We spent 3 nights at Elena’s place. The description of the place is spot on. The location is superb and it’s about a 10-15 minute walk from the train station and close to all the sights in Florence, but a very quiet respite. There are great restaurants and shopping nearby and a grocery store right around the corner.
As stated, there are 4 flights of stairs which are at times quite steep. Elena and her husband met us and helped us with our luggage. They explained everything and she was very responsive whenever I had a question. We did not use the kitchen, but having the washer and dryer is a definite plus. The one thing to be aware of is the construction that is occurring on the building right next door. They started drilling at 8 am every morning. We are early risers so it did not affect us, but it could be difficult to sleep in. Overall we had a great visit and I would definitely recommend.