Stay here to experience Florence as the travelers of the Grand Tour did. For starters, the building is a genuine Renaissance landmark, having been built by Sangallo the Elder in the 1520s. There is a sense of faded grandeur and unconventional luxury throughout—no gadgetry or chromotherapy showers here, but you will find rooms with writing desks and occasional tables dressed with lamps. No unit is small, but most of the standard rooms lack a view of either Brunelleschi’s dome or the perfect piazza outside: An upgrade to Superior represents good value. Air conditioning is pretty much the only concession to the 21st century—and you will love it that way.