Florence hotel help.

Greetings Berserkers! I need some advice on where to stay and eat in Florence. We will be there in mid October.
Thanks in advance!

Cheers!
Marshall

Amazing city and a great jumping off place for the rest of the area (Siena, Pisa, even Venice). For hotels, I’m sure you’ll get people suggesting the Portrait (amazing, down by the water, incredible views) and both the four seasons and the St Regis, also both amazing places. I’m going to recommend another, one that’s only 3-4 blocks from the Duomo, fantastic location, etc. I rented a house nearby last year and put my mom and brother’s family up in this place and they loved it. The Grand Amore hotel and spa on dei Servi. Was great and a great value. So on my next trip I’m either staying there or I’m staying on the water at the Portrait.

It has been years, but Hotel Morandi if you don’t want to spend a fortune. Great location, small place, extremely helpful innkeeper.

Marshall,
Patty and I’ve stayed at the Niccolini al Duomo 4-5 times over the past 12 years. The ‘hotel’ consists of 7 rooms on a floor and a half in a private palazzo just off the Piazza del Duomo. Quiet and lovely. Some of the rooms have restored original frescoes. They serve breakfast and have an honor bar, but no restaurant.

I agree with Neal…we always stay at the Morandi. Great place.
And that is where we met Frank Peters — the best art guide in Florence. It is worth hiring him for a day, Marshall. I can tell you about him and the hotel when we see you at Falltacular.

We were there last Oct and found a very small, cramped restaurant (20 seats) with a nice white truffle menu. All the truffle dishes were 35 euro or less. We had several of them over 2 nights & loved them all.

http://www.osteriadelletrepanche.com/en

Search for some other Florence threads. I can’t post the same thing I’ve already posted a few times

Thanks guys…some really nice suggestions. Luckily, I have enough time to plan well.

Cheers!
Marshall

we have stayed at the Hotel Principe. Great location and nice place.

If you have Starwood points, like I do, you can stay at the Excelsior (across the square from the St. Regis, less points I think). Been there a couple of times, loved it.

Go to Faith Willinger.com and scroll for Florence.She writes for the Atlantic monthly and lives in Florence.Her recommendations are great.

It is very expensive, but I love staying at the Lungarno - just a fabulous hotel. Our discovery last time was the Enoteca Pitti Gola e Cantina, right opposite the Pitti Palace. Seems like the location for a tourist trap, but a great wine bar with excellent food and a wonderful trio of young owners.

We were in Florence over the holidays. We stayed at the Excelsior - excellent. Visit the roof top restaurant Sessio A- ( Pigeon) for at least a drink. For restaurants with my ratings - Paoli B+ (pasta informal), Winter Garden at the St. Regis A (one star - Pigeon with Foie Gras) Cibeo B+ (a favorite of many on this Board - Bread soup with beans, polenta) 13 Gobbi B (Crepes Florentine & pappardelle chingale ) La Bussola A- (Pizzeria) and Peperoncino B+ ( gnocchi with cream sauce and cinnamon)

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I loved the Lungarno. If you stay the get a room with a balcony that faces the river…the view doesn’t get any better and if it’s nice you can eat breakfast on the balcony or have a glass of wine before dinner.

One more. Just across the Ponte Carraia, the Gelateria La Carraia. Absolutely hands down the best gelato in the city of Florence. Try the pistachio, best I’ve ever had.

My wife , daughter and I spent a week at the Hotel Europa 100 yd s from the medici museum, 3 block from the Domo and 2 blocks from the David. Also located 2 blocks from the Central Market. Owned by an Ethiopian family who speak perfect english, this hotel was a gem. Relatively inexpensive and very comfortable and centrally located…

Don’t miss lunch at Mario , on the square in front of central market. FRequented by locals and university professors, this is no reservation communal eating lunch spot that is spectacular and cheap.
http://trattoria-mario.com/

I highly recommend going there as well. We went for a relaxing lunch sitting outside and while I had gone for the wine, we thought the food was quite good. Fun to be able to order older wines by the glass for reasonable prices.

We used Starwood points and stayed at the St. Regis - spectacular hotel and, for 100k pts for 5 nights in a suite (they upgraded us), perhaps the best use of Starwood points that I have ever made. However, without the points the room rates are too high for us and we would have looked elsewhere…probably would have stayed in the countryside since I often prefer staying in the countryside and driving into the cities rather than visa versa given how long it takes to “get out” of the city when going touring or going to dinner outside the city (we spent 3 of the 5 days touring outside of Florence and it could take anywhere from 15-25 minutes to get from/to our hotel out onto the main highway that runs between Florence and Siena).

A modern but excellent small restaurant to check out for dinner is Ora D’Aria - we had a wonderful meal there and thought they had a very good wine list. Not the typical old time restaurant given the modern feel but one of our best meals.

Fantastic information! I can always count on the Board for amazing insights!

Cheers!
Marshall

And there is this statue – I think it was David. Really good. Try to see it.
And lots of pictures and stuff.

Spent 5 days with my college age kids last April at the Hotel Savoy - can’t beat the location, and the service and amenities were A+. HIGHLY recommend.