The hotels below have been grouped into four different pricing categories:
$$$$ (over €600)
$$$ (€400 to €600)
$$ (€200 to €400)
$ (under €200)
Hotel prices are subject to IVA (value added tax) at 10% and service charges. The prices quoted here are the starting prices for a double room, including tax and breakfast but not service charges, unless otherwise specified.

Grand Hotel

This opulent hotel, situated on the north bank of the River Arno, is the preferred choice of most business travellers to Florence and appeared in Conde Nast Traveller's Gold List for 2005 and 2006. Centrally located, the hotel's eight meeting rooms (the largest seating up to 220 delegates) and a well-equipped business centre are the main draws, while an elegant function room, which hosted the first fashion show of Florentine frock guru Emilio Pucci in the 1930s, gives proceedings the desired sense of glamour. All 107 rooms and suites offer air conditioning, mini-bar, TV with Internet connection, radio and telephone - although the style varies between gilt-edged Florentine at the back and something a little more pared down and sophisticated at the front. There is a small fitness centre.

Piazza Ognissanti 1
Tel: (055) 27161.
Website: www.starwoodhotels.com  
Price: $$$

Grand Hotel Baglioni

A short stride from the city's Exhibition Hall and Congress Centre, the four-star Baglioni offers a perfect base for business travellers to the city. Set in a typical Tuscan 19th-century palazzo, once home to Florentine princes, the Baglioni's 193 rooms are furnished in dark wood and heavy drapes, to give a cosy, intimate atmosphere. Two recently renovated congress halls come equipped with the latest audiovisual devices and can handle banquets and receptions for up to 400 people. There are also seven meeting rooms. The hotel's pride and joy is its rooftop restaurant, the Terrazza Brunelleschi, where social events can be arranged in the summer overlooking the evocative terracotta rooftops of medieval Florence and Giotto's statuesque bell-tower.

Piazza Unità Italiana 6
Tel: (055) 23580.
Website: www.hotelbaglioni.it
Price: $$

Hotel Brunelleschi

Imaginatively reinvented from a Byzantine tower and a medieval church, the Brunelleschi combines swish modernity with a romantic setting, right in the heart of Florence, just off the Piazza Signoria. Architectural characteristics such as exposed brickwork and wooden beams have been retained throughout the hotel, to give a pleasing sense of history. All 96 rooms, some with views of the cathedral, offer TV, telephone and mini-bar, while the two executive suites include a private Jacuzzi. The three meeting rooms (accommodating from five to 102 delegates) come equipped with video, overhead projector, Wi-Fi and Internet access, while video-conferencing and a translation service are available on request. Banqueting facilities for up to 120 people are available in a private dining room, located in the tower.

Piazza Santa Elisabetta 3
Tel: (055) 27370.
Website: www.hotelbrunelleschi.it
Price: $$

The Westin Excelsior

Next door to the Grand Hotel and under the same management, this grandiose establishment boasts seven centuries of Florentine history. All 171 rooms combine lavish décor with state-of-the-art modem points, satellite TV and air conditioning. The hotel was named in the 2005 and 2006 Conde Nast Traveler Gold List. A range of suites, from ‘Junior' to ‘Presidential', offer spacious living areas and river views. Four meeting rooms are available, the largest seating up to 150 delegates. There is also an up-to-the-minute business centre. The sleek ORVM restaurant offers exceptional contemporary Mediterranean cuisine from an award-winning chef. Other facilities include a nearby golf course, babysitting and private parking.

Piazza Ognissanti 3
Tel: (055) 27151.
Website: www.westin.com or www.starwood.com
Price: $$$-$$$$

Hotel Regency

This deluxe five-star, 19th-century villa-style hotel is located on a tranquil piazza in the Santa Croce area, just beyond the hubbub of the historic centre, and set in its own shady garden. The 35 high-ceilinged guestrooms(including eight suites) are grandly furnished with rich fabrics and antiques, giving the impression of a nobleman's private home. All rooms are equipped with a mini-bar, safe and direct-dial telephone but the jewel in the hotel's crown is its gourmet restaurant, Relais le Jardin, a popular choice with well-to-do Florentines and international gastronomes alike. Impeccable service, elegant surroundings and fine dining ensure that this hotel will satisfy even the most aristocratic of leanings.

Piazza Massimo D'Azeglio 3
Tel: (055) 245 247. 
Website: www.regency-hotel.com
Price: $$ - $$$

Hotel Savoy

The five-star Hotel Savoy eschews ornate Florentine furnishings in favour of modern simplicity. The décor is clean, bold and self-consciously stylish, with a nod to the traditions of art deco. The hotel boasts 88 bedrooms, and 14 suites, many of which overlook the bustling Piazza della Repubblica. All rooms are air conditioned and feature two or three telephones, broadband Internet connection and satellite TV. Many of the guest rooms have a balcony. There are two small meeting rooms, and a function suite which accommodates up to 60 delegates. Guests can watch the world pass by and savour Luigi Incrocci's celebrated cuisine from the L'Incontro restaurant, where seats spill out onto the square during summer. Extras include an optional transfer service, same-day dry-cleaning, express checkout and 24-hour room service. A well-equipped fitness centre gives guests the chance to keep fit while enjoying views over the city.

Piazza Repubblica 7
Tel: (055) 27351.
Website: www.hotelsavoy.it
Price: $$$

Antica Johlea

A cut above the typical Italian residenze, this stylish bed and breakfast in a 19th-century palazzo offers 11 eclectic rooms - with four poster beds, silk curtains and jewel bright colours. Set in a quiet street about 10 minutes' walk from the Duomo, the residenze has a lovely rooftop terrace with panoramic views, and a comfortable home-from-home atmosphere. The breakfast hall and lounge have polished floors, jazzy rugs and artworks on the walls. It is one of a number of similarly stylish bed and breakfasts in Florence run by Johanna and Johlea. All are mentioned on the same website.

Via San Gallo 80
Tel: (055) 463 3292.
Website: www.johanna.it
Price: $

Hotel Aprile

Hotel Aprile is a charming family-run hotel, set in a former Medici palace and just a few steps away from Florence's main station and the dramatic church of Santa Maria Novella. High vaulted ceilings, wooden beams and a secluded courtyard garden add to the charms of this four-star pensione, whose prettily furnished bedrooms are a favourite feature with romantics. All 31 double/twin rooms offer satellite TV, Wi-Fi access, mini-bar and bath or shower, plus air conditioning in summer. There are also two suites. In a unique gesture, the hotel also invites a local professor to talk on the art and history of the city three evenings a week throughout the year (excluding August).

Via della Scala 6
Tel: (055) 216 237.
Website: www.hotelaprile.it
Price: $

Gallery Hotel Art

Florence's first design hotel stands on a small square not far from the Ponte Vecchio and is already attracting a host of funky young designers and artists. Large by boutique standards, with 65 rooms and nine suites, the hotel makes good use of space and light to create cool modern interiors, a world away from the medieval rat race outside. Each room comes complete with satellite TV,  modem point and air conditioning, while communal spaces display revolving collections of contemporary art and ethnic accessories. The library contains over 400 books for guests to borrow. Video conferencing and translation services are available for business travellers. East meets West in the hotel's Fusion Bar Shozan, where guests can dine on ma-cha tiramisù, while sitting on the terrace under the stars.

Vicolo dell'Oro 5
Tel: (055) 27263. 
Website: www.lungarnohotels.com
Price: $$

Palazzo Antellesi

These luxurious serviced apartments in a 16th palace make an excellent alternative to hotel accommodation. The palace occupies one side of the magnificent Piazza Santa Croce and is divided into 14 fully furnished apartments, sleeping from two to six people. Each bedroom has its own bathroom and hairdryers are provided. All apartments have TVs; well-equipped kitchens with cookers, microwaves, coffee makers, dishwashers and fridges; and washing machines and tumble dryers. Some apartments have original frescos on the walls or stunning painted ceilings, and two have balconies. The Annigoni penthouse was the painter's former studio. The Palazzo also contains a small gym. Bookings can be made directly (minimum six nights) or through SACO Serviced Apartments.

Piazza Santa Croce 21
Tel: (055) 244 456.
Website: www.florencerentals.net or www.sacoapartments.co.uk
Price: $$ (per week only)

Villa San Michele

In the surrounding hills near Fiesole stands the luxurious Villa San Michele, the façade of which is said to be the work of Michelangelo. Formerly a Renaissance monastery, any sign of Spartan living is a now distant memory. Comprising 46 rooms, including 23 suites, the hotel provides an opulent bolt hole from the bustle of Florence. All rooms have satellite TV and most have DVD and CD players. The staff operate with military efficiency, ensuring every whim is catered for, and the sights of Florence seem to pale into insignificance beside the swimming pool, as they merely provide a picturesque backdrop to the next dip. A shuttle bus is provided for trips into the city, although it stops running at 2000 (2030 to return from Florence), leaving stragglers to shoulder a hefty taxi bill.

Via Doccia 4, Fiesole
Tel: (055) 567 8200.
Website: www.villasanmichele.orient-express.com
Price: $$$$