Hotels - Rome & Florence
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TTB

Original Poster:

14,043 posts

259 months

Wednesday 18th March
quotequote all
Following a previous post I made about 2 weeks in Italy we have decided on 3 nights in Rome, train to Florence for 3 nights and then 7 or 8 nights in a Villa in Tuscany somewhere around Siena.
Now, both cities have an absolute multitude of hotels and I have no idea where to stay in either. Obviously we want somewhere reasonably central but we are not averse to a short walk to avoid the main tourist traps and therefore increased prices. Must haves are 4 star hotel, B&B but close to decent restaurants. Walkable to the main sites as we will not have a car in the cities.
Ideally £2-300 per night max but less is ideal smile

Any recommendations of either best areas to stay or actual hotels? We're happy to look at airbnb as well.

The Leaper

5,539 posts

231 months

Wednesday 18th March
quotequote all
We have stayed here in Florence

https://www.fhhotelgroup.it/en/hotel-calzaiuoli-fi...

Very central to everywhere!

R.

TTB

Original Poster:

14,043 posts

259 months

Wednesday 18th March
quotequote all
The Leaper said:
We have stayed here in Florence

https://www.fhhotelgroup.it/en/hotel-calzaiuoli-fi...

Very central to everywhere!

R.
Thank you, I'll take a look smile

therams

314 posts

210 months

Wednesday 18th March
quotequote all
We’ve been to both cities in the last 6 months

Stayed here

https://25hours-hotels.com/florence/piazza-san-pao...

And

https://www.nh-collection.com/en/hotel/nh-collecti...

Would recommend both

shirt

25,181 posts

226 months

Thursday 19th March
quotequote all
I feel like you’re doing this back to front in terms of amenities vs location.

For the cities use Airbnb. Your budget gets you really nice places exactly where you want to be, walkable everywhere.

Then search for an agriturismo instead of a villa. Similar experience but with the benefit of (often exquisite) food. Tuscany and self catering are not terms that should be intermingled.

Ideally go for somewhere overlooking san gimignano, going elsewhere during the day but getting full benefits when all the tourists leave. Chianti also acceptable as it’s virtually impossible to eat poorly.

Very fond memory of my OH piloting a Vespa with me on the back from Chianti to Florence at 2am after a great meal. That’s the moment I thought yeah this girls not normal.

Griffith4ever

6,521 posts

60 months

Thursday 19th March
quotequote all
Rome: We found this when our van broke down and had a hire car:

Mercure Rome Colosseum Centre

https://all.accor.com/hotel/2909/index.en.shtml

Right bang in the middle AND has its own undeground car park.

Plunge pool on the roof bar area was a godsend in 40 degree heat

RicksAlfas

14,351 posts

269 months

Thursday 19th March
quotequote all
We stayed at the Hotel Nazionale in Rome a few years ago. It was in a perfect location for sight seeing.
Taxis can get to it, but other than that it is in a pedestrianised area.

https://www.hotelnazionale.it/en/

nyt

1,927 posts

175 months

Thursday 19th March
quotequote all
Stayed here last year: https://www.boutiquehoteltrevi.it/en/?skip_mobile=...

Not spectacular but comfortable and the location is great. Seconds from the Trevi fountain. FYI the fountain is busy even at 5am.

Try and get the top floor room which has a very large outdoor space.


hiccy18

3,877 posts

92 months

Thursday 19th March
quotequote all

TTB

Original Poster:

14,043 posts

259 months

Thursday 19th March
quotequote all
shirt said:
I feel like you re doing this back to front in terms of amenities vs location.

For the cities use Airbnb. Your budget gets you really nice places exactly where you want to be, walkable everywhere.

Then search for an agriturismo instead of a villa. Similar experience but with the benefit of (often exquisite) food. Tuscany and self catering are not terms that should be intermingled.

Ideally go for somewhere overlooking san gimignano, going elsewhere during the day but getting full benefits when all the tourists leave. Chianti also acceptable as it s virtually impossible to eat poorly.

Very fond memory of my OH piloting a Vespa with me on the back from Chianti to Florence at 2am after a great meal. That s the moment I thought yeah this girls not normal.
That's very helpful thank you.
I went through a load of villas I'd found with the wife last night and every single one was crossed off as being too remote. We do want to be able to walk to restaurants, even in a small town.
We did find this place though that sounds like it might be similar to what you mean - https://www.lastriscia.com/en/
And it's walkable into Arezzo (Though no idea what that's like)

Ranger 6

7,600 posts

274 months

Thursday 19th March
quotequote all
In Florence we stayed here: https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g187895...

Location was perfect for walking everywhere.

For a good bistecca experience - https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g1...

Rome - we just stayed near the station as that was our mode of transport between cities.

TheHeadhunter

11,268 posts

145 months

Thursday 19th March
quotequote all
Florence, favourite European city. We go a couple of times a year

We always now stay at the Portrait Firenze, having stayed at a few others. Owned by the Ferragamo family, absolute perfect location, literally next to the Ponte Vecchio and a really nice, modern, very well appointed but chilled hotel. Not silly money either. Staff are amazing.

I did a review here (I have a sideline travel business for friends alongside my core business): https://garychaplin.com/lifestyle-main/portrait-fi...

And if you want a few tips on Florence itself, I wrote this too: https://garychaplin.com/lifestyle-main/florence-in...