So. We stayed here in 2019 and the view is so incredible, we came back a second time. We had our share of issues back then (the mosquitoes being the most memorable), so we came prepared with bug patches, itch cream, etc. thinking if we’d be fine with the right expectations. If you’re reading the reviews and feeling a little uneasy, let me just say that we initially thought all the issues were worth the view—but after a second time, it’s no longer worth it to us.
First off, yes. The place smells so bad. When we came in with Kevin, I went into the bathroom to check and it didn’t smell so I thought they’d actually fixed it. He didn’t mention it at all, nor did he mention anything broken in the bathroom such as the leaky toilet. As soon as I used the toilet for the first time, however, the handle fell straight into the bowl. It was broken and had simply been balanced on top to make it appear operational.
The check-in process was easy and smooth besides the omission of information. We did ask for a set of extra towels (we stayed 6 nights), and he brought them in for us, so that was very much appreciated.
I messaged Katia on the first day and let her know the issues just to have on record that we didn’t break anything. She said they were aware of all issues (I *love* that none of them were mentioned to us) and were in the process of getting them fixed. If that’s true, repairs in Florence must take forever because reviews have talked about the smell for at least a year and reviews from April mentioned the broken toilet flusher. I also brought up that the leaking toilet left standing water on the floor, attracting mosquitoes. She said they’d have someone come look at it, but when I told her that we were out of the apartment that particular day and asked if we needed to be present for the repairs, I never heard back and that was the last time I heard from her. Like I said, we stayed a week and this was on day 1. We were bitten several times in the bathroom alone.
Last time, our main issue was the mosquitoes. My husband doesn’t normally get bitten, but Florentine mosquitoes are not picky and we both got eaten alive last time. This time we prepared as if we were going camping, and only got 6-8 bites each. How lucky for us. They tell you to make sure the terrace door is closed to keep them out, but the door sticks on the floor and has no knob on the outside, so it’s impossible to close completely when you’re out on the terrace. The floor by the bathroom door was also still sunken and broken, 3 years later. The bed was different because there were bed bugs previously and it had to be replaced, so that’s good at least.
Kitchen: loose wobbly faucet, broken plastic shelf in fridge, no dish towel. Since other reviewers have said they only had the one set of towels, there’s a reality that some (not so considerate) guests may have dried their dishes with their used bath towels. I’d hope that most people just let their dishes air dry, but you really have no way of knowing.
Bathroom: leaky toilet, mosquitoes, constant rotten smell, broken toilet flusher, broken shower shelf, broken towel hanger, no bath mat (it was hidden in the closet), loose wobbly faucet, poorly functioning hairdryer, no soap holder. Tiny hotel-sized discs of soap were present, but there was nowhere to actually put it once wet. The hot water tank supposedly had 3 showers worth of hot water, but it was 15 minutes max. So 3 if you take very quick showers. The hairdryer is missing the back vent cover, so if your hair gets near the back, it sucks it into the fan of the dryer. I had it happen a few times and it was not fun. The concentrator attachment doesn’t attach to the nozzle, and the foil around the nozzle is peeling up and the sharpened edges catch your hair.
Sleeping area: Both triangular nightstands are broken. The top is just set on the legs, so we were unpleasantly surprised when we tried to scoot it and it came apart. This seems to be a common theme: instead of replacing broken things, they just *pretend* they’re intact. The baseboards near the door are barely attached so they’ll pop off if you touch them.
Terrace: like I said, the door sticks so it can be very difficult to open and close. You can’t close it if you go outside.
It was unfortunate that we found ourselves dreading coming back up to the apartment during the day. We had to go out and buy air fresheners to leave in the bathroom, and you’d have to buy some liquid hand soap yourself if you wanted that in the bathroom. Going on vacation, the last thing you want to do is worry about providing basic amenities for yourself, knowing that nobody actually cares about you. It added stress and annoyance to what should have been a relaxing stay in the beautiful city.
The apartment is clearly a cash cow because if any repairs are even made, corners are cut and it seems that the cheapest possible solutions are chosen. Because why not? People will never stop coming here with that amazing view, so they know they can get away with not fixing or just putting a band-aid on things. Some things I understand take time and/or significant money to fix. Things like replacing a hairdryer or adding a dish towel…there’s really no excuse.
Obviously, the view is amazing. Nothing beats waking up every morning to the magnificent dome and hearing those bells ring. The area is very busy and touristy, but it’s so helpful to base yourself in the city.