Highly recommended! I come to Florence periodically for work, so have gotten to know the city as well as any regular visitor can. Normally I stay in a hotel, but in the future I will definitely be staying in this apartment again. I stayed here ten nights, and was sorry to leave! The apartment itself is fantastic - lots of amenities; very clean and well-maintained; bright, sunny, and airy; and in the best location. Everything seemed new, and all of the photos are accurate. Wi-fi, refrigerator, oven, coffee-maker, dishwasher, clothes washer, sound system for iPod, etc., all worked great - and were wonderful to find, since you don't get them in hotels or even all apartments. I also could iron my clothes, which was nice, and could even take a bath. There was a water filter pitcher too, so I didn't have to buy water (a great little perk). I loved being able to see the lantern of the Duomo and the tower of the Palazzo Vecchio out the bedroom window! The whole apartment was very comfortable. There are a lot of steps up, but it was not a big deal for me, and helped keep the noise down. The bedroom is in the back of the apartment and is pretty quiet, during the day there is a little noise from the street in the front, but not bad. Being in the Oltrarno, at every time of day it was MUCH quieter than being on the other side of the river. At night and in the morning I heard nothing, and I slept great (I cannot stress the importance and pleasure of this enough!) The location is really perfect, because you get the benefits of the Oltar'arno (quiet, more laid-back, less tourists, Piazza Santo Spirito, and some of my favorite restaurants), while it is just down the street about 3 blocks from the Ponte Vecchio, so in five minutes you are at Piazza della Signoria and right in the heart of Florence. Piazza Santo Spirito is very close, with some great places to eat, as is Piazza della Passera with more great restaurants. Most importantly, the owners are wonderful. They were very communicative beforehand, waiting for me when I arrived, explained everything thoroughly and speak English well, and were very warm, welcoming, and relaxed the whole time. They even went out of their way to assist me a couple times during my visit. I really can't recommend this place high enough, and I look forward to returning to it!
