The Westin Excelsior, Florence

If it’s the classic Florentine experience you’re after, you need look no further: this is the definitive downtown Florence grand hotel, a century-old palace on the banks of the Arno, the sort of place where the Presidential Suite is used by actual presidents. The Ponte Vecchio and the Uffizi Gallery are a stone’s throw away, and the views, some taking in the river and the rooftops of the city, are fine enough that you might be able to subsidize your travels with a sideline in postcard photography.

The interiors are strictly period, in a variety of local styles spanning the 17th and 18th centuries. There’s no shortage of ornament, nor of opulent comfort — rooms are stuffed with sumptuous fabrics, Oriental rugs and all manner of antiques. Sizes and shapes vary widely, as is customary in hotels of this type; they range from not-at-all-small to nearly excessive, with the top-floor suites adding rooftop terraces, offering jaw-dropping vistas (and, sadly, commensurately jaw-dropping prices).

No need for non-VIPs to shell out for the Presidential Suite, though — throughout you’ll find the same flawlessly professional service, the same attention to detail, the same old-world glamor; just on a slightly smaller scale. Il Cestello serves Tuscan and Mediterranean cuisine in a stunning throwback dining room, all stained glass and high ceilings — though in the heart of the city center, it’s hardly your only option.