Let me start out by saying that this hotel is truly unique; it was a palace from the 1800's that has been converted into a hotel, with a different hotel and cafe occupying different spaces in the same building. The architecture is still the original, and I find this to be so special and fascinating. Where else can you stay in a real palace?!

Positives:
1. The staff is accommodating in every way possible. When checking in, the receptionist gave us a map and marked where we are and where all the attractions are and what is definitely not to be missed. She explained all the details like when and where breakfast is served (which is automatically included in the room price), and she personally walked us to our room. Paolo was also incredibly wonderful. He was always there to help with a smile on his face. He is also the tour guide that you can book through reception, and I have no doubt that he knows the city inside and out. Also met the hotel owner and her daughter, and both ladies were sweet as well and working hard every morning.

2. Breakfast had a lovely assortment of items. Pastries, cereals, fresh fruits, deli meat and cheeses, breads, juices, a machine that prepares espresso, cappucino, hot chocolate, coffee, hot water for Twinings teas, etc. There is really something for everybody, and the breakfast room is like dining in a muesuem- the painted ceiling is magnificent!

3. Despite the building's history, the entire place has been renovated so it is actually a very lovely and comfortable place to stay. The rooms are spacious, especially compared to European standards, and the bathroom is very nice quality as well. Everything was extremely clean, which is one of my most important deciding factors when booking a hotel. The towels and bed linens were very nice quality, and there are even slippers provided for you!

4. Location was as good as it gets. The hotel is literally minutes away (by foot) to the Duomo, Uffizi, Academia, Cathedral, Gucci Museum, and Santa Maria Novella train station (where you can take a bus, which departs every 30 minutes, to and from the airport for €6 one way or €10 return trip). We never had to spend any money on public transportation within Florence because everything was within walking distance, and it was very convenient for us to stop by the hotel to rest, escape from the rain, or drop off our shopping bags.

5. An added bonus was the customer service we received. I already described the wonderful staff, but I was surprised to receive a personal email thanking us for our stay. It's rare to find such wonderful personalized service nowadays. We were even offered a 5% discount for all of our future bookings, and this is even offered to any friends of ours who would like to visit too!

6. Price. What a bargain! We paid about €70 per night for a double room, and that includes breakfast. This hotel is worth double that amount for such a great location and staff.

Negatives: NONE!

We'll definitely be returning, and I highly suggest you give this place a try. You won't be disappointed! This is a great spot for couples, families, singles, or groups!

My husband and I loved our stay here and would definitely stay again. The location is central, very near everything in Florence, the staff are all friendly and helpful, the breakfasts were great, and the room we had was large and very comfortable...the nicest sleeps I have had on our trip! Stay here when you are in Florence.

My husband and I had stayed in this hotel for 3 nights since January 31. When we arrived, the reception lady attended us in a very friendly and helpful manner. We were given a room with the ceiling painting which (as told by the Manager) is the only one unique room in the hotel. The room is spacious in comparison with other hotel rooms we stayed in Rome, Venice during this trip. It impressed us that the room is equipped with many electrical sockets that are very convenient for us in charging of our mobile phones, camera battery and ipad at the same time. The breakfast room as well as other areas are nicely decorated with many beautiful wall and ceiling paintings. Breakfast is good! The only shortcoming is the wrong shower position which I consider if being installed at the other side would make it much better and spacious. In addition, the door was not tightly closed with water seeping outside. There is no elevator that you have to carry your luggage up to about 20 steps which however is acceptable to us. The location is excellent to tourist spots as well as train station. Overall, a good hotel to stay!

We stayed here last year in July and had the most wonderful time. It is quite central, near the Duomo and good shopping at the markets and streets nearby. Breakfast was help-yourself and we enjoyed it, coffee good, with enough to keep you going for the morning and in such a lovely room. The greeting was very welcoming and we were helped to find a lovely restaurant for dinner just around the corner and it was so good we went back the next night (not expensive).
The dining room and lounge rooms are beautifully painted and decorated; had a nice feel, balconies out the front were lovely (off the dining room) to watch the day begin. We found our room great, bed comfortable, with a nice bathroom, the air conditioning was a relief and a must have in summer. Would definitely like to stay here again next time in Florence. There was a heat wave while we were there so we spent a bit of time recovering in our nice cool room from the overwhelming heat outside in the middle of the day. Very relaxing and quiet but a short walk away to attractions.