Piccolo Residence Apart-Hotel - Florence, Italy 

If you wish an independent way to live Florence I want to highly recommend Piccolo Residence Apart Hotel, as a lovely and very convenient place to stay in. I have been with a friend for a whole week last May (2007) and I just have positive remarks to point. It is an old and tastefully modernized palazzo two blocks from Accademia, il Duomo, Piazza di San Lorenzo and just one block from Central Tourist Office besides Palazzo Medici Ricardi. The apartments are very comfortable, decorated in a simple way with an exquisite taste by Mrs. Kato (the owner and manager of the place), who is very helpful and warm with her guests. You can have your breakfast at home because there are facilities in the apartment (there is a mini market in the way to Accademia just a block and a half and the Pasticcieria Scudieri in front of Battisterio has superb croissants and pastries). I didn´take pictures but you can se a lot of photos (faithful) on its site: [--].