Leone X Guest House

The location is great, close to both the city center and the train station. The room, though, didn’t look like the photos, and the shower hadn’t been cleaned properly. There’s no elevator, so you have to carry your things up to the 3rd floor. The host controls the air conditioning, and you have to ask them to switch it on or off. Check-in was the worst I’ve had so far. There’s no reception, and we got no instructions for entering the building, so we were left outside for hours in +8 C weather. I tried about 30 times to call the host and got no answer. After reading other guests’ experiences, I messaged on WhatsApp. They eventually replied after 3 hours. While we waited, we had to find storage and carry our suitcases there.

This was our worst stay in the last 20 years. We spent two days cold and unable to wash because the heat didn’t increase when the weather got colder and then the hot water disappeared. The room was below the standard we paid for, humid, dim, and full of mosquitoes. The manager never apologized, which was the most outrageous part. We also received no check-in instructions. The hotel phone went unanswered, so we waited outside for about half an hour, leaving messages on the answering machine. We tried WhatsApp, and the manager said he didn’t have the phone with him, even though that phone was listed as the only contact method. No excuses at all.

The owner made us feel appreciated, from the key and letter left for us on the first day to the bottle of water before we left. Our room was spacious and clean, and they tidied everything and folded the sheets nicely while we were out. After tiring walks around Florence, it was just what we needed. The location is handy for both the train station and the city.

We enjoyed our stay, and check-in was easy because the host communicated often and clearly. The room was clean and nice, with a large window but no balcony. The shower was small and really only enough for one person, though that was a minor issue. It’s right in the heart of the city, close to the main train station, so we walked everywhere. There’s a kitchen, but breakfast wasn’t included. Ciao!