YellowSquare Florence

The rooms and bathrooms were very clean, and everyone was friendly and made me feel welcome. Staff explained everything quickly and were helpful. The location is great too, right opposite the tram, with only a few stops to the center. I'd definitely recommend it!

Apart from one thing, I loved the YellowSquare. The underground nightclub experience on Friday was really uncomfortable: a group of 11- and 12-year-olds were there for a 12th birthday, drinking whole bottles of wine and getting on stage to perform. I spoke with the bartender and the man running karaoke; they both said it was technically legal for the kids to be there. Still, this is an adult place where people come to party, and we couldn't relax around them. I'm shocked they allowed it, especially in the nightclub. We had enjoyed everything else, including the hostel Olympics.

Meeting people was the best part of my whole trip. The diversity at YellowSquare was refreshing, and every night I ended up with a group of travelers from all over the world, bar hopping and getting to know each other. Some friendships may last well beyond the trip. The staff were cool and happy to mingle, and the nightly events, from karaoke and board games to workshops, made it easy to connect. I arrived in Florence hoping to see a friend who canceled on hosting me at the last minute. I'd been hesitant about hostels and had never stayed in one alone, but after finding YellowSquare online, I decided to give it a try. My dorm mate and I clicked right away, even though I was exhausted from not sleeping. The place went beyond the lively hostels I'd known before, with all its facilities and something interesting happening each night. It turned out to be a real pleasure, and by far my favorite place to stay in Florence if you want to have fun and make friends.

I appreciated how well the rooms were insulated from the noise in the busy social area. That hasn't been true at many hostels I've stayed in. The roof pool was a welcome relief after hauling my bag from the train station and getting drenched in sweat. The place was clean, with plenty of good activities, and many landmarks and museums are within walking distance, though taking the people mover could save time and energy. The restaurant food was tasty and well priced. They also offer free pasta in the evenings, which draws big lines.