We had a fantastic stay at Simone's apartment. He was the perfect host, and went far beyond what we would have expected. He communicated promptly and in very good English. We arrived quite late, but he was there to welcome us, as was a lovely bowl of fruit and juice for breakfast, and some wine. Late that night, I managed to break one of the door keys, and he came to sort it out for us, without a murmur of complaint. He even texted the next day to make sure all was well and that we were enjoying our stay.

The apartment was bright, clean, and with a nice view over rooftops to nearby towers. There are two rings for cooking, plus a microwave, which we didn't use - but we ate in most nights, and had everything we needed. There is a wet-room style of bathroom, with a good shower. It was a little chilly at night, but Simone showed us how to use the heating, so we were extremely comfortable throughout our stay.

The location is ideal - a short step over the Ponte Vecchio and other nearby bridges, off a small square with restaurants, a friendly (but quiet) bar that stays open until 1 a.m. for the night-birds, a gelateria and pretty much everything you could want. A good supermarket is five minutes' walk. I love the Oltrarno, as it is easy to walk into the centre, has a lot of character, and is away from the bulk of the tourists. It also has numerous good restaurants and bars, some interesting shops, ranging from clothes to antiques, as well as workshops where you can watch the artisans, some in the same small street as the apartment. The Pitti Palace, Boboli Gardens and Santo Spirito are just around the corner, and the Carmine is nearby. Nevertheless, the apartment is amazingly quiet, being tucked away on the third floor of an old convent, and we rarely heard any sound from the street below in the bedroom. The kitchen/living room overlooks a charming private courtyard. My partner has mobility issues, so it was not an easy climb, but even he felt it was worth it and would definitely stay again. We both feel this is the best place we have stayed in many years, and Simone was an exceptional host, quick to respond and to go above the call of duty to ensure that we had a great holiday. We highly recommend apartment Toscanella.