I loved my stay. It felt like home immediately. The instructions to unlock my keys were very simple. I have a terrible sense of direction, but it is truly such an easy walk everywhere as long as you remember where the river is. I’m a slow walker, so it took 20-30 minutes to get to most tourist attractions. And there are cafes and markets on the street.
Jonny took the time to make a binder of suggestions. I walked along the river right away as suggested, but kind of forgot about it until my last day. Then I went to the look out spot Jonny recommended- it is A MUST SEE!!!! and a close walk. I can’t believe I almost missed out. Also followed his suggestion of Loggia, which hadn’t even come up when I searched for things to do in Florence. Free and beautiful.
To my fellow Americans who get confused by the keys/doors in Italy: to get in from the hallway, turn right and push. To lock from the inside, slide the deadbolt over and then turn the key over 4 times. There is a light on the wall to the right of jonnys door that took me too long to find. Without it on, the landings are very dark. When you leave, the door automatically locks behind you.
Sleep conditions: bed is big. Air conditioner works nicely. The mattress is hard, so that is hit if miss depending on how you enjoy your mattress. There are extra pillows in the closet drawers. Bedside lamps are handy. For me, my biggest complaint is how little darkness there was. Bring sleep shades! I’m also not used to hearing so much traffic at night, so consider earbuds if that will bother you.
Finally, I want to say something about Jonny’s character: he is a wonderful, helpful host. That is the reason you should book him. On my second day, my wallet was stolen. All my euros and credit cards gone. I am a solo traveler and that was super scary to me. Jonny came over and traded his euros for my American dollars that still had in the flat. This literally allowed me to eat while I waited for a wire transfer to come through in cash/track down a Western Union. (Italian banks want you to have a bank account to exchange currency.) Thank you, Jonny. I cannot tell you how much that gesture meant to me when I was at my most scared and vulnerable.
Jonny can be trusted. Stay here and feel cared for.