We stayed at Hotel Firenze Continentale, La Spezia on the 7th July 2012 as a stopover to the Cinque Terre. We booked on Booking.com and the hotel was only a short walk from the railway station. We didn't really know what to expect as this was just an incidental necessity to get to our Monterosso destination, but it definitely did not disappoint! It was a big hotel that with a beautiful, ornate reception area. There was no wi-fi in the rooms, but that was ok, because you could use the bar area which was comfortable and inviting to make your up-date your family and friends.

Our room was spacious and had a window that overlooked the mountains and allowed for impressive views of the sun settling over the mountains as we listened to church bells echoing through the town. The breakfast was also quite impressive! Pastries, breads, cakes, juices and coffees in a quaint little room....i would have been happy to stay another night not just for the hotel but also for the quaintness of this cobblestone town itself, which despite its sleepy atmosphere in the day-time, turned into a busy hive of activity in the evening as it came alive with masses of people promenading in the streets. There was plenty of opportunity to shop in the variety of shops that ranged from well known boutiques to more independent ones. And of course there were eateries to fill the tummy!

At 109 euro for the night, we felt is was worth it and would probably stay here again. Oh! and it was in this town that i had the BEST pesto spaghetti ever...unfortunately i don't remember the name of the restaurant!

Five friends stayed for two nights in two double rooms and one single room in July 2011. We really enjoyed our stay in the hotel!! The hotel is an excellent base to visit the Cinque Terre with the train station and Cinque Terre information centre near the hotel. Continental breakfast was included in the room rate. Will definitely return, thank you for a lovely stay!

We stayed at the Hotel Firenze e Continentale, La Spezia, on July 25, 2012. We wanted to go to CinqueTerre by train and this hotel is conveniently located within walking distance from the train station. The hotel is elegant, high ceiling rooms, excellent decorum. The breakfast on the terrace was also very good. The shower is very tiny - you get your hair wet from the shower - no space to move a bit. Parking was nearby. All together it was a pleasant stay.

We stayed at the Hotel Firenze e Continentale for three nights in the summer of 2012. Key to our decision on where to stay in La Spezia was proximity to the train station – not only were we arriving off the back of a long train journey (and would be embarking on another once we left), but we also wanted to make the journey to the Cinque Terre as hassle free as possible so we could minimise the time spent getting around and maximise the both the time spent on the trail.

Hotel Firenze e Continentale is a winner in this respect, and I imagine most people dropping in on La Spezia do so with the intention of visiting the Cinque Terre, so its quite an important box to tick. Hotel Firenze is literally 50m or so from the station. Despite this proximity, the hotel is set a little way down a hill and manages to miss the bulk of the noise from the railway – perfect.

In terms of the hotel itself, Hotel Firenze is simple – but nice. The bed was comfortable enough, and the bathroom was small but clean. The TV is tiny, but then you’re not there to watch TV, are you? Breakfast was really well done – great, fresh food served in a nice setting on the top floor. The breakfast room also has a balcony with a fantastic view over one of the quieter parts of La Spezia and the service was brilliant. All in all a really nice, simple stay.

The lift is tiny (only fits two average sized people at a time), which is a bit of a nightmare when it comes to checking in and checking out. You’re restricted to heading up/down one person with one bag at a time. Every so often some idiot will try to squeeze in more luggage than the lift can handle, and the whole thing will shut down. This happened on the day we checked out and meant we had to carry a fair few extremely heavy suitcases and bags down via the stairwell from the top floor one by one, which took about four journeys up and down. My advice – try and get a room on the first couple of floors just in case.

Wi-fi is available for free in the foyer and at an extra cost in the rooms.