Located in a quiet piazza just off the shopping strip and tourist thoroughfare between Piazza della Repubblica and Casa di Dante, the 57-room Albergo Firenze certainly doesn't look like a budget hotel. Put it this way: the Duomo's practically in its backyard.
First inside the Albergo's front doors, the long and modern, mirrored reception desk as well an expansive lounge and breakfast room had us thinking this baby was far beyond our budget. Happily, room rates are pretty reasonable.
Rooms are far simpler than the lobby. They are spacious and bright, with dorm-style furniture and fresh, blue bedding and accents. Blue-tinted prints adorn the walls, and floors are of basic (though gleaming) tile. Bathrooms are equally utilitarian, with all of the essentials and none of the frills.
What this hotel lacks in terms of design, it makes up for with friendly and professional service, great common spaces, a stupendous location for shoppers and culture vultures alike, and (this is Florence, after all!) unbelievably low nightly rates.
» Annie Shapero
Note: This hotel was visited by a EuroCheapo editor and is recommended based on cleanliness, location, price and overall quality. EuroCheapo did not charge this hotel to be listed.
About the Albergo Firenze neighborhood
You can't miss Brunelleschi's magnificent dome atop the rosy marble Cathedral. It's the obvious central meeting point and tourist hub of the city. Here, you're in the vicinity of practically everything: the Uffizi Museums, Palazzo della Signoria, the San Lorenzo Market, and the Accademia. The streets surrounding the Duomo cater to visitors, with generic, all-day dining (for a price), and exclusive shopping. The big guns in Italian fashion are located along Via Tornabuoni (technically closer to Santa Maria Novella), with several others on Via Calzaiuoli, Via del Corso. Borgo Albizi, which starts behind the Duomo is more a boutique street, featuring handmade, original designs in clothing and accessories. Souvenir shops abound, as do street performers, caricature artists, and tourist traps.
more about Duomo