Hotel Renaissance

The building has a lovely Renaissance-era feel, and the rooms stay nicely cool. We also appreciated having a Turkish shower. Staff were very friendly, and the location is ideal for exploring Florence. I’d recommend staying here.

The staff handled everything with real care. When the driver they’d booked the night before didn’t show, they quickly arranged things for us that morning. I was also impressed when I accidentally left the safe open and came back to find nothing missing. My hotpot wasn’t working on the first night, but a staff member promptly replaced the outlet. The hotel was very clean, with a cute room, a painted ceiling, and a separate enclosed area where my daughter enjoyed some privacy. The AC was fabulous and the shower was amazing. It’s close to everything, with great restaurants nearby, and I highly recommend it.

We had a good stay and would still recommend the hotel for its heart-of-Florence location, great rooms, working AC, and strong shower pressure. The elevator incident is the reason we didn’t give five stars. At night, we got trapped inside. The emergency button did nothing, the lights went out, we had no phone service, and no staff were on site. We eventually pried the door open by hand and got out safely, but it was extremely scary. The elevator is tiny, probably room for three at most, which made being stuck feel claustrophobic. We knew staff wouldn’t be there that late, but didn’t expect the lift to fail. They waived the city tax, which we appreciated, and most staff were kind and welcoming. One woman, though, argued with us about complaining on Expedia, said it wasn’t a big deal, and blamed us, suggesting we shouldn’t rely on a lift in a centuries-old building and should have used the stairs. The rooms are only about two flights up and we could have taken the stairs, but it was late and we were jet-lagged and exhausted. I think most people in our position would use the elevator. If guests shouldn’t use it without staff present, it should be maintained properly or unavailable then. We wouldn’t have written this review if that staff member hadn’t been so dismissive. WiFi and phone service were also patchy in our room, so keep that in mind if you need a reliable connection for work, though it wasn’t a problem for us while out all day. We enjoyed our stay overall and recommend the hotel, but would think twice about using the elevator when staff aren’t around.

We found check-in and checkout easy, and getting a cab was straightforward. The hotel called one for us when we left. The location is very central, with a pharmacy, shops, and restaurants nearby, and the main sights within a 10-15 minute walk. The staff were lovely and friendly. To get in from outside and through the hotel doorway you need your key, which felt reassuring in the middle of town. There’s one flight of stairs before the small elevator, or you can climb two more flights to the door; it really isn’t a bad walk. Our spacious room had a little fridge and safe, and the gorgeous bathroom and room were built of stone and brick, with beautiful architecture. There’s no AC or door screens, but the breeze was wonderful. We visited in March, when nights were cool and days warmer. It was a great stay, highly recommend it!