The Host:

Silvia was very nice and provided us with a list of local recommendations for restaurants, etc. in Florence which we definitely appreciated. The communication with Silvia was good leading up to our stay, however we had a bit of a mishap upon arrival. We took a train from Rome, so I asked Silvia what time we could check in so that I could buy our train tickets. Silvia had indicated that 10-10:30 would work so I bought tickets for a train that arrived at 10:17 in Florence. However, on the day of our arrival Silvia informed us that she was working that day and wouldn't be able to check us in until 2:00. Not a huge deal but it was a bit of an inconvenience as we had to pay 20 euros to store our bags at the train station while we waited for her to give us the keys to the apartment. No problems during our stay though and Silvia was flexible with our check-out. Silvia offered to allow us keep our bags there after we had checked out. Ultimately, we had an early train so we didnt need to but is a nice accomodation for other guests.

The Place:

The apartment was cozy and was perfect for what we used it for during our trip (sleeping). The place is located on the 3rd floor of a building with no elevator, so lugging our bags up the stairs was a bit tiring. However, the place is in a great location close to the center of town and walkable from the train station (walkable from everything really). The apartment was very clean and the decor was very cute, just like the pictures. The only complaint is that apartment is located on the street-side of the building so we could hear a lot of noise from the street at night with people going to / coming home from the bars.

Overall, we had a great time in Florence and I would recommend staying at Silvia's place. The value you get for your money is unbeatable given the apartment's location and