The apartment is at one of the best locations in Florence, on the fourth floor of a big old building that was once quite fancy. There is a tiny elevator, which is a big plus getting up the fourth floor.
Communication with the host, except for an initial hiccup, was OK. The check in and check out were very easy, and the person that welcomed us was on-time and very nice.
Generally, the apartment is functional, although it is smaller than it looks in the pictures. The bedroom barely has space to walk around the bed. The apartment has air conditioning that cooled the place off pretty well during some very hot days.

The apartment had been cleaned, but it didn't feel clean -- It felt worn, not fresh, as if not cared for. There were a few simple fix-it problems like: the shower did not have enough water pressure, the lights over the stove in the kitchen did not work, some ceramic dishes were cracked or chipped, and the closet-door sealing-strips were unglued and hanging down. However, the apartment had pretty much everything that one could need for a short stay.
In conclusion, the place is workable and we were OK there. However, with a few small upgrades, some new furniture and a little more attention to detail, it could be a fantastic place to stay.