Tom's Florentine Garden: An oasis on the top floor atop historic walls

Carissima Michelle, thank you so much for your wonderful words! I am truly touched to receive such a beautiful thought from you! You were delightful guests, absolutely fantastic: you treated the apartment with such love and respect, and you were truly a joy to be around! Thank you so much as well for the bottle of wine and the chocolates... you really shouldn't have... thanks again. I genuinely hope to see you again one day and perhaps have a little more time to spend together. A big hug. Take care. Tom P.S. Please don't stop practicing your Italian—it's truly excellent!

Cara Susan, thank you so much for your beautiful words! It was truly a great honor for me to host you and your family. I sincerely hope to see you again soon and to spend some time together during your next trip. Sending a warm hug to you all, and wishing you the very best for a beautiful life ahead. Take care, Tom

Thank you for your kind words, Kathy! It was wonderful hosting your daughters and you, as well as helping you make the most of your experience in Florence. You respected and treated the apartment and garden with love. Hugs and kisses. I wish you all the best! Take care. Tom

Carissima Katherine, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kind words! Knowing that your stay went so well is truly an incredible satisfaction for me! I am the one who thanks you all for being such fantastic guests... you enjoyed the apartment and the garden with love and respect, and embraced your Florentine experience with great curiosity and enthusiasm. Thank you again for all your beautiful compliments, which I will carry with me as I continue this wonderful adventure! A big hug to everyone and take care. Tom

Carissima Tracy, it was so wonderful to meet you and your family! It was a true pleasure having you as my guests. Everything was truly beautiful; the love and respect you filled the apartment and garden with is still lingering in the air. Thank you so much for your kind words, and I hope with all my heart to have the opportunity to see you all again. A big hug from Florence and thank you once more. Take care, Tom

Carissimo Anil, it was a real pleasure to host your wonderful family and you! It was very nice to have guests like you in my apartment. You have lived with love and respect the apartment and for this I am extremely grateful! I wish you all the best and I really hope to see you again soon. Un abbraccio! Grazie per le tue belle parole. Take care. Tom

Grazie mille, Katrina, It was truly a pleasure to meet your sweet family! Have a nice stay in Venice and a good return trip to home. Take care. Un abbraccio grande! Tom

Caro Nicholas, thank you so much for your review! It was wonderful hosting all of you. I'm so happy you had a wonderful time in Florence and enjoyed your stay. Helping you make the most of your experience is the most rewarding part of my job. Thank you for being wonderful guests, living the apartment and garden with the utmost respect and love. I wish you all the best. Take care. Ciao! Tom

Thank you so much, Marcie, for your kind words! I am so happy that you enjoyed your stay. Thank you for living the apartment with great love. The communication was perfect. It was a great pleasure to host such a polite and respectful family. I wish all hosts to host Marcie and her family. Have a great journey and I hope to see you again! Take care. Tom

I've only just discovered, by chance, and with great regret, that my response to Shelley's review, initially accepted and published by VRBO, was, for some mysterious reason, deleted without warning. Shelley, thank you so much for your kind words! Thanks again. Hugs from Florence.

Carissima Shanye, thank you so much for your wonderful words! It was a true pleasure to host you and your family. You were magnificent guests, and you experienced both the apartment and the garden with so much love and respect! Being able to help you make the absolute most of your time in Florence was truly and emotionally rewarding. I really hope to see you all again one day! A big hug, A presto! Tom

Randy, it’s me who thanks you! These 11 days were simply magnificent. You have been super guests in everything. The ideal guests: helpful, curious, respectful, friendly! You have experienced Florence in the best way. All this is wonderful for my family and me. Thank you for your kind words! Un abbraccio to Dixie, Indra, Chris and you. I hope other hosts are lucky enough to get to know you. I hope to see you soon! Take care. Tom

I've only just discovered, by chance, and with great regret, that my response to Yuri's review, initially accepted and published by VRBO, was, for some mysterious reason, deleted without warning. Yuri, thank you so much for your kind words! Thanks again. Hugs from Florence.

Thank you so much, Paul. I am really happy that you and your family had a great time and that my advice and participation were useful to you! Thanks especially for confirming, as all the guests who have stayed so far loved, the quietness of the apartment, both day and night, in a lively neighborhood, and at the same time very quiet, safe and authentic, considering that these days - I just found out - there was an improvised historical event just outside the neighborhood. Thanks again and I wish you all the best! Take care. Tom

Carissima Amanda, I cannot thank you enough for your words; they fill me with pride and great satisfaction. Having you as guests was truly wonderful—everything was more than perfect. It was a meaningful human connection, which is what truly matters most. I would be delighted to see you all again and spend some time together next time. In the meantime, I wish every host the good fortune of crossing paths with you. A big hug to the whole “team”! Take care, Tom

Carissimo Ken, thank you so much for your kind words! It fills me with pride to read these lines, which bring back wonderful memories of your stay. It was truly a pleasure getting to know you! Your enthusiasm and respect were outstanding, and communication was simple and immediate. I also appreciate you mentioning the character of the building. Preserving the soul of a true historic Florentine palazzo often means keeping its original structure without modern elevators, something I made sure to highlight in the listing description. I’m glad the layout of the stairs, with their frequent landings, made the walk up manageable and just a small part of the authentic experience. I really hope to see you again soon! In the meantime, I send you my best wishes and a big hug. Take care. Tom

Carissimo Jay, what beautiful words! Infinite thanks to you and your wonderful family. You were fantastic! Always smiling, respectful, curious... you experienced the city like true Florentines. Thank you for taking the time to leave this memory. Your testimony fills me with pride and happiness. Hugs! Take care, Tom

Caro Jeff, thank you so much for your kind words! It was a real pleasure meeting your super family. Your guys are truly amazing! I am very happy that you all enjoyed your stay. Being able to share a part of me with all of you was really important for me. I wish you all the best. Take care. Un abbraccio. Tom

Thank you so much, Mike! It was wonderful hosting you! You were fantastic guests! The communication was perfect, the love with which you treated the apartment and the garden was truly respectful and engaging. Thank you so much also for the gift, which fills me with joy; it's a truly beautiful thought. Un grande abbraccio. I hope to see you soon. Take care. Tom

Suzy, Dawn, I am truly moved by your wonderful words! It is hard to add anything more, other than to say that you were truly exceptional guests. Communication was perfect, and you enjoyed both the house and the garden with great love and respect. Everything I did, I did from the heart, and reading your review is absolutely the greatest reward an host could ever hope for. It captures the entire meaning of my dedication to this work. When my guests take the time to write to me after their stay, sharing their experience, impressions, and feelings, I am deeply touched. Thank you, thank you, thank you. As I always hope with my guests, I look forward to staying in touch and seeing you again in the future for a new adventure! Un abbraccio pieno d’amore. Take care, Tom

Frank, I really don't know how to thank you for your kind and sincere words. It was a real pleasure hosting you and Teresa. Your words fill me with pride and deep satisfaction. I'm honored! You and Teresa were fantastic guests. Thank you for loving the apartment and for enjoying your stay with such love, passion, and genuine respect. I hope our lives can cross paths again. Un grande abbraccio da Firenze! Take care, Tom

Grande Brennen! Really thank you all! Great people, great guests, true ones. Thank you for living the apartment and the garden with respect, kindness and authenticity. Your words truly fill me with joy. I really wish you my very best for your future, carpe diem!, and - who knows - maybe we'll see again, it would be fantastic! Un grande abbraccio. Grazie mille ancora. Take care. Tom

Caro Greg, it was truly a great pleasure to have guests like you! I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the sensitivity, respect and love with which you experienced the apartment and the garden. Getting to know people like you has enormously enriched the human depth that this house has known since the end of June, since this activity began, thanks to wonderful guests! I wish Carolyn, Chris and you all my best possible. Un grande abbraccio from Florence and we hope to see you again soon! Tom

Caro Jens, thank you so much for your kind words! You were wonderful guests. Everything was truly perfect. You lived the house and garden with great love and respect! Communication was impeccable: curious, authentic and full of passion. You are a wonderful family. Thank you also for giving me the opportunity to remind that fortunately the stairs aren't many for an authentic Florentine palazzo, and overall they aren't very steep or continuous, as indicated in the description and pictures of the listing. Thank you again, Jens: I wish you and your beautiful family all the best! I hope to see you again soon. Take care. Un abbraccio. Tom

Thank you so much, Darcy, for your wonderful words! Special thanks for the love and respect that you and your sons have shown towards the apartment and the garden. It was really a great privilege to have you as guests! I wish you all my very best and I will be super happy if you want to come back. Grazie mille! Tommaso