This was actually my first time staying in an Airbnb, so I didn’t really know what to expect. I mainly decided to try it because of the access to a washing machine.
Mario was there to meet me, walked me through the procedure to get inside, and showed me around. The place is big, and very well stocked. There’s plenty of shampoo and laundry detergent, and there’s even wine and beer and candy provided.
The bedroom window faces a courtyard area in the back, so you don’t get street noise — which is a big plus, as the streets of Florence can get quite loud.
Everything is very close. It’s maybe a 15 minute walk from the train station, and I didn’t have any trouble rolling luggage there. You can walk to Santa Maria del Fiore in five or ten. Most everything you’ll want to see in Florence is within walking distance. There’s also a grocery store a couple of blocks away.
If you’re worried about security or anything of the sort, the apartment is behind multiple locked doors. And aside from that, I never felt unsafe in Florence. Mario also left a nice gift of chocolate for me in the hallway outside the door, which was a nice treat.
I never really needed to contact Mario with any questions, but he does respond quickly. I know this because he checked in to make sure everything was okay about halfway through my week-long stay, and he got back to me within a few minutes when I was asking about the checkout procedure.
Anyway, I highly recommend staying here. After my week at this place, I’m starting to question why anyone would ever stay in a hotel.