Three star hotels, Florence, Italy

Hotel Martelli, Florence

A stay at this Florence hotel will give you the chance to experience a little of the history of this famous city. The Hotel Martelli is housed in a converted palace once owned by the Medicis, the aristocratic family who ruled Florence (Firenze) in the 14th century. Suite 47 was said to be the room of Catherine di Medici, the matriarch of the family. The rooms are designed in a spartan manner in keeping with Florentine style, and many of them are decorated with neoclassical frescoes from its previous incarnation.

The Duomo (Cathedral) is just a few steps away from the front door of this central hotel. Designed by Brunelleschi, the church's magnificent 45 metre-wide dome was completed in 1436 and is considered one of the jewels of the Italian Renaissance. Inside you can gaze at its vaulted ceilings, marble statues and stained glass windows. Other attractions downtown include the grand Fountain of Neptune on Piazza Signoria, the ancient Ponte Vecchio bridge and the Uffizi gallery, home of the largest collection of Renaissance art in the world. If all that sight-seeing makes you hungry, Florence boasts many fine restaurants serving Italian specialities, to be washed down with a glass or two of locally-produced Chianti.

The 52 rooms of this hotel in Florence are equipped with all the conveniences such as en-suite bathroom, air-conditioning and minibar. A continental breakfast is served in the restaurant every morning and hotel staff are happy to organise museum reservations, city tours and excursions into the Tuscan countryside. Baby-sitting services and children's cots can be arranged on request.

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Double room from €105