Hotel Sempione - Florence, Italy     

This hotel is in a very good location, right near the train station, 3 minute walk to the Duomo and 5 minute walk to Ponte Vecchio. Florence is pretty small so everything is walking distance. There is a cute market just half a block away, which sold all different types of leather goods, shawls, etc. Fantastic! The hotel is very clean, the staff is nice, and the breakfast is satisfactory. We were surprised when we arrived to get a nice room with a large terrace!! It was so pleasant, and for 100 euro per night you couldn't beat it. If you are looking for a budget hotel that is clean and central, this is it! Lots of little restaurants nearby, lively since it is close to the station. Friendly staff. Book online with at the hotel's website - it is cheaper (although make sure to read the cancellation policy).

This was a good find at a bargain price. Close to the station which proved very useful for getting around. The staff were very helpful and happily made bookings for us for the Uffizzi gallery and called taxis and suggested buses to get to Siena. There was only one morning shift older fellow who got a bit short with our battles with the internet when he was trying to do his bookwork ! The continental breakfasts were plentiful and the pastries fresh and the room was not huge, but certainly not cramped. The en-suite bathroom however (Room 26) was enormous and had a toilet built for giants. Quite fun dangling ones legs while sitting on the loo ! There is internet in the reception area, but no wireless in the bedrooms. Don't always believe their restaurant suggestion, Lobs seafood bistro was truly awful, but Enzo's around the corner was wonderful. Florence in general. Take the bus from the airport to town, it is much cheaper than the taxi. There are no signs to the bus stop, but look for a blue bus on the other side of the taxi area. Do try the touristy hop-on, hop-off bus. We got two full days use for our ?20. (24 hour tickets must be for 24 working hours). It gave us an idea of the layout of the city, and gave us some background and saved our weary feet. Do go to Feosole, it is lovely and the views are amazing. Catch the No 7 bus from the main station (SMN - Santa Maria Novella station). When they say validate your bus ticket on the bus - this means pushing it into the slot in a machine in the bus where it stamps your start time on the ticket. Your ticket will then be valid for the next hour (day/week, depending what you bought) and you do not have to validate it again in that time. Try the galleries and museums just before they close to avoid the huge queues. Reserve tickets before going to the busier ones. Beware of the chianti tours - the one I went on dragged on. We were taken via a scruffy village, a wine producing castle (interesting) and the left to hang around for an hour or so with nothing to do before going back. Enjoy.