I stayed at Paola's apartment for 6 weeks . Paola's apartment fully lived up to my expectations. The apartment contains everything you need for a longer stay (kitchen equipment, a washing machine, iron..). It is very centrally located and easy to reach by bus from the station. I communicated with Enrica, who is quick to reply. She meet me upon arrival and explained everything to know about the apartment. Enrica is very nice, and gave me a pleasant welcome to Florence.
There is a lot of life in the streets, and it can be noisy, however the cafees on the streets usually stop playing music at about 11 pm. The neighborhood feels safe also at night.
I would highly recommend staying at Paola's.