Florentine Elegance in Historic Santa Croce

• Perfetto!

  Perfetto!

  • Guest Lee .
  • Date of stay 03/25/13
  • Review Submitted 05/02/13
  Perfetto! This one word best describes our experience at Gilda and Fluvio’s beautiful apartment a few blocks from Santa Croce. From the get-go, Gilda was enormously helpful, sending us pages of detailed information about both the apartment and the immediate neighborhood. And the apartment was even more beautiful than she described. It combines all the best of a 16th century Italian building with 21st century conveniences. Beautifully furnished and well-stocked, the apartment was also comfortable and felt like home in no time. Niccolo, the property manager, was waiting for us when we arrived, showing us around and answering any questions we had. Dino’s across the street became our favorite restaurant – we recommend the Grappa Reserve. Will we back? You bet! Thank you, Gilda.

  Recommended for: Tourists without a car, age 55+, romantic getaway.

  Owner response: Dear guests, Thank you so much for your lovely comments. Fulvio and I hope you are able to return very soon.

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• the most wonderful apartment conceivable in the most beautiful of cities

  the most wonderful apartment conceivable in the most beautiful of cities

  • Guest williegee
  • Date of stay 04/03/13
  • Review Submitted 05/01/13
  We felt at home in this apartment from the moment we stepped into it. Hard to say why. It was exactly what we were expecting from the photos and the descriptions, but beyond them there was a lived-in patina that made this apartment enchanting. Unusually in our experience for a European rental the supplies and the furnishings (kitchen, bedroom, even books about Florence)) were perfect for our needs. But beyond fundamental functionality there was a beauty to the apartment that reflected expert eyes and hands.The Carbonaros were the most helpful landlords we have ever had--before, during, and after our stay. I especially enjoyed the notes posted around the apartment--most helpful. The Florentine people who were availablefo us were enormously helpful also. The apartments was beautifully cleaned twice during our three week stay.My wife and I were in Florence to study the art again. I think we could have been called Florence veterans but our stay here took us to another dimension of appreciation. The neighborhood around the apartment is an interesting mix which might be called "the real Florence" even though there are swarms of American students. Italy is changing and this neighborhood reflects all the new elements and was immensely instructive. Transportation is one of the apartment's greatest virtues. Once one learns the bus system, one discovers that one is ideally situated for getting all over Florence and to some places outside it even though the majority of the great art historical destinations are within walking distance. The Santa Croce quartiere is definitely the right one to be in for art. Food possibilities seem infinite. There are many kinds of excellent restaurants and then there is Ghiotta: classic Italian home cooking which one can eat on the premises or take out. The price for this excellence is ridiculously cheap. One can buy a great bottle of wine somewhere and still be saving money over other kinds of restaurants. Any drawbacks? It would not be fair to pretend that the noise from the street is not a factor--its denizens sometimes seem to resemble "the rout that made the hideous roar" and they go on all night. As far as my wife was concerned, the beautiful front bedroom was unusable--she had to retreat to the silence of the back. For me, though, since I am quite comfortable sleeping with three pillows over my head as sound baffles, the front bedroom was a bower of bliss.The beds by the way were extremely comfortable. Highest rating.

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, tourists without a car, age 55+.

  Owner response: Dear guests, Thank you for your review of the apartment and the neighborhood. I'm so glad you appreciated some of our favorite places in the neighborhood, like La Ghiotta and that you are as attached as we are to the Santa Croce neighborhood. The noise in the streetside bedroom can be annoying, it seems that young people these days don't go to bed at night. Fortunately, there isn't a huge night club below or a huge gathering place as there is on the piazza in front of the Santa Croce church. Nevertheless, I need to get an effective white noise 'fix' for this bedroom. Anyway, we hope you return soon to Florence, your 'home' will welcome you again.

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• Great place for 2 couples

  Great place for 2 couples

  • Guest Pam
  • Date of stay 10/17/12
  • Review Submitted 11/01/12
  We felt completely at home and well looked after in Gilda's apartment. The location was great! The kitchen and laundry facilities were easy to use. And the rooms were very spacious. It was wonderful to go back to the apartment after a day of walking everywhere....to our own meal from the market, complimented by great wine from the little store that just filled our bottles for a few euros. Thanks, Gilda!

  Recommended for: Tourists without a car.

  Owner response: Dear Pam, It's always hard to manage an apartment from across the ocean, but we do the best we can to be sure your time in Florence is everything you expected and more.

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• A Home in Florence

  A Home in Florence

  • Guest Les B.
  • Date of stay 08/30/12
  • Review Submitted 09/12/12
  My wife and I have visited Florence three previous times, call us crazy but honestly it is our absolute favorite place on Earth. There are many great reasons to visit Florence and there are many, many places to stay. We love this apartment because it is convenient to the city center but is somewhat away from the general hubub of the major attractions. Don't misunderstand me, the Uffizi is just a 10 minute walk, the Duomo 15 minutes, and the Ponte Veccio also 15 minutes. This apartment located a block off of the Santa Croce piazza is authentic Florence, it doesn't feel like a rental, it feels like a home. The bookshelves are full of guidebooks, maps, and reference materials, the owners have compiled a thick notebook of full of local tips and lore. The beds are comfortable, the rooms large. The ceilings are frescoed, the kitchen immaculate, there is a fresh market two blocks away and a wine shop, Bacco Nudo, just around the corner where they will fill up your bottle with Montepulciano, Montalcino, Veneto Bianca or many other great wines for under three Euro. Honestly. Across the street is Ristoranti Dino, great food, great service, and a quiet atmosphere. We love Florence and we loved our stay on Via Gibillina.

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, adventure seekers, tourists without a car, age 55+, romantic getaway, girls getaway.

  Owner response: Les, you're making me homesick for Florence. Alas! The school year just began! We are so happy that you are returning for your third visit to our home in Florence.

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• Fabulous San Croce

  Fabulous San Croce

  • Guest Janice Proctor
  • Date of stay 06/03/12
  • Review Submitted 06/11/12
  What an excellent property...So close to everything and such easy access to all the wonderful museums The owners were fabulous to work with and gave us so much information about area. Would recommend to anyone who wants a living at home stay in Florence....

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, adventure seekers, tourists without a car, age 55+, romantic getaway, girls getaway.

  Owner response: Dear Janice, Thank you so much for posting a comment. We're so glad you found the apartment to your liking. Gilda

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Florence holiday

  Florence holiday

  • Guest Eileen
  • Date of stay 10/30/11
  • Review Submitted 11/15/11
  The apartment is in a great location, close to main attractions restaurants and markets. Even a bakery across the road!! We were greeted at the apartment upon arrival with fresh fruit and wine. The apartment itself is very comfortable and spacious ! It's really easy to walk everywhere . There is no lift and the apartment is on the 2nd floor so beware. Only problem I had was street noise...never quite got used to it!! Also only one set of linen provided...spare set would be good . Had many memorable walks along the river which is close by. Loved my holiday!

  Recommended for: Tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

  Owner response: Dear Eileen, Thank you for your review. I'm so glad you enjoyed this very Florentine neighborhood. It's an unfortunate fact that most of the historic center of Florence is noisy. Some parts of Florence are even noisier than my neighborhood, in fact. The linens which are provided are a bathtowel, handtowel, and washcloth per person per week and, of course, the pressed sheets. For longer stays, we arrange for our housekeeper to come in each week to change linens. Hope you'll visit again.

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• Luxurious and convenient

  Luxurious and convenient

  • Guest Girlwithacurl
  • Date of stay 10/20/11
  • Review Submitted 11/07/11
  We stayed here for 6 nights in October 2011. It felt like a privilege to stay in such a beautifully appointed home. We found everything we needed and made great use of the information provided about local restaurants. The area is very convenient - not the tourist district but close enough to walk to anything we wanted to see. The owner and manager are both very friendly and responsive. Would definitely stay here again if we are able to plan another holiday in Florence.

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, tourists without a car, age 55+, romantic getaway, girls getaway.

  Owner response: Kirsten, We are delighted that you found your way around so easily and that you felt at home in our apartment. We hope to see you again whenever you return to Florence.

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• LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION and a plus...

  LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION and a plus...

  • Guest Cindy
  • Date of stay 08/01/11
  • Review Submitted 09/13/11
  Waking up to the melodious bells from the Duomo and going to the corner of the street cafe to have the best cappuccino every morning is something I still miss or going to the market (two blocks away) for my Shakerato (a cappuccino first then the Shakerato) and to buy fresh produce, beans still in their envainado, homemade pasta and fresh basil pesto or nut sauce, is a treat I will never forget. Walking through the streets from your house where Da Vinci or Michelangelo once walked or a daily stroll to Ponte Veccio is more than I could have dreamed of doing. The little store where I would fill my empty bottles with a Montepulciano for just a few Euros, is something one gets easily used to. And the locals added to this marvelous experience. Cannot forget the best gelato around the corner, mamma mia the pistacchio! As you know, I'm a B&B owner in Mexico, in a way you go with a critical eye, I have no complaints, in fact, only gratitude. Your place was impeccable, your kitchen well equipped and it was a plus to have the surprise treats that you had for us. The beds are very comfortable and helped recuperate from so much walking... We would take a daily stroll to the Ponte Vecchio and could not miss walking around the Duomo often which bewitched me. You are so close to everything, the Uffizi museum, the Academia, Piazza della Republica, shopping, etc, etc, etc. I would recommend to future guests to stay at least 2 to 3 weeks. There is so much to see, so much to do in Florence, el centro del Renacimiento and towns near by. You cannot miss going Siena, the Chianti region (by bike) to beautiful Venice and Rome of course. People are welcome to enquire about a historian, Antonella Fabriani, that took us around Rome to see the key spots, that was invaluable and not too expensive. Choosing your place in this building which must be over 800 years old was the best decision we made! Grazie mille! Cynthia Kulander Casa Carmen, San Miguel de Allende, Gto. Mexico.

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

  Owner response: Dear Cindy, Thank you so much for your kind comments. It is not hard to become addicted to Florence. It is a pleasure to know that you felt so much at home. I hope to host you and your daughters again soon.

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• History everywhere

  History everywhere

  • Guest Judy
  • Date of stay 09/12/10
  • Review Submitted 09/29/10
  Hello Gilda, What a coincidence that you e-mailed me today---I have been putting my Italy photos in a book and enjoying my trip all over again. We had a wonderful time in Firenza. We especially liked living among the Florentine people instead of a hotel. Kate and I went to the market many mornings and bought the amazing fresh produce and wonderful fish or meats there. One of the vendors had delicious fresh pasta and cheeses that we bought and loved that night. We had to laugh when the espresso vendor (who flirted with all the women) would put a heart on top of our morning coffee. We also got the knack of getting better prices at the outdoor stores and markets. Our vacation in Firenza was very memorable and I will be telling the stories for years. The view of the city from the tuscan hills took our breath away. The history at the Santa Croce church was awesome. We both bought beautiful brief cases---soft leather. Donald was very helpful. While walking down a street one day we actually ran into him!!! Who would think? We loved the location of your flat and found it very comfortable. You have done a great job with the decor--authentic Italian. By the end of the week I was actually able to climb the 61 steps without loosing my breath! Almost like going to a gym daily!! I'm so glad I found your flat---we loved staying there.

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, adventure seekers, tourists without a car, age 55+, romantic getaway.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• • Guest Rachel McCarthy
  • Date of stay 01/06/10
  • Review Submitted 01/06/10
  Our family of four adults spent a week in the apartment over Christmas this year and had a fantastic holiday in Florence. We loved being part of the neighborhood and living in an apartment allowed us to enjoy cooking with the best ingredients from the local market. We only ate in a restaurant once during our stay because our abilty to cook in the apartment was such a wonderful experience. Florence is a magical place and the apartment is just lovely and very well appointed. Gilda, the owner, and Donald, the property Manager, were helpful on all aspects of our stay. We all cannot wait to return to Florence and to this apartment. We would absolutely recommend it to anyone in search of a lovely home away from home in Florence.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

Rates are the same all year round - Please note rates are in EUROS
1-2 persons  €1,360/7 nights,  €1,224/6 nights,  €1,050/5 nights,  €856/4 nights
3 persons  €1,560/7 nights,  €1,424/6 nights,  €1,250/5 nights,  €1,056/4 nights
4 persons  €1,610/7 nights,  €1,474/6 nights,  €1,300/5 nights,  €1,106/4 nights
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