Your stay — Hotel Alessandra
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The Property — Hotel Alessandra
Hotel Alessandra is a no-fuss, family-run 3-star half a block from Florence's Santa Maria Novella station. The lobby feels like a working marble floored parlour — small, tidy, with a real key rack and a friendly desk that actually knows the neighbourhood. Its USP is location: for the price you're a few rapid strides from Santa Maria Novella church and the San Lorenzo market, so it suits travellers who want a clean, quiet base and plan to spend most of their time out, not in.
Chronicles of Florence
Florence was founded as a Roman military colony in 59 BC, laid out with the classic grid centred on the present-day Piazza della Repubblica. Its explosive growth came in the 13th–15th centuries when the wool and banking trades funded the construction of the Duomo, the Palazzo Vecchio and the Basilica of Santa Croce — all testaments to a republic that valued civic art. The Medici dynasty then turned the city into a laboratory of Renaissance architecture, leaving us the Uffizi galleries, the Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens. Today Florence is a compact, walkable UNESCO World Heritage site that lives equally from tourism and its fiercely local artisanal traditions in leather, paper and jewellery.
Best Time to Visit
Full Florence guide →Best months
May and late September offer warm, sunny days with lows around 12–15°C, fewer queues than summer, and the city still feels lively. October can also be good if you're fine with occasional rain and cooler evenings.
Peak / festival surge
July and August are the absolute peak. The city chokes on heat (often 35°C+), humidity and day-tripping crowds, especially around the Duomo and Ponte Vecchio. Hotel rates double or triple; snagging a table at a decent trattoria without a reservation is nearly impossible. No one festival drives it — just blanket summer tourism.
Budget shoulder season
March, April and November see far lighter crowds, 30–50% lower hotel rates, and still decent weather (10–18°C). You trade some outdoor café comfort for emptier galleries and much shorter waits.
Weather & packing
Florence in summer has a dry, oppressive heat trapped in its narrow stone streets, not the breezy coastal kind — you will sweat through linen by noon. Your packing rule: one light jacket or pashmina for the evening, plus good walking sandals or flats that can handle cobbles and 30,000 steps a day.
Live City Briefing — Florence
- The tram line T2 was extended in early 2025 to reach Piazza della Libertà, making the airport-to-city link faster and bypassing the bus snarl on the viali.
- The controversial 'visitor code of conduct' remains active in 2026 — expect fines for eating on church steps, drinking from public fountains, or pulling suitcases over cobbles in the historic centre.
- Summer 2026 sees the 'Florence Art Strada' pedestrianisation trial: from June to September the main stretch from Piazza del Duomo to Piazza della Signoria is closed to traffic (except residents and deliveries) between 10am and 10pm.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Hotel Alessandra, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the third or fourth floor facing the internal courtyard. The upper floors reduce street-level noise while still being accessible by the small lift (likely only goes to the fourth floor). Courtyard side avoids the traffic and pedestrian chatter from Borgo Santi Apostoli.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid rooms on the first and second floors facing the street. Borgo Santi Apostoli is a narrow medieval lane with delivery vans, early morning street cleaning, and restaurant service traffic. Low-floor street-facing rooms catch all that.
Best views
Street-facing rooms on upper floors (third or fourth) look over Borgo Santi Apostoli towards the Ponte Vecchio and Arno. You get a narrow glimpse of the river—worth accepting some street noise for the view. Courtyard views are quiet but bland (other buildings' walls).
Quietest floors
Third and fourth floors are the quietest. The lift stops at the fourth floor, so top-floor rooms are furthest from ground-level noise and footfall in the staircase.
🔊 Noise notes
Borgo Santi Apostoli is a main pedestrian route between Piazza della Signoria and the Ponte Vecchio—crowded daytime, especially in summer. Early morning delivery trucks service the restaurants and hotels. The lift is an old, creaky model (common in 3-star Florentine buildings) and audible from adjacent rooms.
Insider tips
1. The hotel has no parking—use the Garage Lungarno (5-min walk) but book ahead; spaces are tight and expensive. 2. Request a room with a private terrace—a few exist on the fourth floor, worth paying extra for if you want to sit out after the crowds disperse.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Hotel Alessandra
Free WiFi throughout, approx 30 Mbps download; no login or time limit.
One small lift serves all 4 floors (max 2 people); no stairs-only sections in the main building.
Complimentary digital PressReader access (over 7,000 newspapers). No physical papers. The 16th-century palazzo has original wooden ceiling beams in the breakfast room.
Check-in from 14:00; early bag drop from 10:00 free. Late check-out until 13:00 for €30, subject to availability. 24h front desk.
Free luggage storage before check-in and after check-out; 24h secure room.
Step-free access via a portable ramp at the main entrance (width 80cm). No wheelchair-adapted rooms; lift is too narrow for larger chairs. Best for guests with limited mobility rather than full wheelchair use.
No on-site parking. Nearest public garage: Garage Lungarno Acciaiuoli, 2-min walk, €35 per 24h. No EV charging on site; nearest public charger at Piazza della Repubblica (30-min walk).
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: €4.00 per person per night (under-10s exempt)
Deposit & card hold: First night charged at booking; €100 incidental hold on credit card at check-in
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: San Salvatore al Vescovo (155 m · ~2 min walk)
- Church: Cappella dei Principi (229 m · ~3 min walk)
- Church: Chiesa della Misericordia (338 m · ~4 min walk)
- Church: Cappella dei Magi (399 m · ~5 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
COIN — 844 m · ~11 min walk
Giardino Bardini — 1.4 km · ~18 min walk
Museo di Casa Martelli — 106 m · ~1 min walk
Auditorium al Duomo — 36 m · ~1 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Monte dei Paschi di Siena — 119 m · ~1 min walk
Pulker Farma — 142 m · ~2 min walk
Sapori & Dintorni Conad — 203 m · ~3 min walk
Firenze Santa Maria Novella — 812 m · ~10 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Euro, EUR
Use bank ATMs for best rates; avoid exchange bureaux near tourist landmarks and the airport, which add poor rates and fees.
Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted; contactless and Apple/Google Pay are common in shops and restaurants. Keep small cash for markets and some trattorias.
Not required; round up the bill or leave 1-2 EUR for good service. Taxis: round up to nearest Euro. Hotel porters: 1-2 EUR per bag.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Stand at a bar counter for a caffè (espresso) at about 1.10 EUR; sitting down at a table doubles the cost.
A slice of pizza or a panino from a takeaway spot costs around 5-7 EUR.
A pasta or pizza main in a casual trattoria runs about 10-14 EUR.
Look for bakeries and small food shops near the Mercato Centrale area for inexpensive panini, schiacciata, and pizza al taglio.
Conad and Carrefour Express are the common budget supermarket chains in central Florence.
The San Lorenzo market (near the Duomo) has affordable clothes and leather goods; chain stores like OVS and H&M line Via de' Calzaiuoli and Via Roma.
A single bus/tram ticket costs 1.50 EUR (valid 90 mins); a 24-hour pass is 5 EUR. From the airport, the Volainbus shuttle to Santa Maria Novella station costs 6 EUR each way.
Eat at a bar counter for coffee and breakfast (half the price of table service). Buy water from supermarkets rather than tourist shops. Visit free churches like Santa Maria Novella and the Duomo exterior instead of paying for museums.
Good to know — Florence
Type C/F/L · 230V
safe
$1 ≈ €0.87 · EUR
Emergency Contacts
FlorenceEuropean standard 112 works for all emergencies from a mobile. For fixed-line or text, dial 113 for police, 118 for ambulance, 115 for fire, and 116117 for out-of-hours medical help. Keep 112 set as a speed-dial in your phone.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Florence, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Hotel Alessandra
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Monte dei Paschi di Siena — 119 m · ~1 min walk — pharmacy · Pulker Farma — 142 m · ~2 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Find train tickets →Florence Airport (FLR) → Hotel David via Alamanni/Santo Spirito areas
💡 Newest eco-friendly tram system (opened 2019). Fast and cheap. Single journey €2, but get tourist passes to avoid repeat ticket purchases for hotel-to-attractions transit.
Florence Airport (FLR) to City Center / Local Transit → Hotel David and Florence City Center
💡 Buy a Carnet (10-journey ticket €14.50) or 48-hour tourist pass (€16.50) for all local buses. Airport coaches cheaper than taxi but slower with stops.
Florence Airport (FLR) → Hotel David, Florence
💡 Book pre-arranged transfers through your hotel to avoid inflated rates from unofficial taxis at airport rank. Expect traffic congestion during peak hours (8-10am, 5-7pm).
Florence Airport (FLR) Terminal 1 Train Station → Florence Santa Maria Novella Station, walking distance to Hotel David
💡 Most convenient and reliable option. Connect to local trams/buses from Santa Maria Novella. Hotel David is walkable (10 mins) from station in city center.
About Florence
Wikipedia ↗
Florence (Italian: Firenze) is the capital and most populous city of the Italian region of Tuscany, with 361,625 inhabitants as of 2026. It is also the capital of the eponymous metropolitan province, which counts 988,494 inhabitants. Florence was a centre of medieval European trade and finance and ...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Hotel Alessandra?
Request a room on the third or fourth floor facing the internal courtyard. The upper floors reduce street-level noise while still being accessible by the small lift (likely only goes to the fourth floor). Courtyard side avoids the traffic and pedestrian chatter from Borgo Santi Apostoli.
Which rooms should I avoid at Hotel Alessandra?
Avoid rooms on the first and second floors facing the street. Borgo Santi Apostoli is a narrow medieval lane with delivery vans, early morning street cleaning, and restaurant service traffic. Low-floor street-facing rooms catch all that.
Is Hotel Alessandra noisy?
Borgo Santi Apostoli is a main pedestrian route between Piazza della Signoria and the Ponte Vecchio—crowded daytime, especially in summer. Early morning delivery trucks service the restaurants and hotels. The lift is an old, creaky model (common in 3-star Florentine buildings) and audible from adjacent rooms.
Which rooms have the best views at Hotel Alessandra?
Street-facing rooms on upper floors (third or fourth) look over Borgo Santi Apostoli towards the Ponte Vecchio and Arno. You get a narrow glimpse of the river—worth accepting some street noise for the view. Courtyard views are quiet but bland (other buildings' walls).
What are insider tips for staying at Hotel Alessandra?
1. The hotel has no parking—use the Garage Lungarno (5-min walk) but book ahead; spaces are tight and expensive. 2. Request a room with a private terrace—a few exist on the fourth floor, worth paying extra for if you want to sit out after the crowds disperse.
What time is check-in at Hotel Alessandra?
Check-in at Hotel Alessandra is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Hotel Alessandra have Wi-Fi?
Free WiFi throughout, approx 30 Mbps download; no login or time limit.
Is there a city or tourist tax at Hotel Alessandra?
€4.00 per person per night (under-10s exempt)
Where can I eat cheaply near Hotel Alessandra?
A slice of pizza or a panino from a takeaway spot costs around 5-7 EUR.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Hotel Alessandra?
A single bus/tram ticket costs 1.50 EUR (valid 90 mins); a 24-hour pass is 5 EUR. From the airport, the Volainbus shuttle to Santa Maria Novella station costs 6 EUR each way.
When is the best time to visit Florence?
May and late September offer warm, sunny days with lows around 12–15°C, fewer queues than summer, and the city still feels lively. October can also be good if you're fine with occasional rain and cooler evenings.
Top Attractions in Florence
💡 Check the upstairs museum (€6) for the originals. The church itself is free and usually empty, so you can sit in peace - a rarity in central Florence.
💡 Skip the expensive upstairs pasta. Head to the ground floor's Nerbone for a €5 tripe sandwich or €4 bowl of lampredotto - a true Florentine lunch.
💡 Go just before sunset to see the city glow. Stay until the lights come on - it's far less crowded than during the day and the Duomo looks spectacular.
💡 Arrive at 5.15pm weekdays in summer to hear the monks sing Gregorian chant during vespers. It's a hauntingly beautiful experience, and free.
💡 Book ahead online (€6) - they limit visitors to 30 per 15-minute slot. If sold out, show up at opening and ask about returned tickets.