Rating
"Luxury in a Perfect Location!" Wow! That was our reaction when we checked in. We think our travel agent must have negotiated an upgrade due to our celebrating our 20th anniversary. We were escorted to a beautiful room directly above the hotel lobby, with two windows overlooking Piazza Santa Maria Novella, and a very spacious marble bathroom with bathtub. And within minutes of arriving we were presented with a complimentary bottle of Italian sparkling wine. Now thats the way to arrive in Florence!! We just can't say enough good things about this hotel. The staff were very professional and friendly, the location very central, the breakfast room elegant, and the breakfast just amazing by Italian standards. Every morning we sat at a different table with white linens and nice silverware. A very polite server immediately took our espresso order, then we sampled the extensive array of eggs, bacon (pancetta?), delicious pastries, fresh fruits, prosciutto, ham, brie, sparkling water, juices, etc. Since the restaurants in Florence are not inexpensive, this is great and cost-effective way to start your day. A few negatives, none of which are the fault of the hotel, involve construction or renovation projects nearby. The facade of the Santa Maria Novella Church was still covered with scaffolding due to renovations, the building next door was under construction, and the adjacent building that houses the Fiddler's Elbow was involved in some construction. Nevertheless, we were never disturbed by noise from any of this. Granted, the view of the church was not so great, but hey...at least we had a view! If you arrive by train you don't even need a taxi - it's just a two block walk. And it's literally a five minute walk to the Mercato Centrale, with lot's of street vendors sellings silk ties, leather goods, etc. Five minutes will also get you to the Duomo.

Rating
"Great Value and Location" Stayed last week at SMN Hotel for 3 nights. Wonderful hotel with good sized room and splendid bathroom! Staff very helpful at booking tours. Hotel is three minute walk from train station so if you are arriving by train don't take a taxi, just walk. All major tourist sites are within a 10 minute distance. Breakfast room is lovely with great selection of tasty foods. Had third floor corner room with views north and west. Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond the control of hotel there is extensive construction work on the piazza which is partially fenced off, and church is covered in tarps, and work appears to be long term. If you are going for the view, there is none to speak of due to the renovations of the piazza and church, but nonetheless the sunshine that streams into the rooms makes it worth having a room with a view of the piazza. Would stay at hotel again with or without the nearby piazza/church renovations as I consider the location, staffing and overall value all benefits.

Rating
"Well worth it" Booked this hotel last minute on wotif, got it for Euro 125. It was a bargain for this place. We stayed for only one night on 5th December. Would have loved to stay longer if we had known how nice it was beforehand. It's a 4 star price for a 5 star accomodation for sure, You'd be hard pressed to find something else in this city for the price. The staff are very nice and curteous, nothing is beyond them, even letting us use the Hotel internet in their office, instead of sending us all over town to find an internet cafe, only to use it for 5 minutes. One of the staff named Roberto was very informative, personally attended to our enquiries for over 30 minutes, in the evening during our welcome drink session. The breakfast was comprehensive and satisfying, as expected for an establishment of this calibre, well worth the time. Location is great, just across the square from the Church of the same name, Santa Maria Novella, about 5 minutes walk from the main train station. But beware the hotel name is not very prominently displayed. It's walking distance to the Duomo and the shopping area.

Rating
"Superb hotel!" What a divine little gem this hotel is! We were a little worried before we arrived as we had only the hotel's web site and other advice from trip advisors to go on but once we arrived- WOW! The staff are really friendly and helpful, the breakfast is sumptuous, rooms are clean, well appointed and with marble showers big enough to have a party in. The decor of the hotel is stunning. It is like staying in a really lovely palazzo rather than a hotel. There are two gorgeous sitting rooms, all green velevet sofa's and decadent aubergine walls with art and antiques everywhere. Not to mention, with temperatures outside of -2 degrees c when we stayed in February, very welcome roaring fires that made the lounges into a cosy haven. The dining room is like sitting in a little jewel box, all glittering mirrors and vaulted ceiling, with beautiful oil paintings all round. Breakfast consists of lovely rolls, a wide selection of cheeses, fresh fruit platters, cakes and croissants as well as bacon, scrambled eggs and crackers. Fresh juice, water and coffee, hot chocolate or tea are also available.

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