Plus Florence - Hostel

My private room was spacious and very clean, and breakfast was nice, though the breakfast area was chaotic. If you can, take your tray to the inner courtyard, where it’s calmer. The coffee from the breakfast machine was really bad, so I’d get one from the machine behind the bar instead. The hostel is noisy, even with the windows shut. There’s an Irish pub across the street, and it stays loud all night; passing cars add to it. Rooms facing the courtyard might be better. Check-in was very slow: you take a number and wait around. I also noticed different groups seemed to get different prices or information depending on who checked them in. The woman at my check-in didn’t mention breakfast, so I had to ask. Check-out was much quicker, though there was a line at reception at 10 a.m. for people dropping off keys. It’s the biggest hostel I’ve ever visited.

The location is fantastic, close to the train station and the main sights and galleries. We stayed two nights, May 2-4, 2026, in a private double room on the ground floor. The hostel was clean and well managed, and the staff were generally helpful and friendly. Our room had a strange smell that I only noticed at night. I’m not sure if it was old Florentine plumbing or something else. A night staff member shouted at my mum when her card wouldn’t open the outside door and he had to let her in, so I’m taking off a star for that. Another staff member told her she couldn’t sit in the garden unless she bought something from the bar. I thought hostel guests could use the amenities freely, and that’s never happened to us before. There were people coming and going all day and night, as you’d expect from a hostel, so the noise didn’t bother me, but be prepared for it. The outdoor pool and the grassy area with sun loungers weren’t open while we were there.

The busy, youthful crowd did make it noisy at times. There were hundreds of people around, including several school groups, and I’d have liked the sauna and steam room to be hotter. Another treadmill in the gym would be a good addition too. Even so, I had a truly great stay and would come back without hesitation. The facilities are modern, the prices felt fair for both the stay and the bar and restaurant, and the staff were great. The overall vibe was fantastic, and I really felt like I was on holiday in beautiful Florence.

There were loads of kids, so it seems like a fun place for them, and the outdoor restaurant seating was nice. One woman working there wasn’t friendly, but the man I met the next morning was so nice. It was really noisy at night, and earplugs didn’t cut it. I’d suggest rain sounds through noise-canceling headphones.