This apartment was perfect for us! Everything we needed... less then a five minute walk to the train station, (which we used several time during our 10 day stay. Cab pick up is also at the train station), walking distance to must sees, grocery store just down the block on the way to and from the train station, safe area. We took the train to Rome for an over night stay. It was great because we kept the apartment and just packed a backpack for the overnight stay. The apartment was our base. We walked every where and only used a cab once during our stay other then going to and from the airport. Don't hesitate, book this apartment, you won't regret it. Ciao! :0)

It's always a bit scary making a holiday rental, because the photos can be very forgiving to a place that's got problems and even on Trip Advisor, this rental didn't have many reviews, but in this case, we picked a winner. Arriving, we followed the clear instructions to the location and found ourselves in front of a huge palazzo door. Buzzed into the large lower hall, we met the couple who own the building, who directed us up the grand staircase to a little door in the wall. As we had some 6 foot plus members in the party, they had to duck to get in, so we were relieved to find this doorway led to a wonderful suite of rooms that is significantly larger than our own house!

The apartment is part of a large palazzo and the antique furniture and fittings and many original artworks certainly made us feel as if we were getting a taste of the Florentine high life. The older elements don't mean you have to live in the past though, as the kitchen is well stocked with modern equipment to complement its antique furniture and sink. The wifi works well and has good coverage, there's a modern flat-screen tv with satellite channels, modern music player that takes iPods and disks and there is a very effective air conditioner in the main bedroom. With a well organised bathroom and second toilet, it was very comfortable for our family group of 4. It worked especially well as there is a sofa-bed in the large downstairs room that leads onto the garden courtyard, and another lovely room with queen-sized bed and an adjoining light-well large enough for a seating and table area amongst greenery. With 2 high-status rooms to choose from, there was no bickering from the two teens in the party about who had the best one, and all of us found our beds comfortable. Apart from the air conditioner, fans in various rooms served to keep the place cool in up to 36C heat, though the building itself is designed to stay fairly cool, and the light well and another open interior area (with a handy washing machine) mean that opening a few doors can quickly create a cooling breeze.

The location of the apartment is also fantastic - it's literally 5 minutes walk from the station which made it perfect for us as we arrived by train. Also, being close to the corner of Santa Maria Novella Piazza, we were just a short walk away from all the main sites and able to enjoy the rose-filled (and scented) piazza in the evenings with some excellent buskers and an even more excellent artisan ice-cream parlour on the corner. But even being in the middle of things, the construction and layout of the apartment make it quiet and peaceful. Our hosts provided great advice on places to eat and shop, and left us with some useful guides and their own notes to help us remember their top tips.

Obviously the apartment isn't set up for anyone who finds stairs difficult, and there are a few of the kind of uneven floor levels that come with older buildings. It's also not the kind of place you'd want to take boisterous youngsters, as the owners make clear, because there are a lot of things that could get broken. But if you have a group who are can make it up one flight of stair, aren't out to dance on tables, and are interested in staying in an authentic Florentine palazzo, this will provide a wonderfully memorable experience.

We arrived at the SMN train station from Rome and walked to the apartment as it is close to the station.Julie the co-owner met us at the agreed time to hand over the keys and do an orientation on the apartment.
We found the apartment to be very comfortable,secure and spacious with all the amenities we required.
The apartment is very close to all the major sightseeing, shops,bus and train stations.We would make use of this apartment the next time we are in Florence.