We stayed at “Santo Spirito” for a 3-day weekend in October, accompanied by our 2 post-college age children and friends.
On the positive side, this apartment is very lovely and is tastefully furnished. The location, next to the Pitti Palace and down the street from the Ponte Vecchio, is wonderfully convenient, within reasonably short walking distance of Florence’s major attractions. The windows offer partial views of the Boboli Gardens. The bathrooms and appliances are modern, beds comfortable, and the basic necessities (e.g. soap, shampoo, towels) are provided. On the whole we had a wonderful stay in Florence.
There are 3 suggestions we hope the owner will consider. First, we had difficulty getting into the apartment. There is no lockbox and no rental office where one can pick up keys. The check-in agent is very nice, but she does not speak English. Perhaps it is for this reason that she did not answer her telephone. She prefers using WhatsApp and then using a related app for translating texts. Evidently she missed our messages and we ended up waiting with our bags on the street until 6:30 pm, vs an official check-in time of 3:00 pm. Perhaps the owner could install a lockbox, permit guests to pick up keys at an office, or use an agent who can speak a little English.
Second, while we loved the location near the Pitti Palace, the apartment is also just across from a garbage collection station. The procession of garbage trucks, and people dumping off empty bottles, can be loud. We were awakened each morning between 5:00 am & 6:30 am, especially on Saturday when 4 sanitation trucks came through. Perhaps it might be possible to upgrade the windows for better sound-proofing or to provide some better form of “white noise” than the existing A/C units.
Third, the pricing terms on VRBO’s website should really specify that taxes are in addition to the quoted price. The tax is 4 euros per person per night, which we paid on arrival.
These issues aside, we truly enjoyed our time in Florence. It’s a lovely apartment in a highly convenient location. We left 3 bottles of wine to underscore our appreciation.
