Florence: Hotel Abaco (Hotel)

Address: Via dei banchi 1, San lorenzo , Florence 50123, Italy
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Lonely Planet Review

Located on the main thoroughfare linking the Duomo to the train station, this small pensione offers remarkably high-end comforts at budget prices, making it one of the best value hotels in Florence. A friendly Calabrese couple runs the place with admirable efficiency, yet take time to make you feel at home.

Each room is named after a Florentine artist, and reproductions of their work adorn the walls, as well as plenty of Baroque curves and gilt appointments - kitschy, yes, but done with love. More importantly, the beds, all with brand-new orthopaedic mattresses, are as good as any in Florence. Air-conditioning, ceiling fans, and soundproofed windows round out the creature comforts. Breakfast, served in a common area with its ancient beamed ceiling still intact, is sometimes free if you pay in cash. Granted, there are a few things that keep prices low. Rooms are small, and some share a communal bathroom. The location, while extremely convenient, is made uncharming by heavy traffic, both pedestrian and vehicular. Finally, it's three flights up an ancient, twisting staircase - no elevator here. However, these are small concessions for the comforts that await you at the top of all those stairs.