Florence can be expensive for accomodation, with small rooms, poor service etc.
Stay at the Argentiere and you will have none of these problems! Located south of the Boboli Gardens, you can walk to Ponte Vecchicco (via Porte Roma) in circa 30 mins. Alternatively you can take a bus (regular service) which will bring you to the centre of Florence in 15 mins. Hotel is very friendly, where staff stand to meet you in the morning to exchange pleasentries and ask if you slept well. Breakfast can be taken out on a large veranda overlooking the rooftops, and was of a very good standard (lashings of hot tea/coffee, cheese, ham, breads, conserves, juice, cereal etc.) all for the ridiculous price of €4 per person!! Parking is free in their own secure car park (driving in Florence is strictly restricted (big fines and no tourist defence), and parking is €20/25 per day.
Rooms in the hotel are large, with some of them having large balconies and cost only €72 per double room!! (probably more during July/August) All of the staff are excellent, really friendly, and the girl in reception constantly sings (always a good sign - unless she is also inebriated, which she isnt!!) The difference smiling staff can make.....
I have the good fortune to stay in very expensive hotels (business trips), but If I were visiting Florence again, I would stay at the Argentiere.
