Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( 055 234 47 47;
www.hotelmorandi.it
; Via Laura 50; s €70-120, d €100-170, tr €130-210, q €150-250;
)
This medieval convent -turned-hotel away from the madding crowd in San
Marco is a stunner. Rooms are refined, tasteful and full of authentic period furnishings
and paintings. A couple of rooms have handkerchief-sized gardens to laze in, but the
pièce
de résistance
is frescoed room No 29, the former chapel.
TOP OF CHAPTER
4
Santa Croce
Hotel Dalí
MAP
HOTEL
€
GOOGLE MAP
( 055 234 07 06;
www.hoteldali.com
; Via dell'Oriuolo 17; d/tr €85/110, apt from €95, s/d with shared
bathroom €40/70; )
This overwhelmingly friendly hotel with 10 spacious homelike
rooms is the passion and unrelenting love of world travellers-turned-parents Marco and
Samanta ('running the hotel is like travelling without moving'). Rooms are equipped with
a kettle, coffee and tea; there is a shared microwave guests can use; and bathrooms are
modern.
The icing on the cake is a trio of gorgeous self-catering apartments - one with
duomo
view - sleeping two, four or six. No breakfast, but free parking in the leafy inner court-
yard. Low season rates are around 30% less.
Hotel Orchidea
MAP
HOTEL
€
GOOGLE MAP
( 055 248 03 46;
www.hotelorchideaflorence.it
; Borgo degli Albizi 11; s/d/tr/q with shared bathroom
€60/75/100/120)
This old-fashioned
pensione
in the mansion where the Donati family roos-
ted in the 13th century (Dante's wife, Gemma, was allegedly born in the tower) is charm
personified. Its seven rooms with sink and shared bathroom are simple, but their outlook
is five-star. Many guests return each May/June simply to enjoy the 100-year-old wisteria
in bloom. No breakfast, but free tea- and coffee-making facilities.
Rooms 5, 6 and 7 have huge windows overlooking a gorgeous garden and No 4 spills
out onto an old stone terrace.
Hotel Balestri
MAP
HISTORIC HOTEL
€€
GOOGLE MAP
