Vacation Rentals by Owner

Loved the apartment's location

Guest: Barb
Date of Stay: 04/09/12 Review Submitted: 04/29/12

I enjoyed a week in Florence and loved the apartment's location. I was able to to get to delicious food, fantastic art and awesome shopping. What else could you want? The bed was very comfortable and there was plenty of room for the two of us. The bathroom has a step so be careful! The hostess was VERY helpful she was available when needed for questions. The treats that were left for us was very special. The chocolates were divine.

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Clean, comfortable, nice decorating touches

Guest: Patricia
Date of Stay: 03/24/12 Review Submitted: 04/24/12

The apartment was perfect for me while I was attending school. It was clean and comfortable with nice decorating touches...would be fine for two people. There are a lot of stairs, which I did not mind (I'm over 60) but the apartment is not for you if stairs are a problem. I felt completely safe in the neighborhood. The main tourist sites and shopping are all close but just outside where crowds gather.

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Solare is a cute apartment in central Florence

Guest: Elaine
Date of Stay: 02/26/12 Review Submitted: 04/15/12

This apartment was perfect for our 3 week stay on Florence. It is walkable to all the sights in Florence but still located on a quiet street. There are tons of restaurants within a block, as well as a bakery and supermarket. The 4 flights of stairs is not a big deal, it just helps you work off all the pasta! The apartment is also nicely decorated and well-equipped. Chiara, the owner, is also super helpful. Overall we were really pleased with our stay here.

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We would absolutely recommend Solare.

Guest: Joe and Cherry
Date of Stay: 02/17/12 Review Submitted: 03/11/12

This was our second stay at Solare. The apartment is in a super location for discovering Florence (i.e. market, duomo, etc.) and to branch out into Italy further (train station nearby). We spent 9 nights at the apartment with our two children - which worked great - buying fresh ingredients at the market and preparing dinner as a family was super. The apartment itself is very well equipped and immaculate, the stairway is not as daunting as it might seem. We would absolutely recommend Solare.

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A Florentine Oasis

Guest: Al
Date of Stay: 10/03/11 Review Submitted: 11/18/11

My wife and I stayed at the Solare apartment for 19 days in October 2011. Overall, we could not have been more pleased. The apartment was meticulously maintained and the owner was a cordial, delightful and accomodating host. She thought of everything including maps, a looseleaf binder explaining the operation of each applicance (first rate stove, washer, dishwasher), restaurant tips, and hours of area attractions. Although we did not need to call her, we felt that if it were necessary, Chiara would have been on site within minutes. For us, the location was ideal. We intended to do quite a bit of cooking while in Florence and the proximity of the wondereful central market (5 minute walk) was a big plus. We also chose Solare because of its location near (but not too near) to the S.M.N. (main) train station and the inter-city bus depot (about 10-15 minute walk). We used Solare and Florence as a "home base" from which to take 2-day trips to other Tuscan and Umbrian cities (like Assisi and Siena) as well as day trips to places like Lucca and San Gimignano. It was no problem to pull a small overnighter from apartment to station. That said, a few words of caution. If you have any heart, breathing, or physical health problems, the 4th floor location (without elevator) WILL be a problem for you, and a major one depending on how severe your condition. The steps were steep and hauling our large suitcases up at the beginning of our stay was a physical challenge. The street on which Solare is located is well trafficked and in the late evenings, especially towards the weekends, the students (the university is nearby) can be noisy and somewhat rowdy (nothing serious, but a light sleeper beware). It did not bother us but it might bother some. In short, there are more luxurious apartments (and more expensive!) and neighborhoods that might for some be a bit more attractive (we liked the feel of the Oltrano side of the Arno and San Niccolo neighborhood) but the combination of the nearby market and station as well as the overall central location made this a perfect choice for us and for someone who plans to use Florence as a hub for daytrip or overnight exploring of Tuscany.

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Comfort & Location = Fun in Florence

Guest: Donna
Date of Stay: 09/18/11 Review Submitted: 10/07/11

My husband and I stayed in the Solare apartment for 5 nights in September. It was perfect.The owner keeps the place immaculate and well equipped. It is the only time we have stayed in a VRBO rental that the owners photos actually don't convey how great the apartment is decorated and the space used. You feel like a resident of the city but as a visitor it is a great location for walking to museums,and all historical points of interest in the city center. Neighborhood markets, restaurants, bakeries all within a block or two yet the Solare offers privacy (4th floor) and comfort. The owner is terrific and very helpful.

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Guest: Kathy
Date of Stay: 07/13/11 Review Submitted: 07/25/11

Back from our holidays, and wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed staying at the Solare apartment in Florence. Chiara was great, I called her when we arrived at the train station and she was all ready to meet us. Very thorough in explaining everything about the apartment. The location was great, very close to walk to all the sights and the apartment was nice and clean and very well equipped. Thanks again, next time we head out to Italy we will book with you again!

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Guest: Donna L.
Date of Stay: 07/08/11 Review Submitted: 07/23/11

From the warm and cordial greeting to the cleanliness to the location, everything about the Solare apartment was perfect for us. The apartment is darling, so cute and well taken care of. We were so comfortable and happy, everything worked perfectly and was just what we had hoped for for our Florence stay. Despite the hot summer temperatures outside the Solare apartment was a cool retreat!

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Guest: Lori
Date of Stay: 07/02/11 Review Submitted: 07/10/11

We just returned home and wanted to thank you and Chiara for our wonderful stay.Chiara couldnot have been more helpful. We loved the apt it was in a perfect location. Thanks again.

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Guest: S.S.
Date of Stay: 06/21/11 Review Submitted: 08/02/11

I stayed here with my two daughters who are 11 and 15, and it worked perfectly. When we booked, Lisa was great and quick in responding. Chiara, our hostess in Florence was sweet, and great at going over the details of the apartment. Solare was very clean and well stocked to meet our needs while on holiday. Good location, short walk to all the attractions in the City centre, close to a small grocery. As noted in the property details, this is a top floor apartment, so it does have a lot of stairs, but this was not an issue for us. We did enjoy one day of shopping at the Centrale Mercati, which has lots of vendors with fresh foods and is almost just around the corner. We purchased pasta and Pesto from one of the merchants there, and had a wonderful pasta meal, probably the best Pesto I have ever had. Did also get a chance to eat at Za Za which is a very short walk, the food was excellent and service friendly. Would have no hesitation recommending Italy Perfect or Solare to anyone looking for a charming place to stay in Florence.

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Guest: Clyde
Date of Stay: 06/08/11 Review Submitted: 06/28/11

rom the first time we met our landlord we were impressed with accomodations. We were met at the front door, taken up the stairs, and were then briefed on every aspect of the apartment and surrounding area. Great location--nice appartment--wonderful host. We had a grand time using the apartment as our base. Easy walk to the train station and all points of interest in Florence. We would return in a heartbeat and will recommend to our friends. Only drawback is the 4 flights of steps to the top--be prepared but you do get used to it.

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Guest: Davian
Date of Stay: 05/23/11 Review Submitted: 07/11/11

My senior mother and I stayed at Solare in late May. It was already quite hot and we were happy with the A/C. The apt is very clean and cozy and has a well equipped kitchen - we had a thoroughly enjoyable stay. I was expecting the second bed in the living room to be a fold-out couch but it turned out to be a very comfortable murphy bed with a proper mattress. So much better. Thanks to Chiara for being a wonderful hostess. She had left a gift basket, guide books and maps and there are good restaurant recommendations for the neighborhood from previous guests. The apt is in a good location - not too much street noise, fairly close to everything (we walked everywhere) and we never felt unsafe. Yes there are stairs but if you are reasonably fit and able, it is ok. My mother is 72 and managed just fine. You wouldn't want to forget something though. Of the other agenecies we looked at and another we booked with for a later leg of our trip, we found Italy Perfect to be just fabulous. They provided lots of information regarding the apt and arm guests with detailed general info about Florence/Italy and were quick to reply to any emails. Highly recommend Italy Perfect and Solare!

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Guest: Jody
Date of Stay: 04/01/11 Review Submitted: 05/02/11

The Solare condo truly felt like a ray of Italian sunshine. My friend and I stayed for a week to visit my daughter at school. Solare was updated, charming and very clean. The welcome basket and information booklet really helped orient us after our long travel. The location was ideal because we could walk to every museum as well as the train/bus station. I did use the second bed which was a pull down and found it comfortable. Our greeter was sweet and helpful. I recommend looking in the guest book for restaurants because there are many tourist restaurants. The condo is on the 4th floor which helped us work off our daily gelato treat!

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Guest: Anne
Date of Stay: 12/21/10 Review Submitted: 01/08/11

Great location and perfect little apartment for our stay in Florence. Loved all the little touches. We shopped at the Mercato Centrale and ate several meals in.

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Guest: Joe R.
Date of Stay: 10/30/10 Review Submitted: 11/26/10

Great property, worked well with our family of four (2 adults, 2 children ages 8 and 2). Only drawback were the steps, could also become loud at night. Great central location for Florence and railway station for visiting other cities. La Burasca, small restaurant nearby (close to market). Owner was very pleasant and helpful. Recommended driver was also very kind and attentive.

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A Home Away From Home

Guest: George & Gracie's Mom (Boston)
Date of Stay: 10/17/10 Review Submitted: 11/21/10

Solare is the perfect choice if you want a sunny, beautifully decorated, impeccably clean, comfortable, well equipped accommodation within walking distance of just about everything you want to see and do in Florence. The owner is a wonderfully warm, thorough and extremely helpful woman whose primary concern is that of the comfort of her guests. She welcomed me with a generous gift basket of Tuscan "goodies" which was unexpected and sincerely appreciated. I felt very safe here and loved the sense of being part of the neighborhood - especially visiting the little cafe next door in the morning for cappucino. Yes, the apartment is on the top floor and making it up 4 flights of stairs at the end of a long day can be daunting but the reward at the top is worth the effort! I would recommend Solare to anyone looking for an economical (not to mention spacious and comfortable) alternative to an expensive hotel room. Thank you for sharing your lovely home with me, Chiara. It was, by far, one of the best vacations I've ever had.

Owner response:Thank you for your warm remarks, we are delighted that you enjoyed your stay at the Solare apartment!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: TCG
Date of Stay: 06/26/10 Review Submitted: 07/18/10

We found our accomodation in Florence to be of the highest standard. We were met by the oner who was charming and very helpful and surprised us by leaving lots of lovely goodies which we were certainly not expecting. We loved the fact that, being on the top floor we had lovely views over the rooftops to the Tuscan hills. Bear in mind that this is a typical Italian apartment and there is no lift, we are in our mid sixties and pretty fit but if you struggle with stairs then this apartment would not be for you! We liked the location, we were on minutes from the central market where we went to meet up with the locals and to buy some beautiful homemade Italian ready meals. There were also some very good eating places in the market area. We used local transport and the SITA buses to travel around and found it all very easy,most people spoke English and were very eager to help you. We thought the service from Italy Perfect was fantastic, whenever I e-mailed Lisa with a query she would get back to me very quickly with good advice. All in all our holiday was fantastic and we would whole heartedly recommend Italy Perfect.

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Guest: Vivienne & John
Date of Stay: 06/19/10 Review Submitted: 07/18/10

We are back in England after an exciting and amazing visit to Italy. We wanted to thank you for the excellent information you supplied to us before our trip, we found it very helpful and all of our travel arrangements went very smoothly. Our apartment was lovely and Chiara was so kind to us leaving lovely thoughtful little welcome gifts. We have been very pleased with the service we have received from your company and wouldn't hesitate to use you again.

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Guest: Paul
Date of Stay: 04/22/10 Review Submitted: 07/18/10

We had a delightful stay in the Solare apartment. Everything was just as it appears on the website, clean, bright and comfortable. A lot of care has been taken to ensure guests are comfortable. We really appreciated the very nice welcome greeting and had a delightful stay in the apartment. We recommend it highly. The location was perfect, we walked everywhere. Plenty of good restaurants in the neighborhood.

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Guest: Mike K.
Date of Stay: 04/15/10 Review Submitted: 07/18/10

If you want to feel like a local, this is the place. Solare is centrally located to many of Florence's top attractions. We had a wondeful experience in this unit. Everything you need is located nearby. It also is a very economical choice and very well maintained. The only drawback is the lack of an elevator. After a long day, the steps could be tiring. Nicely decorated. … great people watching from the windows…felt like we were locals…. welcome basket was a nice touch.

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