The traditional Florentine alarm call—a morning mix of traffic and tourism—is replaced by birdsong when you awake in one of the stylish rooms here, on the banks of the River Arno. A former stone-built artisan workshop, Riva has had a refit to match its “loft” label: There's a taupe-and-white color scheme with laminate flooring, marble bathrooms with rainfall showers, and clever integration of natural materials in such features as original wooden workshop ceilings. Breakfast is served until 11:45am and noon checkouts as a standard are a seriously traveler-friendly touch. The center is a half-hour walk, or jump on one of Riva's vintage-style bikes and cycle to the Uffizi along the Arno banks. Yet another standout feature in this price bracket: a shaded garden with outdoor plunge pool.