Hotel California

“A worthwhile stay in the historic district”

So first off, this hotel is very well located - right between the Santa Maria Dome and Academia Galleria with the famous statue of David. Staying in the historic district is a big plus and avoids commuting back and forth from other places, saving a lot of time. The hotel is about an 18 min walk f... more

So first off, this hotel is very well located - right between the Santa Maria Dome and Academia Galleria with the famous statue of David. Staying in the historic district is a big plus and avoids commuting back and forth from other places, saving a lot of time. The hotel is about an 18 min walk from the main train station Firenze Santa Maria Novella. It had been raining the night we arrived, so was not an extremely pleasant walk. It will be raining when we leave, and plan to get a cab. Lots of cobblestones, so make sure your wheeled suitcases can take the abuse! There is a direct tram right outside the airport that brings you to the above mentioned train station. Don’t waste money on cabs because this is quite frequent and convenient. The hotel itself - I base this experience on a few things. We are a family of four, and the first night we were given a room after walking through a labyrinth of passages - made it very difficult to find. The rooms are non-standard - for example, this one had four single beds. It had mosquitoes as other travellers have mentioned, but that is probably because folks couldn’t figure out how to make the air conditioner work, and opened the windows and balcony door. We did this too, until we figured out the a/C system. Tip - when they show you your room, ask them to turn on the a/c. The rooms do not have a line to call the front desk, so was a bit of a hassle finding the way in the middle of the night. Until we figured the exit signs. We also found there was no standing shower or a place to put your things. There was a shower head in the tub, needless to say there was a pool on the floor by the time the four of us finished showering. Next morning, we poured our complaints to the front desk. They immediately obliged and moved us to a much nicer room with a double bed and two single beds, a proper standing shower with a glass enclosure, and right next to the front desk. This was a MUCH nicer room and made our experience worthwhile. The staff is extremely friendly, gave us fresh made coffee when we missed breakfast, opened up our wine bottles and gave us glasses when we asked, booked taxis when we needed, gave us guidance to nearby attractions and very helpful in general. The key is that the hotel is non-standard. So expect to find some oddities - if you are not happy with your room, ask for another that might better meet your needs. I happily recommend this hotel to others thinking about it.

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“Great location”

Approximately 20 minute walk from Santa Maria Novella train station, right by the Piazza del Duomo and the Cathedral, near to shops and about 15 minutes to Ponte Vecchio. Excellent location. Room was clean, with air conditioning & a small fridge. Nice walk in shower and fixed hairdryer. We are a... more

Approximately 20 minute walk from Santa Maria Novella train station, right by the Piazza del Duomo and the Cathedral, near to shops and about 15 minutes to Ponte Vecchio. Excellent location. Room was clean, with air conditioning & a small fridge. Nice walk in shower and fixed hairdryer. We are a family of 4, so had double bed and 2 single beds. I noticed all beds were simple metal frames with no headboard - could have been nicer. The double was 2 pushed together. Continental breakfast included with pastries, cold meats, cheeses, yogurts, juices and hot drinks. It was basic - but nice and suited us well. They requested the city tax be paid in cash and you were asked to leave your key at reception as you went out. Felt a bit old fashioned. The roof top bar opened in the evening, offered no view of Florence & nothing special but was nice to have open space. There were also a couple of terraces too. The reception is up one floor from the main street and there is a lift - but this is after the staircase and not immediately visible when you walk in. Wifi did not work most of the time from our room and my data wouldn't work either in there for some reason. No tea or coffee making facilities in the room. But lots of places to eat and drink near by.

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“Pretty average, it could be better”

Advantages: First things first, the staff of the hotel was quite welcome and the breakfast was decent. The biggest advantage it has working on its side is its perfect position. Negatives: Moving on, the building is really outdated but not in a good way (desperately needs a renovation). As far as ... more

Advantages: First things first, the staff of the hotel was quite welcome and the breakfast was decent. The biggest advantage it has working on its side is its perfect position. Negatives: Moving on, the building is really outdated but not in a good way (desperately needs a renovation). As far as the hygiene is concerned, the beds were thankfully in a good shape, but there was generally quite some dust all over the room. In our room, the bathroom really needed some improvements . To be fair, tho, I don't know if we were unlucky because in other photos of the hotel, the bathrooms looked in much better shape. All in all it's not bad, but I think there are better options nearby.

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“Very good location”

The hotel is situated between Galleria Academia and The Duomo, and 2 very popular gelato spots. There were bathroom repair issues. Breakfast was uninspiring. It was quiet and conveniently located.