Property
I’m a little embarrassed to be recommending the 3-star Florence hotel which was supposed to be the “budget property” in our Italian itinerary. But this hotel ticked all of the boxes so perfectly that we ended up preferring it to many of the far more expensive hotels we’ve visited in the past.

Location
The hotel advertises the fact that it’s a 10-minute walk from the S.M. Novella train station, but we actually found that everything is within walking distance in Florence. It was a 5-minute walk to the San Lorenzo Market, 10 minutes to the Duomo, 15 to the Ponte Vecchio… even the Boboli Gardens and other attractions on the other side of the river could be easily reached on foot.

Sleeps
5 (extra large room with a double bed, plus a double sofa bed, plus a twin bed… this is a European hotel room?!)

Highlights
From the large room to the attentive staff to the attractive common spaces, everything about this hotel was a pleasant surprise. It’s neither glamorous nor extravagant, but it is well located, well laid out, and perfect for a family stay.

Good to know
Florence streets have separate numbering systems for commercial and residential properties (red for the former, black for the latter). A failure to grasp this important fact can result in far too much time spent wandering up and down small streets with a wheely bag in one hand and a cranky, hungry child in the other. You can thank me later.

Contact
www.hotelportafaenza.it

Written by Rebecca Tompkins

Property
You are not going to need a week in Pisa. You are not even going to need a weekend in Pisa. But if you are flying into the Pisa airport on the way to some other Italian destination, it would be a shame not to make a short detour to check out that famous tower. This hotel makes the stop over easy and worthwhile.

Location
A 15-minute cab ride (if that) from the airport. A 5-minute walk to the train station. Oh, and did you want to see a tower or something while you were in town? You can walk there (or anywhere else in Pisa, frankly) in about 15 minutes, too.

Sleeps
4 in a well-designed family room (a double bed in the main room and an adjacent – though not fully separate — room with 2 twins).

Highlights
This hotel provides well-thought out family features (a good room design, a breakfast buffet with kid-friendly offerings, etc.) without being overtly kid-focused. We felt comfortable there with our children, but the place did not feel overrun with everyone else’s kids. If you’ve stayed in places where dozens of little darlings ran amok screaming, you understand how much we appreciated this distinction.

Good to know
The front desk was particularly helpful here. In addition to walking directions, train schedules and other factual advice and information, their restaurant recommendations were dead on. Take advantage of their expertise!

Contact
www.hotelbologna.pisa.it

Written by Rebecca Tompkins

Property
A spacious and luxurious five-bedroom Tuscan villa with private pool and gardens. The villa has an enormous kitchen, fireplace, satellite TV, barbecue, bicycles, and plenty of room to play in its extensive grounds.

Location
Villa Antonietta is located between Florence and Siena, and within easy driving distance of many of the most beautiful villages in Tuscany. The village of Lucolena is a 15-minute walk from the villa, and has a post office, a small market, a pub, and a pizzeria. The town of Greve (15 minutes by car) has a larger grocery store, a Sunday market, and a wine shop on every corner (this is Chianti after all). For a hassle-free train ride into Florence (do not even consider driving), go from Figline Valdarno (10 minutes by car). Getting lost (or at least feeling lost) in Italy is just part of the deal. Breathe deeply and consider going easy on the coffee.

Sleeps
2-10.

Highlights
Hanging around the pool. Decompressing in this cinematically beautiful villa. Eating out with your kids in the country that invented pasta and pizza. For a special treat, ask your hostess Cristina to arrange for chef Jacoba to come in.

Good to know
If you arrive on Saturday, do not put off grocery shopping. Not much is open on Sunday. The villa has a washing machine, but no dryer. One week will not be enough for relaxation and exploration. Go for two if at all possible.

Contact
www.rentvillas.com

Written by Jamie Pearson

Property
This converted rustic 17^th century villa at the end of a dirt road among Tuscan vineyards has 63 air-conditioned rooms and 10 two-room mini-apartments with kitchenettes. The extensive grounds include a heated swimming pool (with attached shallow children’s pool), tennis courts, bocce courts, and restaurant.

Location
Moments from the gorgeous medieval castle at Monteriggioni, and within easy striking distance of Florence, Siena, San Gimignano, and Volterra. Slightly longer excursions to Pisa or the Tuscan hill towns of Montalcino, Pienza, and Montepulciano are also very doable.

Sleeps
4-5, but cozily.

Highlights
Flexible lengths of say (hard to find in non-hotel accommodations in Europe), thousands of lizards for your children to chase around the grounds, daily gelato, convenient grocery shopping in nearby Colle di Val D’Elsa and even more convenient eating options with a kitchen of your own.

Good to know
La Limonaia (Borgo San Luigi’s restaurant) is expensive and s-l-o-w. Bring coloring books, Leapsters, or whatever blows your kids’ hair back (we once brought a portable DVD player and hid it under the table). Watch kids carefully on the patios of upstairs units (doors lock for peace of mind).

Contact
www.borgosanluigi.it

Written by Jamie Pearson