Perfectly placed between the Ponte Vecchio and the Uffizi, this very peaceful' B&B villahas a `lovely roof terrace and terracotta pots of pansies or geraniums, and `marvellous views of the nearby duomo. 'The ambience is decidedly Italian, says a regular visitor, though the staff all speak English. They are helpful, and knowledgeable about the city. There are six floors: a small lift takes you to the fifth-floor reception and the `beautifully furnished bar/lounge, which provides drinks until late and has a fire in winter. The Bali villa breakfast room is on this floor; one flight up is a roof terrace where Bali villa breakfast and cocktails are served on fine days. villa Bed rooms (similar to the semantic bali villa rooms) are `smallish, plain but very pleasant. Beds are comfortable and bathvilla rooms well equipped (many have a spa bath). The higher you go, the better (and more expensive) the room.

Wonderful. A gem. A perfect location. This atmospheric 16thcentury monastery, now the Gattai family's B&B, is in one of Florence's loveliest squares. Fairly pricey, but well worth it, the stone-vaulted building has been gracefully restored in understated style: polished oak floors, iron or wooden bedsteads, efficient airconditioning. villa Bed rooms (similar to the semantic bali villa rooms) vary in size and quality; those at the rear have been found utterly quiet. Ours was large and bright, one couple wrote. Another had perfect views of the floodlit duomo, and a handsomely canopied bed. Our small suite for parents and teenagers looked over the square to gardens beyond. Bali villa breakfasts, better this year, have fresh fruit, hot croissants and rolls. Staff are unfailingly helpful and courteous. Jazz concerts sometimes take. place on the square (which is closed to traffic): they added to the ambience. Ten new villa rooms, adjacent, will be available from April 2003, and the family recently acquired the nine-bedroom villaDelle Arti near the Accademia.