Solo Experience Hotel

We chose a standard twin room on our second visit to Solo Experience Hotel, after staying in a suite the first time. Even the standard room had an unusually generous amount of space and was very comfortable. The hotel is right in the heart of Florence, with a location that's hard to beat. I'd gladly stay here again whenever I'm back in the city.

We liked how close the hotel was to restaurants and shops, and management later offered us a fan, arranged our 4 a.m. airport taxi, and checked that we had what we needed. That helped, so I raised my rating. Still, the main problems remained: the room had no air conditioning at night, the strong sewage smell outside made opening the window unpleasant, and the night shift employee's response was poor. Other hotels in the area may be a better choice. We only learned about the air conditioning after coming back to our room around 11 p.m. It was in the 80s inside, and we'd booked online weeks earlier, so finding another hotel at that hour would've been complicated. When I called the front desk, I was told, “AC no work, it’s okay,” and the call ended. Calling again brought only a vague suggestion that it might be fixed the next day, with no solution or apology. After staying at several hotels across Italy, this was easily our worst experience, with poor communication and little concern for our comfort.

The main surprise was how well the room worked for three of us. My son had a separate room with a large, comfortable pullout couch, rather than being squeezed onto a tiny extra bed. The space, bathroom, and shower were all fantastic, and the price made it an even better value than we'd expected. The hotel has AC, but it isn't used in winter. We could open the window for fresh air. We loved our stay and would definitely recommend it.

The city view from our room was lovely, and the beds were very comfy. It was just right for two people. This quaint, modern boutique hotel is surrounded by Florence's sights and conveniences, including the Duomo, leather markets, cafes, a supermarket, shops, and gelato. Breakfast was great, too. Angela, Giovanni, and Bruna (I may have misspelled her name) were exceptional. Angela gave us great suggestions that helped make our time in Florence memorable. Thanks to the Solo Experience staff. We'll be back!