If you are planning a trip but you do not want to ask for a loan, here is a choice of five affordable budget hotels in Florence that do not deprive guests of the elegance that defines the polished town of Florence, Italy.
Chic Budget Hotels in Florence
1. Hotel Casci: The Cheapest Boutique Hotel in Florence
Stars: **
Hotel Casci is a small family run hotel centrally located in the heart of the historical center of Florence, only 150 meters from the Florence Cathedral (Duomo) and the Academy of Fine Arts (David), just 10 minutes’ walk from the Uffizi Gallery and Ponte Vecchio.
Despite the fact that the hotel is nestled inside two palaces of the 15th century with original fresco ceilings, they did not get cocky and kept a low price for their rooms. All 24 of them are different as far as space, décor and view are concerned, making it a definitely affordable boutique hotel.
Fun fact that the owner has shared with me: in 1926 the local press celebrated the opening of Casci as the first hotel in Florence with hot and cold water in all rooms!
No wander it has been -and still is- in the Trip Advisor Florence best hotels top ten for years!
2. Hotel Orto De’ Medici: A Tea with Lorenzo il Magnifico
Stars: ***
Hotel Orto De’ Medici’s name is a tribute to the unique and secluded Garden (“Orto”) where Lorenzo il Magnifico’s from the Medici family had an art school and that now is there to welcome all the lucky guests. The atmosphere is very peaceful and I felt a thrill through my spine when I heard that Michelangelo was a scholar there.
The building was refurbished in the eighteenth century and still has original frescos from that period. Despite this classical frame, rooms have both modern and classic furniture with an intriguing outcome as good as some among the fanciest villa in Florence. To be even fancier the staff welcomes you with glass of delicious Prosecco that you can sip on the sunny and quite terrace.
Just a tip. Reserve in advance, they are always booked!
3. Hotel Europa: Charmed by History
Stars: **
Hotel Europa is the deal: cosy, charming, and cheap (the three Cs).
Situated just in front of the “Medici Riccardi” palace, one of the most evocative examples of the Medici heritage in Florence, Europa is a family run hotel since 1970. The palace of Hotel Europa is deeply rooted in the history of Florence, and you can find traces of the past in the atmosphere, starting from the Breakfast Room that shows a 300 year old decorated domed ceiling to the fact that the same building was owned for a small time by Hungarian composer Franz Liszt. In the morning you can enjoy a buffet breakfast featuring some delicious handmade cardamom-flavored croissant and a special “cappuccino”, the best way to start your hard day as a busy tourist!
Next door to the breakfast area is the Living and Reading Room, where you can enjoy a glass of wine, gather with friends and meet other guests, surrounded by original frescos. Robert and Miriam, are splendid hosts, ready to answer every question, even the silliest, like “how far by foot is the Leaning Tower?” (Answer: The leaning tower is in Pisa, not in Florence!!)
Double from: 67.50 €
4. Hotel La Cisterna (San Gimignano): From Chianti to Eternity
Stars: ***
If you are planning a countryside trip outside Florence, a mandatory stop should be San Gimignano, the spectacular medieval borgo nestled in the heart of the vineyards of Chianti. To welcome you there is Cisterna Hotel, a place where you can get the best that Tuscany has to offer. Just sit on balcony, close your eyes and imagine you have returned to the year 1100 AD. The hotel gives you a 360 degrees view of the valley and of the old Piazza della Cisterna, the square used to host pilgrims, on the other side.
San Gimignano is not only insanely beautiful and the perfect destination for those who are interested in history and in breathing some fresh, countryside air, but is ideal for food lovers (in Tuscany you would need a full month to taste every flavor) and wine lovers. We are talking about Chianti here! The best wine in the world is there to be tasted, and La Cisterna has the perfect tour if you are brave enough to engage.
The hotel staff likes to call visitors their “special guests”, to underline the care they take of them and the number of services they offer. Let’s be honest here, it is nice to feel special from time to time.
Double from 65 €
5. Hotel Colomba: Home Away From Home
Stars: ***
Hotel Colomba is a family run 3 star hotel located on Via Cavour in the heart of Florence, just a few minutes’ walk from several of the city’s top sights. It is located in a sumptuous and historic Florentine palace on Via Cavour near the Galleria dell’Accademia, where the REAL Michelangelo’s David is, and the Santa Maria Novella train station.
Hotel Colomba is straightforward. Once you go in is exactly like you are in a typical Italian house. You can see objects that you could find in your Italian third cousin’s house, and you get the same welcoming you can receive by real Tuscan people. For their prices the rooms are extremely big and let’s say it, very, very clean.
These are some of the best budget hotels in Florence.
