B&B Mia Palace

Nadia was so kind and warm, it felt like being at your grandmother's house. The building was old and cozy, and everything was fine for our two-night stay. We were there to see Florence, not spend the day indoors. The location worked well, about 10-15 minutes from the city center and around 20 minutes from the train station. There are lots of bars and restaurants nearby that stay open late. Five stars don't seem enough for the staff.

This hotel/apartment was my favorite of the several places I stayed while traveling through Italy. Breakfast was fantastic, with lots of good-quality choices and enough food to fuel a day in the city. The rooms are small but normal for a hotel, and the bathroom was clean and well supplied. The location is just a short walk from the center. Check-in was simple: we called the owners using the number posted at the entrance, and they gave us the codes, room details and other information. The person on the phone spoke somewhat broken but understandable English. Parking is available right at the entrance, for €2 an hour from 8-20. The owners suggested another street farther away that they said was probably a little cheaper, but I didn't check. There isn't a shop nearby, though we got our essentials in the city center. It was an excellent stay, and I plan to return.

We stayed two nights while exploring Florence and the Medici after the TV series brought us here. The room worked perfectly for three: instead of a sofa, as is common in Austria, there was a large, comfortable third bed alongside the one for the couple. The shower, fridge and air conditioning were all fine, and we had a pleasant view of the river and park. The location is excellent for seeing Florence. The owner was kind and gave us all the information we needed. To get in, you first have to call for an access code because the building's only entrance is locked. Traffic was so loud that I couldn't hear him well and accidentally ended the call. He called back before I reached a quieter spot near a beautiful river, and then everything went smoothly. At breakfast, the older woman was very helpful and spoke excellent English, which surprised me. She offered a wide choice of food, could prepare anything a guest asked for, and suggested many sights we ended up visiting, including a hill above Florence with a lovely view. The Wi-Fi worked, but it wasn't steady enough for football streams or anything that needs a constant connection. That was probably the only downside, and we didn't mind much since Florence kept us busy.

The room was really cute, and breakfast was good. The host didn't speak much English, which was fine, but she seemed a bit rude when we couldn't understand her, just so you know. There are only stairs, and hauling luggage was a pain. We tried using backpacks, but that didn't last long, haha.