Best Room Near Santa Croce Florence (In the Piazza, Quiet + Balcony View)
Disclosure: We paid for this stay ourselves after comparing several nearby options. Some links may be affiliate links, which help support this site at no extra cost to you.
If you want the best room in Santa Croce, Florence and still want to sleep well and wake up to a great view, this is the room I’d book again without hesitation.
We stayed two nights in September 2024 at B&B Santa Croce 14, and the King Room with Balcony ended up being one of the most memorable stays of our entire Italy trip. We booked it for our 10 year wedding anniversary mainly for the balcony, but what surprised us most was how large, quiet, and genuinely comfortable the room felt once we were inside.
This stay was intentional. Florence can be tricky logistically, so we wanted a place that let us enjoy the city on foot while still making it easy to leave for day trips. Staying right on Piazza Santa Croce gave us that balance.
If you’re trying to decide which room is worth booking near Santa Croce, or whether an upgrade is actually worth it, here’s what you need to know.
This article is part of my Trip Planning & Redemptions series, where I share real-world hotel stays, itineraries, and experiences to help you plan trips that feel special without overcomplicating the logistics.
Quick facts from our stay
Stayed: September 2024, 2 nights
Room: King Room with Balcony
Sleeps: Up to 4
Best for: Couples or families with kids 6+
Why this room: Quiet at night with a walk-out balcony overlooking Piazza Santa Croce and Basilica Santa Croce
What we paid: €883.50 total for two nights, including breakfast vouchers for the café next door. Check your dates for current pricing.
Want to check availability and pricing options for this stay? View B&B Santa Croce 14 on Booking.com and other sites →
We booked directly through the property for this room. You can also check the hotel’s official site here →
Why this is the best room in Santa Croce, Florence
Santa Croce is a lively area, which is part of the appeal. The tradeoff is that many places here give you atmosphere but not much rest. This room managed to give us both.
The King Room with Balcony is over 50 square meters, or about 540 square feet. That’s huge by Florence standards. The photos on the hotel website don’t do it justice. It felt more like a small apartment than a typical European hotel room and I can honestly say it’s the biggest room I have ever stayed in….anywhere.
It’s officially categorized as a family or large room because it sleeps up to four, but for two people, that extra space made the stay feel luxurious, which is what we were going for.
We looked at a few other nearby options, but this was the only one with a true balcony view over the piazza and quiet nights.
The balcony and the view
The balcony is technically standing room only, but with the doors open, you could easily pull a chair over from the sitting area inside. There was plenty of space for two people, and even up to four could step out comfortably.
This was our favorite part of the room. Early mornings and late nights were especially good for people watching, and once the doors were closed, the room stayed quiet and dark.
If you’re searching for a room with a view near Santa Croce, this one delivers.
Noise, sleep, and floor level
The room is on the second floor. You enter through a large door off the street, where there is both an elevator and stairs. From there, you pass through a secure door and then reach a small lobby area and rooms.
Even though the balcony overlooks an open piazza and sits next to a church and restaurants, we didn’t have any noise issues at all. Both nights were quiet, and we slept extremely well.
Why this room works for couples and families
Because the room sleeps up to four, it’s a rare find in central Florence. Many hotels cap rooms at two guests, which forces families to book two rooms or stay farther out.
For families with older kids, this room could actually save money by keeping everyone together in one space. For couples, it works beautifully as a special occasion stay. We booked it for our anniversary and were surprised by how special the room felt once we arrived.
One important note is that the property does not accept children under six years old, even though the room itself is categorized as a family or large room.
Who this room may not be right for
This room might not be a good fit if you’re a solo budget traveler looking for the lowest possible price.
It also won’t work well if you want a traditional hotel with a 24 hour front desk or full service amenities. This is a small B&B, not a chain hotel.
Also remember that booking rules can vary depending on where you reserve. Some platforms list longer minimum stays or different age policies than the property’s direct site, so it’s worth double-checking before booking.
Breakfast and daily logistics
Breakfast is included via vouchers for the café right next door. We used ours each morning for coffee and pastries, and it was easy and so good. Sitting outside in Piazza Santa Croce with a coffee in the morning felt like a great way to start the day, though the cafe has indoor and outdoor options.
Renting a Car in Florence
One important logistics note if you’re considering renting a car while staying in Florence: the historic center, including Santa Croce, is inside the ZTL (Zona a Traffico Limitato), a restricted traffic zone enforced by cameras. Unauthorized entries result in automatic fines that often arrive months later.
We avoided driving in the city entirely. The only time we rented a car in Italy was for a Tuscan vineyard experience, and we took the train to the Florence airport to pick up the car there, which allowed us to bypass the ZTL completely.
That said, if you do plan to arrive by car, B&B 14 Santa Croce will walk you through the process of registering your license plate so your ZTL access fee is properly authorized (essentially cancelled). They can also help arrange parking garage options nearby (with discounted rates), which is reassuring if driving is unavoidable.
Non-EU travelers should also know that an International Driving Permit is legally required to drive in Italy, even if rental agencies don’t always ask for it at pickup.
Why staying near Santa Croce feels special
The B&B sits directly on Piazza Santa Croce, across from Basilica di Santa Croce, which we visited during our stay.
One of our favorite nearby experiences was visiting the leather school and shop, Scuola del Cuoio, which is just a couple of minutes away. There are other leather shops right in the Piazza and I even got an engraved leather wallet that I use to this day.
From the B&B, it’s an easy walk to:
- Basilica di Santa Croce, directly across the piazza
- Leather workshops and markets, about 1 to 2 minutes away
- Major historic sights like the Duomo and Palazzo Vecchio, roughly 15 to 20 minutes on foot
We walked to the B&B from the train station in about 25 minutes with carry on luggage (see our method for a 16 day trip with only carry-on bags). With larger bags, I’d grab a taxi or Uber.
If you want this same walkable, local feel, here are good places to stay around Piazza Santa Croce.
Good to know before booking
A few practical details worth knowing ahead of time:
- Reception is open in the mornings Monday through Saturday
- Check in is from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Late arrivals need to be arranged in advance
- Cancellation is free up to seven days before check in
- Florence’s tourist tax is €5.50 per person per night. Children under twelve are exempt
- Smoking and pets are not allowed
- There is no dedicated luggage storage room. Luggage can be left in a shared, video surveilled common area
How to make sure you book the right room
This is a small hotel with a limited number of rooms. For this balcony view, you need to specifically book the King Room with Balcony.
Is this room worth the upgrade?
For us, yes.
If you want a quiet place to sleep near Santa Croce but still care about space, light, and atmosphere, this room strikes a rare balance. It worked perfectly as an anniversary stay, but it could also be a smart choice for families with older kids who want to stay together in a prime location.
I’d book this exact room again in a heartbeat, whether as a couple or with my 10 year old. There’s more than enough space, and the location has a small town feel while still being close to everything.
If this exact room isn’t available, I’d still stay in the Santa Croce area. See nearby stays around Piazza Santa Croce →
Planning the rest of your Italy trip
If Florence is part of a longer trip, these may help:
We used credit card points and miles for a lot of our trip and it saved us so much money and upgraded our experience. There were certain hotels where we paid cash and it was worth it (including B&B 14 in Santa Croce). This article lists out what we paid in cash and points for our entire trip.
One of the highlights of our time in Florence was leaving the city for a day to enjoy a Tuscan vineyard lunch experience. Staying centrally near Santa Croce made it easy to plan this without changing hotels, and it’s a great example of how Florence works well as a base for memorable day trips into Tuscany.
For more Italy planning resources, see my complete Italy travel guide.
Your Next Read
Italy on Points and Miles: A 16-Day Itinerary of Savings and Splurges
Tuscan Vineyard Lunch Experience: The Recipe I Took Home
How to Travel Carry-On Only for Long Trips (and Still Have Room for Souvenirs)
