Concierge.com's insider take:

With a stunning setting right on the south bank of the Arno just a few steps from the Ponte Vecchio, the 73-room Lungarno (another Ferragamo-owned property) is the first choice for travelers who prefer smaller hotels but don't want to sacrifice top-class personal service and supercentral location. Book early to secure one of the rooms with a terrace overlooking the river; the fifth- and sixth-floor suites are quite spacious and have big decks, while standards are much smaller. The ground-floor breakfast room and beautifully appointed lounge/bar—complete with white-jacketed servers and an impressive array of coffee table books—are right on the water. The Borgo San Jacopo Ristorante has a tiny terrace on the river and serves modish food, such as brodetto (a bouillabaisse-like fish stew with mussels, clams, squid, and sea bass), in a calm and elegant setting. On the other side of the Arno, you'll find its sister hotels Gallery Hotel Art, Continentale, and Lungarno Suites.