Siena and Florence hotels
 

Any recent recomendations for:
1. a one night stay in Siena, with views onto Piazza del Campo?
2. a one night stay in Florence?

2 - 3 stars; price in the $100 - $250 range.
Grazie...

Spell check aside, I would stay in the Brunelleschi Hotel in Florence and day-trip to Siena, which I have done rather easily.

Enjoy.

One of my favorite stays in Europe was in Florence's Pensione Annalena in the Oltrarno section of the City (across the river from the center across Via Romana from the Pitti Palace and only a 10 minute walk to the Ponte Vecchio and 15 to the Duomo).

Very quiet 16th century palace-turned-convent-turned-girls' school-turned hotel, overlooks a lush garden. Our room had 14-foot ceilings and a huge bathroom by European standards, excellent service, and was very clean. Not luxury, but first class and relatively inexpensive: http://www.hotelannalena.it/inglese.html

Have a great trip, and DO NOT miss the main cathedral in Siena if you have not seen it and the Piccolomini Library inside! Spectacular!

I highly recommend that you go to Slowtalk.com and Fodors.com and go to their Itayl forums.

Also take a look at www.italyby.com where you can look at "Florence" and "Tuscany" for Siena. There are photos of all the properties...a great hotel research tool.

I'll check in at the sites recommended. Thanks.
I'm curious; I've been told "don't miss a night in Siena. It is magic after dark."
It's obviously easier to day trip, but anyone have an opinion on whether we'll be missing all the "magic" if we do?

Yes, Siena is "magic"; may be even more so "after dark", without the tourists. It's a very "dark" medieval town, cars (and many busses!!) have to stay out of the old town, very interesting sites, however, lots of tourists during the day, on some days it's a zoo...

As mentioned by others, there is a lot to see in Siena. Also the world oldest bank, near Piazza del Campo:
I liked, interesting venue, food O.K.:
Ristorante Guido, Dal 1935
Vicolo Pier Pettinaio, 7
53100 - Siena (SI)
Posizione: centro storico, a 20 m da Piazza del Campo
http://www.emmeti.it/guido/

[This message has been edited by USAFAN (edited Dec 31, 2003).]

I spent 6 weeks in Siena this summer. While the heat was deadly (not a figurative term this year), the city is fantastic. You cannot experience the charms of wandering the small streets in a rushed day trip.

Because Tuscany is so popular, especially with daytrippers out of Florence, many of the towns are that much more enchanting in the evenings. San Gimignano is totally different at night, lit up very beautifully, with a few great restaurants and the best gelato in Italy (has won countless contests). Lucca is also particularly charming during the day and more-so at night...

I absolutely agree Siena is magic after dark.
The locals come out for their evening strolls ( particularly Italian habit) and the Piazza del Campo is just crowded with people and their dogs just chatting and greeting friends.
I have a photo I took some years ago after midnight illuminated by a full-moon showing the crowd just having a good time.
My favorite Italian town.

Incidentally on one stay we booked the Jolly Excelsior which gave us a great room overlooking the entire city. Rate was about $125.00. The Campo itself was not visible though.
Not sure if you will find many places that do since the entire square in surrounded by
multi-story buildings.
mike





[This message has been edited by MIKESILV (edited Jan 01, 2004).]

We stayed at a modern Jolly Hotel in Siena and our room overlooked the soccer field. It was very nice but not in the historic center, just nearby within walking distance.

Visiting Siena another time, we stayed in a convent built into a hillside in the old part of town. This was in the historic center and I think near the church that houses the relic of the patron saint of Siena.

I can't think of a hotel overlooking the Campo but we enjoyed the convent location, the view down the hill was lovely and the rate was very reasonable.