Where to Stay in Florence 2026: Luxury Hotels by Neighborhood
Updated: 12 hours ago
Updated October 2026
People ask me one question about Florence more than any other: where should we stay? My honest answer is that the neighborhood matters as much as the hotel. Florence is small, but a room on the Arno, a room beside the Duomo and a room in a garden on the hills feel like three different trips.
This is my guide to the best five-star and boutique hotels in Florence, organized by area, with who each one suits. I have not slept in every hotel on this page, so where I have not stayed, I tell you what to expect based on the hotel's own information and what I know of the street. Facts like addresses, openings and restaurants come from the hotels' official sites and trusted Florence sources. For how I judge a hotel, read How I Review Hotels.
Quick picks by traveler
First trip, want to walk everywhere: the Duomo area, at Hotel Savoy or Brunelleschi Hotel.
Honeymoon or anniversary: the Lungarno, at Portrait Firenze or The St. Regis Florence.
Space, garden and a pool in the city: Four Seasons Hotel Firenze.
Local feel and artisan streets: the Oltrarno, at Hotel Lungarno, AdAstra or Palazzo Guadagni.
Arriving by train, or a short stay: Santa Maria Novella, at The Place Firenze or Grand Hotel Baglioni.
Calm, views and a resort feel: the hills, at Villa San Michele in Fiesole.
How to choose your neighborhood
Almost everything in central Florence is walkable, so think about the mood you want rather than distance alone. The historic center is busy by day and lively at night. The Oltrarno is quieter and more local. The hills give you space and silence, with a drive into town.
Two practical things matter everywhere. Most central hotels sit inside the ZTL, the limited traffic zone, so ask your hotel before you drive (my Florence parking and ZTL guide explains it). And in old palazzi, rooms vary a lot, so ask about the exact room, not just the category.
Lungarno: river views and classic grandeur
The Lungarno is the riverfront, and for many travelers it is the dream: wake up, open the shutters and see the Arno. The stretch around the Ponte Vecchio is the most romantic, and the Ognissanti end, to the west, is home to two grand hotels facing each other across a piazza.
Portrait Firenze
Lungarno degli Acciaiuoli 4, beside the Ponte Vecchio. The Ferragamo family's Lungarno Collection runs it as an all-suite hotel, so expect space, privacy and river views from the upper floors. It suits couples and longer stays.
The St. Regis Florence
Piazza Ognissanti 1, in a palazzo facing the Arno. Expect the full grand hotel experience: chandeliers, frescoes and butler service. Its Winter Garden restaurant and bar is one of the city's elegant evening addresses. It suits travelers who want classic luxury and a special occasion feel.
The Excelsior, a Luxury Collection Hotel
Piazza Ognissanti 3, across the piazza from The St. Regis. It changed from The Westin Excelsior to the Luxury Collection in July 2025, and its Cosimo Rooftop looks along the river toward the bridges and the hills.
Hotel degli Orafi
Lungarno Archibusieri 4, beside the Uffizi. A boutique choice on the river with a terrace looking at the Duomo and the Arno. It was a filming location for A Room with a View, which tells you about the views.
My full lists: Best 5-Star Hotels in Florence and Boutique Hotels in Florence.
Duomo and the historic center: walk to everything
If this is your first trip, this is the area I suggest most. You can walk to the Duomo, the Uffizi, the Accademia and the Mercato Centrale in minutes. The trade-off is crowds by day, so a hotel with a courtyard room or a rooftop to escape to is worth a lot here.
Hotel Savoy, a Rocco Forte Hotel
Piazza della Repubblica 7, in the very center. Its restaurant, Irene, serves seasonal Tuscan food with a terrace on the piazza. It is a strong pick for families who want true luxury in the middle of everything.
Brunelleschi Hotel
Piazza Santa Elisabetta 3, between the Duomo and Piazza della Repubblica. Part of the hotel is built inside the Pagliazza, one of the oldest towers in the city, and the Duomo Suite looks at the dome and Giotto's bell tower. It is also home to Santa Elisabetta, a restaurant with two Michelin stars.
Palazzo Sogni
Via de' Martelli 4, a couple of minutes from the Baptistery. It opened on 1 October 2026 in a 16th-century palazzo, with 30 rooms and suites, frescoes, a spa, a garden and a rooftop restaurant facing the dome. I would pick it for a first trip when you want to walk everywhere.
Il Tornabuoni and Palazzo Vecchietti
Both sit by Via de' Tornabuoni, the city's most elegant shopping street. Il Tornabuoni is at number 3. Palazzo Vecchietti, at Via degli Strozzi 4, is a smaller palazzo hotel with a residential feel. Both suit shoppers and travelers who like an elegant address.
Want the dome outside your window? See my guide to Florence hotels with Duomo views.
Santa Croce and Borgo Pinti: gardens and a local evening scene
East of the center, Santa Croce mixes a great basilica with wine bars and restaurants that fill with Florentines at night. A little further north, Borgo Pinti hides one of the most remarkable hotels in Italy.
Four Seasons Hotel Firenze
Borgo Pinti 99. Two Renaissance palaces set in the Giardino della Gherardesca, one of the largest private gardens in Florence at about 4.5 hectares, with a spa, an outdoor pool and frescoed suites. Its restaurant, Il Palagio, holds a Michelin star. It suits families and anyone who wants a country estate feel about ten minutes' walk from the Duomo.
Plaza Hotel Lucchesi
Lungarno della Zecca Vecchia 38, on the river near Santa Croce. In the warm months its Empireo rooftop, with a pool, looks over the river and the hills.
Before you go, read my Santa Croce guide for the basilica itself.
Oltrarno: the artisan side of the river
Across the Ponte Vecchio, the Oltrarno is where I feel most at home. Workshops, wine bars, Piazza Santo Spirito and the Pitti Palace are all here, and the streets are calmer than the center. It is my favorite area for a boutique stay.
Hotel Lungarno
Borgo San Jacopo 14, on the Oltrarno bank with views straight across to the Ponte Vecchio. Its restaurant, Borgo San Jacopo, holds a Michelin star, and two of its tables sit on a balcony over the river. Ask for a river-facing room.
AdAstra
Via del Campuccio 53, beside the Torrigiani garden, a vast private park behind the street fronts. Expect the feel of an elegant private home. It suits quiet seekers.
Palazzo Guadagni
Piazza Santo Spirito 9, in a Renaissance palazzo with a famous open loggia at the top. It suits couples who want to be in the most local square in town.
La Réserve Firenze
Via Santo Spirito 6. Opened on 16 October 2026 in Palazzo Segni, a 15th-century palace, with six serviced apartments, a rooftop terrace and hotel services. It suits families and small groups who want a private home with a team behind it.
Santa Maria Novella: easy arrivals and a pool
The area around the station and Piazza Santa Maria Novella is the most practical base in Florence. You can walk from the train to your room, and the center is a few minutes away.
The Place Firenze
Piazza Santa Maria Novella 7. An intimate hotel with a home-like feel, right on the piazza facing the basilica.
Grand Hotel Baglioni
Piazza dell'Unità Italiana 6, two minutes from the station. Its B-Roof restaurant has terraces with a 360-degree view to the dome. The terrace is seasonal.
Sina Villa Medici, Autograph Collection
Via Il Prato 42, west of Santa Maria Novella, with a garden and one of the few outdoor pools within walking distance of the center. A smart choice for summer.
The hills and Fiesole: space, silence and the view
Florence sits in a bowl of hills, and the villas above it look across the whole city to the dome. Stay here if you want calm and gardens, and you do not mind a shuttle or a short drive into town.
Villa San Michele, A Belmond Hotel
Via Doccia 4, Fiesole. A former monastery high on the Fiesole hill. It reopened on 28 April 2026 after an 18-month renovation, with 39 rooms and suites, its first spa and a new eight-table restaurant, Antesi, and it now stays open year-round. The hotel runs a shuttle to the center.
Borgo Pignano Florence
On the Montughi hill on the northern edge of the city, opened in autumn 2026 by the Borgo Pignano estate near Volterra. It brings a Tuscan country house feel inside Florence, with chef Stefano Cavallini overseeing the restaurants.
More openings are on the way. I track them in New Luxury Hotel Openings in Florence (2026 to 2027).
When to book
Spring and early autumn fill first, especially weekends in May, June, September and October. River view and Duomo view rooms go earliest. From November to early March, the city is calmer and the best rooms are easier to get.
Still deciding between a hotel and a rental? Read Hotel or Apartment in Florence? How to Choose. For the season itself, see my month by month guide, and browse every stay on my Hotels page.
FAQ
What is the best area to stay in Florence for a first visit?
The Duomo and historic center area. You can walk to the Duomo, the Uffizi, the Accademia and the Mercato Centrale in minutes, and hotels like Hotel Savoy and Brunelleschi Hotel put you in the middle of it.
Which luxury hotels in Florence are on the Arno?
Portrait Firenze, The St. Regis Florence, The Excelsior and Hotel degli Orafi on the north bank, and Hotel Lungarno on the Oltrarno bank facing the Ponte Vecchio.
Is the Oltrarno a good place to stay in Florence?
Yes. It is calmer and more local than the center, with artisans, wine bars and Piazza Santo Spirito, and it has boutique hotels such as Hotel Lungarno, AdAstra and Palazzo Guadagni.
Which Florence hotel has the largest garden?
Four Seasons Hotel Firenze, set in the Giardino della Gherardesca on Borgo Pinti, one of the largest private gardens in Florence at about 4.5 hectares.
Should I stay in Fiesole or in central Florence?
Stay in the center if you want to walk everywhere. Choose Fiesole, for example Villa San Michele, if you want views, gardens and quiet, and you are happy to use the hotel shuttle into town.
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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