THE ENTIRE CONTENTS OF MY ONLINE INTRODUCTION TO FLORENCE CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT INYOURPOCKET, ALONG WITH A TRANSPORT SECTION, VISA INFORMATION AND SO ON. MY THANKS TO THEM FOR LETTING ME REPRODUCE THE WORK COMMISSIONED FOR FLORENCE IN YOUR POCKET

Grand Hotel Firenze *****
Piazza Ognissanti 1, tel. 055 28 87 81, fax 055 21 74 00, florence@westin.com, www.luxurycollection.com/grandflorence. 107 rooms (12 singles £590 000 - 794 000, 78 doubles £905 000 - 1 194 000, triple £1 650 000, 17 suites £1 600 000 - 4 300 000). Additional £50 000 for continental breakfast, £80 000 for American breakfast.
If there are enough rooms available for you to make a choice, you can opt to sleep in an Empire-style room that Napoleon would have been comfortable in, or a Renaissance room where a Medici would feel at home. Queen Victoria would appreciate the winter garden, and mad King Ludwig the banquet room. The Masaccio suite would do the Prince of Darkness himself proud. The Grand Hotel's conference facilities are unrivalled for a hotel in the centre.

Helvetia & Bristol *****
Via dei Pescioni 2, tel. 055 28 78 14, fax 055 28 83 53, information.hbf@royaldemeure.com, www.thecharminghotels.com. 67 rooms (9 singles £506 000, 35 doubles £825 000, triples £1 540 000, 23 suites £1 067 000 - 1 243 000).
Vogue Interior's French edition nominated for the finest hotel décor in the world, and it's not difficult to see why. Jacuzzis, satellite TV and other mod cons have been effortlessly integrated into stately rooms and suites that cry out to be a setting for diplomatic intrigue. Can't afford the tariff? Nip in for a drink in the Giardino d'Inverno (winter garden).

Savoy *****
Piazza della Repubblica 7, tel. 055 27 35 1, fax 055 273 58 88, reservations@hotelsavoy.it, www.hotelsavoy.it. 107 rooms (singles £510 000 - 590 000, doubles £750 000 - 880 000, 9 suites £1 500 000 - 2 500 000, extra bed £120 000,  breakfast £44 000).
Sir Rocco Forte, London-based bon vivant, was responsible for the relaunch of the Savoy in May 2000. But it was a family affair; Olga Polizzi, the RF Hotel group's director of design is Sir Rocco's sister. She chose to eschew fake Renaissance tapestries or faux marble statues in favour of white leather, zebra prints and screenprints of Andy Warhol's shoe series. The entire hotel has an elegant, refreshingly contemporary style.

Westin Hotel Excelsior *****
Piazza Ognissanti 3, tel. 055 27 15, fax 055 21 02 78, info@theluxurycollection.firenze.net, www.theluxurycollection.firenze.net. 146 rooms (4 singles £1,140 000, 142 doubles £1,600 000).
The religious order of the Humiliati settled in this spot in the 13th century, but these days you're more likely to find the glitterati in this large and luxurious hotel that has the most splendid reception area in Florence. The hotel also boasts rooms with a view to kill for, and a series of conference rooms best suited for a hunt ball. The bar is slightly more Cunard-era cruise liner in atmosphere.

Adriatico ****
Via Maso Finiguerra 9 (Borgo Ognissanti), tel. 055 238 17 81, fax 055 28 96 61, hotel.adriatico@firenzealbergo.it, www.firenzealbergo.it/home/adriatico. 119 rooms (6 singles £320 000 - 360 000, 97 doubles £440 000 - 490 000, 7 triples £550 000 - 600 000, 9 suites £600 000 - 700 000).
Part of the Best Western chain and is a reasonably priced alternative situated in an area where you'll find some interesting seconds and end-of-the-line clothing stores. The hotel also has conference facilities, if you're planning on spending all day looking at an overhead projector.

Bernini Palace ****
Piazza San Firenze 29 (Piazza Signoria), tel. 055 28 86 21/800 82 10 57, fax 055 26 82 72, bernini.firenze@baglionihotels.com, www.baglionihotels.com. 85 rooms (17 singles £450 000, 64 doubles £650 000, 4 suites £700 000).
The reception area of the Bernini Palace is, well, palatial and the rooms are done up in suitably plush fashion, yet it is hard to resist the conclusion that this place, somehow, has seen better days. Our tasteful Italian guide noted of the rooms troppo giallo (too yellow), but it's close to the action and the staff at reception were helpful enough.

Brunelleschi ****
Piazza Santa Elisabetta 3, tel. 055 273 70, fax 055 21 96 53, info@hotelbrunelleschi.it, www.hotelbrunelleschi.it. 83 rooms (13 singles £420 000, 61 doubles £570 000, triple £670 000, 9 suites £900 000).
Steeped in history and antiquity but it's impossible to not feel like you're on the set of a James Bond movie, due to the odd combination of 1970s structural changes and original 13th century tower. We could have sworn that was Ernst Stavro Blofield waiting in the lobby bar. The rooms however are furnished with admirably classic restraint and location and service is second to none.

Laurus ****
Via de' Cerretani 8, tel. 055 238 17 52, fax 055 26 83 08, laurus@vivahotels.com. 59 rooms (singles £270 000, doubles £390 000, triples £450 000).
Another stud in the ranch of Best Western in Florence, 59 of the Hotel Laurus' rooms have balconies, and views of varying splendour. The staff is friendly and helpful and even indulged us with our fumbling Italian. There are non-smoking rooms too, for those abstemious travellers who have realised that the whole country is a smoking section.

Sofitel ****
Via de' Cerretani 10, tel. 055 238 13 01, fax 055 238 13 12, sofitfi@tin.it, www.sofitel.com. 86 rooms (4 singles £590 000, 71 doubles £630 000, 10 triples £750 000, 1 suite £830 000).
The hotel that stood here in the early 20th century was once the unofficial headquarters of the Futurist movement in Florence. Impossible to say whether the futurists would approve of the décor, but it's strange to contemplate the very 1980s décor and trompe l'oeil in the breakfast room with centuries of art history resonating around you.

Byron ***
Via della Scala 49, tel. 055 28 08 52/055 21 67 00, fax 055 21 32 73, www.hotelbyron.firenze.it. 45 rooms (10 singles £290 000, 35 doubles £360 000, triple £460 000).
The hotel's owners assured us that Lord Byron slept here, but then, he was famous for sleeping around. The mad, bad and dangerous poet might park his gilt carriage somewhere else these days, as the hotel is a slightly jarring mixture of kitset hostel fittings and reproduction Empire furniture. The staff carries on like an Italian version of Fawlty Towers.

Porta Rossa ***
Via Porta Rossa 19, tel. 055 28 75 51, fax 055 28 21 79. 78 rooms (11 singles £240 000, 67 doubles £320 000, triples £400 000, quads £450 000).
They were in the hospitality business on this site in the 14th century, when an inn stood here. It passed onto the Torrigiani family in the sixteenth century, descendants of whom now manage this somewhat 'shabby genteel' converted palazzo. The suites in the 13th century Monalda Tower command tremendous views of Florence. If dataport connections and pay TV are more important to you than a voyage back in time, then the Porta Rossa may not be to your tastes.

Locanda Orchidea
Borgo degli Albizi 11, tel./fax 055 248 06 46, hotelorchidea@yahoo.it. 7 rooms (4 singles £75 000, 3 doubles £110 000).
Beds like grandma used to make, friendly Anglo-Scottish-Italian staff, and cosy, homey décor make it one of the more pleasant low budget options in Florence. Fun fact: Dante's wife was born here. Now, just try getting a room.