We spent two nights at Hotel Lungarno, and were able to book it with points through The Edit, Chase…read moreTravel's curated collection of partner hotels. It was a fantastic hotel, and we got complimentary breakfast and a $100 property credit, which we used at the bar. We also got a room upgrade, which was a welcome surprise. I think our Chase membership helped, as did our travel dates--Tuesday and Wednesday nights in mid-November. The location was ideal for our brief stay in Florence, literally on the Arno River and right by the Ponte Vecchio. Great views and we were able to walk everywhere we needed to go. Service was excellent, warm and responsive. The concierge booked us both Galleria dell'Accademia tickets and lunch at a popular restaurant. We didn't end up dining at Borgo San Jacopo, the hotel's Michelin-starred restaurant, but we did make good use of the more casual Picteau. We had breakfast there both mornings we were in town, and cocktails both nights. The hotel was very attractive, with a clean, classic, slightly nautical aesthetic. Lots of white and royal blue, with leather accents and a wealth of modern art on the walls. We stayed in a studio suite with a river view, and it was comfortable and pretty, with a committed, appealing aesthetic. There were a few points of awkwardness that made me think the hotel spent more time on design than on the practical, boring elements. Not enough outlets, and only one adaptor for the room; a shower that was bizarrely high off the ground; a TV that flicked on automatically at full volume every time we entered the room and turned on the lights. These are minor quibbles, though, and we were overall quite happy with our stay. As a bonus, the hotel is owned by the Ferragamo family, and guests get privilege cards that include, among other offers, a 10% discount at the Salvatore Ferragamo flagship store. I took advantage of this to buy a pair of shoes. If you're looking for a nice place to stay in Florence, I'd highly recommend Hotel Lungarno. This goes double if you can book through Chase, but the hotel checks every box even without extra perks.

My wife and I have been planning a trip for well over a year to visit Europe. We had an itinerary…read morethat started in Rome, to experience the Holy Doors, and end in Munich for Oktoberfest. Where to go in the middle, where to stay? As members of Hilton Honors, where to stay was narrowed to their properties. Where to go was based on historical and areas that interested us. We are so happy we chose to stay in Florence, the Lungarno, right on the banks of the Arno River, near the Ponte Vecchio was situated so close to everything we wanted to do in walking distance. The staff here is beyond welcoming. We arrived earlier than check in, so they held our bags as we made our way into the heart of the city. We wondered back at check in time and had a drink. We cannot express our surprise and gratitude the the hotel, for they upgraded us to an incredible room. The trip was a pilgrimage to Rome, and a celebration of my 60th birthday and our 19th wedding anniversary. We were taken to the tower suite, A multi story room in an 12th century stone tower! Words alone cannot describe what is behind a standard looking hotel door. Walking thru a stone archway upon entering leads down some steps to a 4 poster bed and then around to a set of stairs leading up to a sitting area, near the top of a brick vaulted ceiling. Enough about the room though, we had dinner outside at one of the few places that have on/ over water dinning that we saw. Spectacular service and a romantic setting sure made our anniversary special. Breakfast could have been had out doors as well, but we chose the inside dining due to the early morning chill. A wide variety of food is available, buffet style. The hotel also houses the owners art collection and among the dozens of pieces is a Picasso! Our only issue with the property is that we didn't allow for more time at this incredible Small Luxury Hotel. Thank you

Lovely hotel with great staff. Just a short distance from SO many historic and beautiful sites…read more Right along the water as well. I was surprised at hat how many awesome places were so close to this hotel. I took a taxi once and realized it wasn't necessary. The breakfast spread provided was absolutely delicious. Will only stay here when I'm in Florence.

We stayed 3 nights at Hotel Berchielli in June of 2024. The location was fabulous. We had a clear…read moreview of the Ponte Vecchio from our room. If you are into photography, its a great place to photograph this historic landmark under different lighting as the evening turns to night. The location was very central and the staff very helpful and friendly. There was one incident in particular that impressed me. I arrived in the morning well before check-in time and asked to store my luggage at the hotel and do a quick trip to the leaning tower of Pisa before checking in. I took my luggage to the storage room with the help of the porter and in my hurry, had accidently left a little case with all of our passports and more than 2,000 Euros in cash on one of the shelfs. The highly professional and conscientious porter found it and turned it over to the front desk. What honesty!! The staff was extremely accommodating, including the general manager who took the time to personally make himself available when requested by me. Five stars? I would give this place 10.

After dinner and a walk we tried to go to the Sky Bar atop La Scaletta, but didn't have a…read morereservation. We spoke to Reception and secured one for 8:30 PM. A waiter brought us a complimentary "welcome drink" which, after one sip, I passed to one of my friends. I ordered a Prosecco. We enjoyed an hour, after which we were told we had to leave, most likely because we were not ordering food.. This was a beautiful spot with a lovely view and a breathtaking sunset, but the manager (I assume) was rude and unwelcoming, accusing us of coming on the wrong evening. Clearly, Reception had erred. We let it go and left. The 4 Stars are only for the location. Hospitality a fail. 50

We ate at the beautiful rooftop restaurant, Panorama, which offered some of the most spectacular…read moreviews of Florence. The food and drinks was fantastic, the service was great as well. We can't wait to go back one day.

Would you spend the night in what used to be a women's prison in the 12th century?…read more The Pagliazza Tower is the oldest building in Florence. It was built in the 6th century AD by the Byzantines as part of the "newer" city walls to augment the older Roman ones and protect the city during the Gothic War. The circular shape, which was rare in the Middle Ages, reflects ancient Roman building techniques. The tower rests on a circular wall that surrounded a swimming pool or Roman thermal bath. In the basement there is a calidarium, with brick floor channels for heat, which would have been used for steam baths. According to our guide, Roberta, it was used as a women's prison in the 12th century. Pagliazza references the straw mat bedding upon which the inmates slept. Later on, it was converted into the bell tower of a church. Eventually it was acquired as a private residence. Today it is home to a luxury hotel with a small museum and restaurants. The museum showcases artifacts from excavations dating back to the Roman and medieval times. Although we didn't stay here, the history of the Pagliazza Tower is very interesting.

"It's not where you live, it's how you live,"…read more It's nestled in the heart of Florence with rooms with a view of the Duomo - Duomo (English: /dwomo/, Italian: [dwmo]) is an Italian term for a church with the features of, or having been built to serve as a cathedral, whether or not it currently plays this role. Checking in was easy with an accommodating staff. The rooms are nice, but not fabulous, The elevator system confuses everyone! The breakfast (complementary for us) was quite good. While the location is fabulous and the staff quite nice, I expected a slightly nicer room for the price, but as they say, location, location, location.

Very hospitable, great location, safe and quiet with luxe amenities…read more I mean, a person can nitpick anything, right? There isn't much to find wrong here. From the amazing rooftop view to the staff who are all willing to engage and share recommendations and anticipate your needs, to the very good breakfast, it's all done nicely here. Very clean. Tastefully appointed, lots of open space to gather or isolate, I highly recommend it here. And i don't just rave about every place. I did slip out at 3am for a smoke. The clerk seemed annoyed about unlocking the front door and one of very few passers by was pretty sketchy. Back inside, the new security shift didn't recognize me and obviously observed me to make sure that I belonged, without being insulting or TOO conspicuous. Just enough to let me know that safety is a priority. Next door to the national library and so close to amazing restaurants, shopping, and sight seeing. Ok l, every trip has an ordeal. Ours was that the taxi app didn't help from the train station. So, it looked like a short walk. Let me tell you, with loaded backpacks, crowded sidewalks, and humidity, it was NOT a short walk. Get a cab!

Nice, nice, nice hotel located on the Arno River. All the amenities one could ask for by American…read morestandards. It is within walking distance to most major shopping areas, and most historic sites, including the Ponte Vecchio. A superb breakfast is included in a stay for about €300~ $ 340 pp nite. Service is excellent especially when Luca, a staff member , greeted us on a few occasions. Nice bar, nice dining room, and a very pretty lobby with a rooftop pool and bar. The view on the roof is beautiful.

We stopped here to take a look a few times at different parts of the day. It beautiful architecture…read morecan be enjoyed at any time. Best times are obviously sunrise and sunset. Not far from the Duomo or the statue of David if you are walking. Just be cautious of anyone walking up to you to try and tell you little trinkets. They speak many languages so saying no parlo Italiano doesn't always work.

The high-end shops are exquisite. Silver, jewelry, leather goods, silver & beautiful ornate…read morecraftsman pieces that are unique & very special. The gold, diamonds & gems glitter in the windows. Fifteen years ago I purchased a Beautiful bracelet that I still enjoy as well as leather and gold gifts here.

Lovely hotel in the heart of Florence. This is a wonderfully appointed hotel. My husband and I are…read morestaying in one of the Deluxe Double Suites (newer section of hotel) and it's awesome. What an amazing blend of chic modern Italian decor in a historic building. The hotel is clean, the staff is friendly and our room is well insulated so we don't hear the hustle and bustle of Florence outside. The rooftop bar, Disopra is fantastic! Great views, fabulous cocktails and yummy food. I definitely recommend Hotel degli Orafi.

While preparing for a night out in Florence, I needed an iron to smooth out my trousers from two…read moredays in a suitcase. As none was in our room, we called the front desk at Hotel Degli Orafi to request one. Instead of the typical, "we'll send it right up," we were told they couldn't provide one for "security reasons." Bewildered at how lending a guest an iron could present a security issue, and knowing that even most mid-level hotels routinely provide irons in guest rooms, I decided I needed to speak face to face with front desk personnel to understand what this meant. Because as best I could surmise, the only "security" issues that could possibly arise from use of an iron are 1) that I might use it to bash or burn my girlfriend (she's far too lovely for that), or 2) I might steal it. Neither of which I had any plan to do, nor gave hotel staff any reason to suspect. When I presented these two scenarios to the front desk attendant, and asked what other security issue might be of concern, she said a guest might burn themself. Seriously?!? In other words, the security risk they sought to minimize was not that toward third parties I might attack with their iron, nor to the hotel itself, were I to steal it, but rather it was the risk to myself they were concerned about. Of all the lame excuses she could have contrived, that one deserved a double take! In 40 years of travels, having stayed in dozens of hotels on five continents, never have I heard an innkeeper express concern for a guest burning themself with an iron! While her explanation was the lowest point of my Hotel Degli Orafi experience, it wasn't the only low point. See photos.

A well deserved 5 star rating. Classic Old World charm and elegance updated with impeccable service…read moreand quality. From afternoon tea in the lobby to drinks on the terrace during the Golden Hour this is a must splurge. Come dressed well and enjoy.

Exceptional hotel. The entire staff and Concierge team are some of the best I have seen in my…read moretravels. Food was great, rooftop bar newly renovated, rooms were clean, well appointed and spacious. Only wish was to have more English speaking TV channels when it came to winding down at night. Situated along the Arno River was within walking distance to anything you needed or wanted for your stay in Italy. Fun fact - Napoleon's sister Carolina Boneparte once owned and resided at the hotel and is buried in the Church across the street. Not to worry the ceilings were very tall! Hehe.

We stayed at this beautiful hotel while recently visiting Florence. One of the best things about…read morestaying here is its location, it's near everywhere you'd like to go. Florence is a great walking city and from this hotel, we walked to all the main sites. Our room was large with a comfortable bed and a large screen TV. Everything was very clean. We received full breakfasts which were excellent with lots of choices on the buffet. Great stay and definitely recommend if you're visiting Florence!

This review is for their restaurant. I guess Italy is the only place where I LOVED a meal at a…read morehotel. And the funny thing is we really just stumbled upon this amazing place. We were starving, it was rainy and just got off the train from Rome so we even had our luggage. The service was impeccable, they took care of our coats and luggage right away and seated us. The restaurant was peaceful and gorgeous. I still remember thinking "oh awkward we are underdressed for this!" I usually don't get impressed by decors of restaurants but the color and the elements and the layout of the restaurant somehow just gave me the relaxation I needed. We loved our entire experience but the highlight was the food. Every single dish was beautifully prepared and so so delicious. We fell in love with truffle here. And don't think we have had truffle that blew our mind elsewhere after (including Michelin two and three stars). I can taste the chefs mastery of the ingredients. No dish was overly complicated but each ingredient and sauce just complemented each other perfectly. You feel like you are in the forest where the food comes from. It's one of the meals I remember the most vividly, even after 4 years. Even on our culinary journey throughout Italy, this was a clear highlight. My only regret is we didn't purchase the truffle products here. I highly recommend this restaurant!