In terms of location, this apartment was in a nice part of Florence. It was about 10 minutes from the train station by car/taxi, about a 10 minute walk from a main taxi stand, and right near St. Ambrosia market where you can get fresh vegetables, fruit, bread, as well as clothes and shoes. There was a bus stop right outside the apartment, so if you’re thinking of taking public transportation, this could be a good place for you to consider. Just be aware that this is on a somewhat busy street. We heard cars and ambulances going by often; it didn’t bother us since the bedrooms are set off to the back, but just a point to note about the location.
Giuliano (Mauro's father) was very nice when we arrived. We texted him from the train station and he said that he would meet us at the apartment. When we arrived, he showed us around, gave us all the information about the wifi, showed us where the market was, etc. He said that he looked at the electric meter that morning so he knew what the reading was, and he would look at it when we checked out, so he would know what we would have to pay for the electric fee. Just be aware that for this apartment, you have to pay for utilities (that’s not the case for all Airbnb’s, but it is for this one). We knew this going in from other reviews, but we weren’t aware that there was going to be a 15-minute ‘check-out’ process, to review the meters, do the calcs, and figure the bill. Not a major issue, but important to know in advance.
The apartment looks more rustic, so if you're interested in a modern look/feel, then this may not be the apartment for you. However, the place has a pretty good amount of space (a living area, a master bedroom with bathroom, a bedroom with two beds and a bathroom, another small bedroom with one bed, and a bathroom in the hallway) so you can spread out (good for a large family). It was also nice that they seemed set up to support people who were traveling. They had extra chargers, sewing kits, and few other knick-knacks that made the place feel homier.
The apartment was very cold when we arrived, even though Giuliano said that he had put on the heat prior to our arrival (and it wasn't quite clear if we were going to be charged for the heat that he put on prior to our arrival versus charging us when we just arrived). Ultimately, there was an issue with the heat and the water on the first night, meaning we had little heat in the apartment and almost no hot water. We let Giuliano know the next morning via text about the issue. He called us a short time later, asking if he could get access into the apartment so he could look at the heating units. We were already out of the apartment and gone for the day, but we told him that he could let himself in. We ended up going back to the apartment later in the day, and Giuliano was there, waiting for a repairman to arrive. By the time we got back in the evening, the apartment felt noticeably warmer. Giuliano acknowledged that there was a problem with the heating unit and he apologized for our discomfort during the first day/night. He even brought over a bottle of wine as an apology for the rough start. He also said that we would work out a deal on the utilities fee because of that issue, and he was true to his word when we settled up at the end. We had to pay for the utilities, but he discounted the amount because of the problems.
We were a little biased because of our rough start with the problems with the heating and water, but aside from those issues, this was a nice apartment and Giuliano was responsive to our needs.