The 7 best hostels in Florence, including live shows, roof terraces and outdoor pools
Once upon a time, Florence’s hostel accommodation came in the form of multi-bedded dormitories with lumpy mattresses, communal bathrooms, strict entry times and questionable hygiene. Things are very different now and the lines between budget hotel and hostel are blurred. The hostels listed here all have smaller rooms, good facilities (some even have kitchens where you can whip up a plate of pasta al pomodoro) and brightly decorated rooms with decent beds; one even has a pool. If privacy is important, many have the odd single or double room, but prices for these nudge towards the rates of a one or two-star hotel. Here's our pick of the best hostels in Florence.
Tasso Hostel Florence
Florence, Tuscany, Italy
8Telegraph expert rating
The post-war building was once a primary school run by nuns. Today, it houses this bright hostel, one of Florence’s best, with a stylish, retro vibe. The pièce de resistance is the bar and sitting room in the aforementioned ex-assembly hall filled with a homely mix of vintage sofas, armchairs, old school chairs and retro knick-knacks. Facilities are a cut above the hostel norm, with bikes for hire, a full kitchen, coin-operated laundry, lovely courtyard garden and the huge bar/sitting room/performance space complete with stage and a regular programme of live music and DJ sets. Read expert review From £15 per night
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Wow Florence Hostel
Florence, Tuscany, Italy
7Telegraph expert rating
Michelangelo’s David is not the only superhero you’ll encounter during a sojourn at WoW, as Spiderman, Hulk, the Mighty Thor, Batman and Superman line the hostel walls. Its loud, comic-inspired décor and quiet yet central location make this Florence hostel an appealing choice for young (and not-so-young) travellers on a shoestring budget. In the lounge, you can watch television shows, strum guitars or play board games. There’s a laundry room, a well-equipped kitchen where you can cook your own meals, and, best of all, the vast roof terrace with superb views across to the Duomo and the Tuscan hills. Read expert review From £13 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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PLUS Florence
Florence, Tuscany, Italy
7Telegraph expert rating
Travellers with champagne tastes and beer pockets will enjoy the many luxuries of this hostel-with-aspirations: indoor and outdoor pools, a Turkish bath and sauna, roof terrace, and contemporary art works by young Italian artists. Inside, you’ll find a split personality: one moment garish and extrovert, the next sleek and subdued. Acid-edged colours and lino-tiled floors give a distinctly Sixties look, its walls decked with youthful and exuberant contemporary art. By contrast, some areas have clean and minimalist furnishings in muted, earth tones. There's a retro-style bar and restaurant for socialising, music and parties. Read expert review From £10 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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Ostello Gallo d'Oro
Florence, Tuscany, Italy
7Telegraph expert rating
With its ‘casa familiare’ ethos, the Gallo d’Oro has created more of a home than a hostel. It has been done up in a funky Seventies style – all bold colours and big floral prints. The cheery reception and kitchen/breakfast rooms are painted in hot pinks and cool blues, with whimsical posters and tubular metal furnishings. The 13 multi-bedded rooms, split into two apartments (one for women only), sleep four or six on closely-packed letti a castello (‘castle beds’ – the romantic Italian term for bunks). They’re more like cosy bedrooms than dorms, with parquet floors, retro-floral prints and an earthy, vintage colour palette. Read expert review From £17 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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Academy Hostel Florence
Florence, Tuscany, Italy
8Telegraph expert rating
Wedged between Florence’s two most iconic monuments – David and the Duomo – the Academy Hostel’s location could hardly be better. Sunny rooms with pretty period features and a plant-filled terrace make it a most inviting place to stay, for teen- and golden-age backpackers alike. The Academy is unusual among Florentine hostels in retaining some pretty period features: stucco cornices and mouldings decorate lofty ceilings; vaults and arches add a touch of style. In the lovely reception area you’ll find cubic black sofas, potted plants, and shelves of guide books and brochures. The shady terrace is a delightful place to relax or socialise. Read expert review From £21 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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BBH Firenze
Florence, Tuscany, Italy
8Telegraph expert rating
This four-room ‘bed without breakfast’ is one of the best budget options in central Florence, popular with young travellers as well as older slack-packers who like its hip and laid-back style. Walls are lined with contemporary woven-textile art and colourful notecards from satisfied guests; furnishings are a creative mix of vintage and artsy loft décor. The four rooms are individually styled with their own colour scheme and distressed-effect walls: the Blue and Green rooms have great, comfy king-sized beds; Orange and Yellow have snug French doubles. Read expert review From £54 per night
Foresteria Valdese di Firenze
Florence, Tuscany, Italy
7Telegraph expert rating
The Foresteria is housed in a splendid 16th-century Palazzo Salviati and an adjacent building, both of which come complete with lofty vaulted ceilings, grand staircases, fresco fragments and an inner courtyard (not accessible to guests, but pretty to look at). Though the courtyard garden is off limits, there are various communal sitting areas in the building, including a television room and a library. There’s also a restaurant where lunch and dinner are on offer for groups of 10 or more. Guests are given a tour and potted history of these ancient buildings and the kind staff are at pains to show this area of the city at its best. Read expert review From £39 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
Contributions by Kate Bolton & Nicky Swallow
