NELLA

Alessandra welcomed us and gave us great tips that made our time in Florence even more lovely. The owners seem to have thought through every detail and treat guests with real care and respect. For our four-day stay, we had everything we needed, including water, coffee and cookies. The room for two was clean, quiet and spacious, and the mattress was extremely comfortable. The location and room were amazing, and so was the hospitality. The building’s lack of an elevator, common in old towns, is the one downside, but that should be fixed soon. Ten stars from us!

Hotel Nella is in a fantastic spot, five minutes from the central station and a ten-minute walk to the city center. There are plenty of restaurants, cafés and shops on the same street, so everything is close by. Alejandra was a wonderful host, kind and helpful, and went out of her way to make us comfortable. The room and bathroom were spotless and cosy, and the bed was very comfortable. There’s a kettle and mini fridge in the room, plus a coffee machine, microwave, coffee, tea and small snacks in the hallway. I can’t recommend it enough!

At around 10 PM, I arrived at Hotel Nella in Florence for the two nights I’d booked through Agoda. The listing had the hotel’s photos, phone number, email and full details, and I’d received a confirmation and invoice by email, so it all seemed legitimate. The main entrance was locked. With help from the restaurant next door, I got into the building, but the hotel’s inner door was locked too. I tried for a long time to reach them using the Agoda numbers, but nobody answered. Another couple arrived and helped me get inside. There were three phone numbers, and because I couldn’t make the calls myself, they called for me. The woman who answered said something strange: “Her reservation is for a double room, but she arrived alone, so there is a problem.” About ten minutes later, a woman rushed to the hotel and said my reservation didn’t exist. She claimed I’d booked a different hotel with a similar name. That made no sense to me: the name, photos, phone number and other Agoda details matched the exact place where I was standing. I’d already seen inside, so I know it was the same property. When I asked her to show me this other hotel, she couldn’t give me an address or explain. I also asked why she’d said those things on the phone. Instead of helping, she threatened to call the police. I asked how a hotel with a 9.5 rating and over 1,100 reviews on Agoda could treat guests this way. She did call the police, so I left to avoid more trouble. In the cold rain, late at night, I was left on the streets of Florence with my suitcase, desperately looking for somewhere else to stay. After visiting several places, I found another hotel and had to pay again out of pocket. This isn’t just about the money. They may leave you stranded outside late at night. I strongly suspect they gave my room to someone else and tried to deceive me. I’ll do everything I can to get my money back, but nothing can make up for the stress, fear and difficulty I went through that night.

Everything is close from here, including the central station, and the place is calm and good for sleeping. There’s coffee and a fridge available. The hotel and room were clean, and the service was great. Ale is very kind, explained everything clearly and was easy to communicate with. We’ll definitely return.