Radisson Blu Hotel, Florence

Dinner at Bartarelli was delicious, and the staff there were great. Breakfast had an okay selection and service. The hotel itself is new, around 20 minutes from the city, and our family room worked well for three of us, with a separate room for our 10-year-old. The room was still dirty when we arrived, with crumbs on the floor and carpet as if nobody had vacuumed. The safe didn’t work, and the bathtub was dangerously high and slippery. I slipped, fell, and hit my chin on the edge. It left a big bruise, though thankfully no serious cut. I told the front desk about the dirty room, the safe, and the tub, but nothing was fixed by the time we returned. The room was still unclean, the safe still didn’t work, and my chin still hurt. They also didn’t replace the drinking water.

The rooms are nicely decorated, and the location is as far out as you’d expect, though it’s near the highway exit if you’re driving to Florence. The price wasn’t cheap, and I expected much better service from Radisson Blu. I wouldn’t stay here again. Getting help with taxis was awkward. We’re new to Florence and didn’t know taxis have names printed on the side, but reception gave us no clear directions. When we asked how to recognize the taxi, the staff member looked at us as if the question made no sense. We stayed four nights, and after the first night there were no fresh towels or bottled water. A towel we requested took 30 minutes and several follow-ups to arrive. After night two, empty bottles were left by our door, and amenities weren’t replenished. The next morning, our key stopped working because the room was apparently being reset. Later, cleaners arrived at 9 a.m. while we were getting dressed; when we politely asked them to return at 9:30, they gave us unwelcome looks. The shower drain also backed up and flooded the bathroom, but nobody came when we called for help. During a false fire alarm, guests went down the stairs to the lobby, where we were left without clear instructions about what had happened or when we could return. Everyone just stood there confused.

The rooms are beautiful, though the view isn’t much to look at. The manager was helpful, but the hotel description needs to be more accurate. It’s listed as 3.9 km from downtown, but Piazza Duomo is actually 6.9 km away. The shuttle makes getting around difficult: it only runs every hour and a half, and the last return from the city is at 8:45, so you miss sunset and any nightlife. The outdoor pool was closed, which wasn’t mentioned in the listing. After coming from Canada and sitting in 30-degree heat, finding out the pool wouldn’t open until June was extremely disappointing.

The room we were first given was for two, even though we’d booked for three. At 1 a.m. we had to take all our luggage back downstairs to get it sorted. The replacement room was disgusting: yellow tap water in the bathroom, urine on the toilet seat, and grey water from the shower. Completely unacceptable. We chose Radisson Blu Florence because its website advertised a shuttle bus. The hotel is very far from the city center, which matters a lot in Florence. This was my fourth visit, so I know the area. On arrival, we were told there was no shuttle at all. Because of that lie, we spent €300 on taxis in just three days. Taxis in Florence are extremely expensive, especially from this location. It’s been three months and I’m still waiting for my refund. I called Radisson support, but the call center barely speaks English. They say they contacted the hotel, which never responds. That happened twice. I emailed support too and got no reply, no refund, nothing. I’m a Radisson Platinum member, and this is the worst service I’ve experienced in my life. The hotel is a disgrace to the Radisson name. Avoid it at all costs.