Residence La Repubblica

On my first night I found bed bugs in the blanket. Staff moved me to another room eventually, but wouldn't refund the nights I'd already spent in the infested room and even said I had brought the bugs myself. The bedding and blanket were filthy as well, which made the cleaning feel very poor. I later found several reviews from 2022 describing the same problem, so it seems like an ongoing hygiene issue that hasn't been fixed. I strongly recommend avoiding this hotel. I reported it to Booking.com, but they offered a voucher rather than a refund. It was a deeply disappointing, unhygienic stay, and not what I expected from an EU-rated hotel.

The best thing about this bed and breakfast style hotel was its location in a great part of Florence. That's the only reason I didn't give it one star. Our room had huge, beautiful windows, but the place felt like a missed opportunity. It could have been luxurious with some effort, yet it was horrible. Doors were broken and wouldn't close, there was no couch, and the bed was up in the loft while the bathroom was downstairs. The bathroom was huge, but the toilet was squeezed into such a cramped spot it would've been funny if it weren't so annoying. The tub was jammed into a corner facing the wrong way, with the shower head over the curved section where you can't stand. The swinging glass divider didn't stop water from getting everywhere, since you had to stand away from it to shower. There were too many problems at Residence La Republica to list. I'd stay somewhere else.

The room was clean and the location is very convenient. Valeria was friendly, welcoming, and explained everything clearly, though it took a while for the receptionist to arrive since there's no reception at the property. For the price, I expected at least soap and shampoo, but neither was in the room.

You can't beat the location, but there were very few towels and an extra one costs more. Check-in is a little awkward too, since you have to go a block away.