Like other guests, I didn't meet Valeria, but her mother was an a wonderfully gracious and helpful host. She gave me an extensive list of places to visit, and was available to answer any questions I had. All this, while also having the benefit of staying in a private studio apartment. It truly felt like I was living in Florence, rather than visiting. And the location was great. You're not going to get away from tourists in Florence, but there were fewer of them. And I cherished my morning runs along the Arno River. It was very hard to leave.