Hotel California

The rooms are a good size and the location is fantastic, but my problem was the extremely rude woman with glasses at the front desk. The hotel only takes cash for the city tax. I said I didn't carry cash and didn't have a debit card, and she accused me of not reading the agreement. I booked through hotels.con, and neither the invoice nor the receipt mentioned that payment had to be in euros. The only instruction was to pay the hotel directly. I showed her both receipts, which didn't say cash only, but she stayed defiant and uncaring. If she'd been kind instead of accusing me, I would have been happy to get euros. Just be nice to paying customers rather than obstinate and rude.

The room initially looks charming, with stuccoed ceilings, cherubs, and warm colors, but that impression doesn't last. The wardrobe is a reproduction, the old air-conditioning unit is noisy, the doors feel cheap, and there's a persistent smell of must. The frame over the bed looks like it hasn't been dusted in years. The dark wood bed and wardrobe clash with the reddish doors, the chandeliers hang crookedly, and the cheap red classroom-style waste bin feels completely out of place. In the bathroom, an elegant marble countertop sits alongside a loose toilet seat, a broken flush button, a patched shower wall, and a showerhead that won't stay in place and barely trickles water. The yellowed wall hairdryer is broken, but instead of removing it they put another one on the counter. One socket has no frame, and the light above the sink has no shade. The whole room feels poorly maintained. The shared spaces weren't any better. Towels were left in the corridors, making things feel disorderly. The terrace could be lovely, but it has cheap white plastic chairs and tables like a seaside café, which feel wrong in central Florence. From there, you only glimpse the tip of the Dome, while most of the view is peeling walls. The so-called “panoramic terrace” is really just a terrace between buildings, with tables but no parasols or decoration. Inside, the space they call a bar is bare, with tables overlooking the terrace and a waiter waiting for customers who never come. Breakfast was one of my biggest disappointments: lots of choice, but poor quality, in a cramped and uninviting room. The waiter didn't give me a clean impression. Two cleaning staff members, a man and a woman, argued loudly in a foreign language in the corridor, disturbing what little rest I had left. The staff are all of the same ethnicity except at reception. Some wear uniforms and others don't, and many look scruffy, which gives an inconsistent, unprofessional impression that makes it feel like you aren't in Italy. Hotel California, in the heart of Florence, has a name that already seems out of place. It's not because it's modern, but because it seems to be trying for taste without the natural Italian sense of style that comes effortlessly. The décor and the name make it obvious that everything was organized by someone non-Italian, with little aesthetic sensitivity. I can appreciate the effort, but it simply isn't enough. The place gives an illusion of charm at first glance, then reveals neglect, incoherence, and poor taste. It was an experience I wouldn't recommend, a “wannabe but can't.”

The staff were friendly, and the hotel itself was nice. They kept our luggage safe while we went on the Pisa tour after dropping it off. The breakfast selection was limited, but staff made a hot omelette when we asked. There were no issues with the facilities, and we got a kettle on request. It's close to the train station, but the walk of about 12-14 minutes can be a hassle with a lot of luggage. If I were choosing again, I might pick a different hotel, perhaps one that's a little more expensive like *** or ***.

The Wi-Fi was terrible, and the rooms felt below the usual standard. The location, though, is great if you're visiting central Florence and its main tourist attractions.