Pros: this Airbnb is in an excellent location that is close to restaurants and the main tourist sites. Overall a decent value given the location. The apartment is spacious and decorated nicely.
Cons: While this apartment overall met our needs for our five night trip we left feeling underwhelmed. Be aware of a few things before booking this place. First, I do not think the host lives in Florence or near the apartment. The person who checked us in was not the host. While this may not be a big deal to others the other two apartments we stayed at during our trip in Italy, the actual host greeted us and was close by if we had any issues which was nice. Just be aware if you have any major issues the host is not nearby in person to assist in anyway. This is discouraging because this is one of the reasons I like Airbnb having the actual host nearby to assist with any issues. Second, we did have a major issue in that we could not access the Wi-Fi. When we tried messaging the host to resolve this issue he completely ignored us. Ignored for 5 nights. Long story short we were without Wi-Fi in a foreign country for five nights. Fortunately we had the AT&T travel pass on our phones so we could access our phones without it but if you are only relying on WiFi while in the country this could be an issue. Nonetheless very irritating especially when a host completely ignores you for a week. Another major point you need to consider. This apartment is in the same building as a very loud and noisy smoke-filled bar. When we googled the bar, reviews said it is frequented by people looking for hookers. While I never felt unsafe in the apartment or the neighborhood it is in, the Friday and Saturday nights we were there I hardly got any sleep given the noise. Also the cigarette smoke from the bar travels up to the apartment so it smelt like cigarette smoke the entire weekend. I am not a high maintenance traveler but cigarette smoke completely irritates me especially when you’re trying to sleep. It was absolutely unbearable. Finally, I’m pretty sure this apartment stays vacant the majority of the time because other than the bare necessities there was hardly anything in the apartment. We weren’t even left any coffee to make coffee in the mornings which was a bit annoying. The host also doesn’t leave any tips on restaurants or where to find a grocery store. The other two apartments we stayed at in Italy the hosts were great and left plenty of information about restaurant suggestions and where to buy groceries and also left us with plenty of coffee and other snacks. I get the Airbnbs vary in terms of what hosts leave you, but we were left 2 rolls of toilet paper and no coffee for a 5 night stay. So not only were we left without coffee or other basic necessities we weren’t even sure where to go to find them. The whole experience felt very cold and unwelcoming. Maybe my expectations are too high but the other two Airbnb hosts we had while in Italy made us feel so welcome and provided everything we needed for a great stay. I think this is super important especially when you’re visiting a new country for the first time. In my opinion, if you are a person who has been to Florence before and doesn’t need much while you’re in the city this place should be fine. Also if you don’t mind loud noise and cigarette smoke while you’re sleeping. If you are new to the country and Florence I would not stay here.