Hotel or Apartment in Florence? How to Choose
Updated: Oct 25
Updated October 2026
Hotel or apartment is the question I get asked most about Florence, and I have done both many times. The right answer depends on your trip, not on which is better.
This guide walks through the trade-offs, the local rules for short lets and which neighborhoods suit each choice.
The short answer
Choose a hotel for short stays, first visits, special occasions, and when you want luggage help, a concierge and daily service.
Choose an apartment for stays of a week or more, families or groups who want a kitchen and space, and travelers who like to live like a local.
Why a hotel works
A good hotel removes friction. Someone takes your bags, books your tables and fixes problems at midnight. Many historic hotels have lifts, which matters in a city of steep medieval stairs.
For my favorites, read my guides to Florence's 5-star hotels and boutique hotels in Florence.
Why an apartment works
An apartment gives you a kitchen, a market run in the morning and room to spread out. On longer stays it can feel like your own Florentine life. Students and long-stay visitors often go this way. See my guide to studying abroad in Florence.
Things apartment renters do not expect
Stairs. Many historic buildings have no lift. Ask which floor, and remember the Italian ground floor is not the first floor.
Noise. Thin windows over busy streets mean late-night voices and early delivery vans. Ask for a courtyard-facing bedroom.
Self check-in is changing. Florence has banned key boxes for short-term rentals, so expect to meet a host or use another approved method.
Licensing. Every legal short-term rental in Italy has a national ID code, the CIN, which must be displayed. In the historic center, Florence has stopped authorizing new short-term rentals. Book only listings that show a CIN.
Which neighborhoods suit each
Duomo and Santa Maria Novella: the most hotels, the most convenience, the most crowds.
Oltrarno and San Niccolò: village feel, artisan streets, great for apartments.
Santa Croce: lively, central and full of restaurants, a strong apartment area.
Fiesole: hilltop calm, best with a hotel that has a shuttle or a car.
Still unsure? My neighborhood FAQ on where to stay answers the common questions.
Getting the best value
Travel in shoulder season, late winter or November, when demand drops.
Book a refundable option early, then re-check closer to the date.
Stay longer. Many apartments and some hotels reward longer stays.
Ask the hotel directly. When I book, I always ask about breakfast, a room upgrade if one is free, and flexible cancellation terms.
For more practical advice, read my practical tips for travelers in Florence.
A third option: a villa in the hills
There is a choice many visitors never consider: a private villa outside the city. For a family reunion, a milestone birthday or a group of friends, a villa in the Chianti or Fiesole hills gives you a pool, a garden, a kitchen and the kind of quiet the historic center cannot.
You trade walk-out-the-door convenience for space, and most groups split their time between lazy villa days and drives into Florence for the museums.
If that sounds right for you, I work with Exclusive Villa Collection, which curates private villas across Tuscany and can arrange drivers into the city so nobody has to deal with the ZTL.
How I decide for my own trips
When I plan a Florence trip, I ask myself four questions:
How long am I staying? Under five nights, a hotel almost always wins. A week or more, I start looking at apartments.
Who is coming? A couple on a romantic trip wants service and a beautiful room. A family of five wants two bathrooms and a kitchen.
What is the trip for? If it is about museums and dinners out, location matters most. If it is about slowing down, space matters most.
How much do I want to handle? Hotels handle everything. Apartments mean shopping, laundry and figuring out the boiler.
Questions to ask before you book an apartment
Does the listing show a CIN code?
What floor is it on, and is there a lift?
How does check-in work now that key boxes are banned?
Is there air conditioning, and does it work in every bedroom? July in Florence is hot.
What are the heating hours in winter? Many older buildings have set hours.
Is the street pedestrian, and how close can a taxi get with luggage?
Who do I call at night if something breaks?
Questions to ask a hotel
Which rooms face the street, and which face a courtyard or garden?
Is there a lift to every floor?
Can the hotel register a rental car for the ZTL, or arrange parking?
Is breakfast included, and what time does it end?
Can the concierge book restaurants and museum slots before I arrive?
What I tell families
Families with young children usually do best in an apartment or a suite hotel. Kids need space to spread out, a fridge for snacks and somewhere to nap in the afternoon. Look for an apartment near a park or a garden, like the Boboli side of the Oltrarno, and on a low floor.
If you prefer a hotel, ask for connecting rooms or a family suite well in advance, because they are limited in historic buildings. My guide to Florence with kids has ideas for every age.
Mixing the two
On longer trips I often split the stay. Three nights in a hotel at the start, when jet lag is real and I want someone else to handle the details, then an apartment in the Oltrarno or Santa Croce for the rest of the week.
It is the best of both, and it lets you see two sides of the city. Browse my Florence hotels by neighborhood to plan the first part, and my Florence neighborhoods guide for the second.
Legal rentals and the CIN code
Florence has tightened its rules on short-term rentals. Every legal rental in Italy must display a national identification code, the CIN, on its listing and at the property. The city has stopped issuing new short-let authorizations inside the UNESCO historic center, and street key boxes for self check-in are banned.
For you, that means two things: check that a listing shows its CIN, and expect check-in to happen in person, often with a host or an agent who also registers your passport, as Italian law requires for every guest.
Noise, light and the time of year
The romance of a Florence apartment can fade quickly if your bedroom faces a street of bars. Ask whether the bedroom looks onto the street or a courtyard, whether the windows have shutters, and whether the building has air conditioning.
In July and August a top floor apartment with no air conditioning is hard to sleep in. In winter, ask about heating, since many old buildings are drafty. A hotel solves all of this for you, which is often why I choose one for short stays in summer.
FAQ
Is Airbnb legal in Florence?
Yes for licensed listings. New short-term rentals are no longer being authorized in the historic center, and every legal listing must display a CIN code.
Is an apartment cheaper?
Often for groups and long stays, not always for couples on short trips once cleaning and fees are added.
What is a CIN code?
It is Italy's national identification code for legal short-term rentals. It must be shown on the listing and at the property, so book only listings that display one.
Should I choose a hotel or an apartment for a first trip to Florence?
A hotel near the Duomo or Santa Maria Novella. It keeps everything walkable and someone is on hand to help with bookings and problems.
Where should I stay in Florence with a family?
An apartment or a suite hotel in the Oltrarno or Santa Croce gives space and a calmer feel. For a big group, a private villa in the hills is often the best fit.
About the author
I'm Jason GaNung, and I write every guide on Florence Life. I have spent extensive time in Florence over many trips, and I have stayed in many of the hotels and villas I cover, so my picks come from my own stays, not press releases. More about me.
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