Spagna - Florence, Italy     

On our travels through Italy we had pre-booked accommodation in Florence at the Hotel Spagna. On their website the Hotel looked reasonable although a bit over our budget of 120 euro per night ($A200). On arrival we were given a room on the 5th floor & had to lug our bags up the narrow stairs (laid with the dirtiest, worn, red carpet I have ever seen) as there was no elevator. On entering our room we were confronted with an awful musty smell. The room was dusty, there was hair in many areas of the tiled floor, the fold out divan was dirty & stained and in general, the whole suite was un-inviting. On opening the window, the view over the terracotta roof with the gutters filled with rubbish and smelly residue water, was enough to put you off Florence let alone this Hotel. At night, I wasn't sure whether we were bitten by bed bugs or mosquitos breeding in the gutters. The only consulation was that the sheets were clean each day. Our advice: If visiting Florence do not stay at the Hotel Spagna, it will be enough to put you off all of Florence. Carl & Anne Trotta Gisborne, Australia October 2007

After having a decent hotel in Venice we were hoping for about the same when we got to Florence. We were WRONG! Though it's in a greatttt location the hotel is just not great at all. It's old, breakfast was horrible (except their coffee/chocolate machine was good). We had to pay an extra 10E a NIGHT for A/C. The showers were extremely small and you literally had to open up the shower and put your foot on the toilet to shave your legs or to get your shampoo/soap from the sink (Picture a shower like in a RV). if you needed to use the bathroom you had to open up the shower doors to actually be able to sit at the toilet. Water leaked from the bathroom into the room. Small TV, the third bed was a very OLD cot. You have to drag your luggage up the steps... Definetly wont be staying here again.