Hotel Rita Major

The peaceful neighborhood and kind, welcoming staff made this a decent budget choice for the money. Our room was clean and quiet, and breakfast was basic but enough to get the day started. It’s about a 20-minute walk to the Duomo, so a little removed from the main sights. There’s no elevator, and be prepared for stairs. The bed wasn’t very comfortable either. Still, for the price, it’s a reasonable stay if you’re after friendly service and a local feel at Hotel Rita Major.

We only wish we’d had longer to see more of Florence. The hotel was convenient for the sights we wanted to visit, and the neighborhood felt safe, with a pharmacy and bus stop nearby. Staff were patient and helpful with maps, which we appreciated as we’re older and needed a bit of help. Our room had a lovely tall window that opened onto a leafy courtyard, with a view of the sky. Breakfast ran from 7 to 9:30 am, which suited us well, and included meat, cheese, pastries, toast, fruit, juice, and, of course, coffee. There was only milk, though. We Americans like half-and-half or heavy cream in our coffee. We’d recommend it to anyone who wants to stay near the City Center and explore Florence.

The main light in our room flickered constantly, leaving us with only two small bedside lamps. I have video of the lighting, and staff member jenny also had footage. This was our fully paid stay beginning 31 oct 2025, but the hotel wouldn’t move us to another room, arrange a repair, or refund us so we could find somewhere else. We were left in a dim room, and the light problem seriously affected my holiday. When I raised it with Jenny at the front desk just after checking in, she said it couldn’t be fixed and a room change wasn’t possible. I found it unacceptable to be expected to manage with so little light. I’ve stayed in many hotels and never had an experience like this. The inability to deal with a basic maintenance issue, and the lack of maintenance staff available to fix it, made me feel the place didn’t meet even a two-star standard. During our conversation last night and this morning, staff said this wasn’t a four- or five-star hotel, as if that meant things didn’t need to work. We paid for a service and expected the amenities to function. I complained to both the hotel and Booking.com, as I said I would that morning. Zero stars.

We stayed three nights and had a lovely time. The room was simple but had everything we needed for a short visit, and there’s a beautiful courtyard where you can sit. Staff were polite and professional. The location made it easy to walk to the main sights, and 24-hour reception meant we could come and go freely and feel safe. I’d recommend it for a Florence visit!