 2 – Hotel Alba Palace, 3 – Hotel Davanzati, 4 – The Place Firenze, 5 – La Maison du Sage, 6 – Hotel Palazzo Guadagni, 7 – Hotel Bernini Palace
The post The 6 Best Hotels in Florence appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.
https://ift.tt/CpQRhyA April 11, 2024 at 05:30PM
Comments
Post a Comment