re: Hotel recs in Rome and Florence...

We love Hotel Davanzati. Its family owned and run, also in the center of everything in Florence. Our last time there, my luggage failed to arrive on the flight and the Davanzati staff continually called the airline to see if it had arrived. I finally got it some days later but everyone at the hotel went above and beyond. The hotel breakfast is very good and all coffees are made to order. There is also a nice happy hour from 1830 with free wine and Prosecco. As they point out on their website, guests must go up some 25 steps from the street to the entrance of the hotel before getting on an elevator. This was no issue for us, but it must be mentioned as the sole drawback to an otherwise wonderful hotel.