Bed and Breakfast Soggiorno Annamaria - Florence

5.8

we chose Soggiorno Annamaria purley because it was advertised as a bed and breakfast and my confirmation stated price is inclusive of bed and breakfast breakfast was not included when the owner was asked about the breakfast he shrugged his shoulders and said this is italy that was disapointing

10

If you want a full-fledged hotel with a lobby, etc., this is not the place for you. If, on the other hand, you want a very nice place to stay that captures and adds to the atmosphere of the city, then we recommend this B&B highly. By the way, it's only one B since breakfast was not available. However, there is a very nice little breakfast place with fresh-squeezed orange juice, etc. next door.

9.5

Camera pulitissima bella, arredata bene, gentilissimi i propietari.Posizione favolosa vicino a tutto.

9.9

Soggiorno Annamaria is a good value, excellent location in Florence-easy to find from the train station and walking distance to major sights, and run by a very nice couple. Our room was clean and quiet. Staying here contributed to a fine 2-day visit in Florence!

9.7

Only one word can describe our level of satisfaction about Soggiorno AnnaMaria...Excellent!!. AnnaMaria and her husband are lovely persons. We had breakfast in the room all the mornings!!. I will be back to Firenze for sure and if I do so, I will be back again in Soggiorno AnnaMaria. Totally recomended!!.

7.7

PROS: clean, secure room that was serviced daily; close to main train station; friendly & helpful owners; good continental b'fast brought into room every morning; minded bags on last day. CONS: Small room; lots of street noise, especially morning and night; not easy to find the hotel due to confusing street numbering.

8.8

Anna Maria and her husband were so welcoming. They greated us each morning at the time of our choosing in our rooms with Cappucino, juice, and pastries. The room was very clean as was the bathroom. Our room was right on the street so there was noise from the traffic and people outside. But that made us feel at home. They also have rooms off the street so if you are sensitive to noise, request one of those rooms. Bring an alarm clock if want to get up and do things. None of the hotels or B&B's we stayed in had alarm clocks.

9.1

It's our first time in Florence, and the B&B leave the fantastic impression to us. The owner (old couple) is welcome and helpful, the room is located in the central area and easy to access all the views, also it only takes 5 minutes walk to the railway station. Since we booked the room without breakfast, so no comments on it

7.3

Very large rooms in Katti's House, but very noisy two nightclubs & near busy early morning market,but it somehow added to it's charm. Annamaria recommended two great restaurants. There was a problem with paying by Debit Card, Visa Cards on departure, we had to go to a bank & withdraw cash. We nearly missed our train to Venice.

9.2

We had a very good stay overall. The hosts were both nice. However, they spoke very little English. We did have one main problem which is that there are two properties under this name at addresses #21 and #24. Even though we were staying in #24 (a short distance down the same street), we had to go to #21 first to ask them to open the door. But we were fruitlessly waiting at #24 for a long time for somebody to show up and open it because we could not understand the instructions given on the phone in Italian (despite several phone calls). So it would be nice if the hosts sent clear instructions in English by e-mail of exactly what to do. Anyway it all worked out in the end and we had a great stay.

5.3

Soggiorno Annamaria is very near the train station in Florence and is an easy walk. We found it a bit difficult to find and had to rely on our GPS unit. It is on a nice cobblestone street in an area with stores and businesses of all types. There is a very nice store for an artist who makes amazing masks nearby. There was also a nice selection of restaurants to choose from nearby. Our favourite was Nerone's and I would highly recommend it. We should have ate there everyday. From the B&B you can walk to most of the main attractions of Florence. The area is quite nice. There is quite a bit of activity on the street at night and lots of young people around but we always felt safe and comfortable. To check in you will need to walk down the street a bit further to Katti House (I believe). Our double room was quite small. There was no mini bar as advertised, but we didn't really care. The room was reasonably quiet at night. We had trouble with mosquitos in this B&B though and it was quite annoying. The worst aspect of Soggiorno Annamaria is that the room was very dusty. All the ledges above the doors, etc, had thick layers of dust. The room bothered my wife's allergies alot. There is no breakfast provided. Also, the building had a funny smell but it did not smell inside the rooms thankfully. There are plenty of stair to climb to get to your room so be prepared for that. I would recommend staying in this area of Florence but would probably look for another B&B to stay at. We would like to return to Florence again and we will stay someplace else.

7.9

Non prendete la colazione in camera!!!

9.2

We found AnnaMarie to be a very gracious hostess. We liked being within walking distance of so many sites and resturants. We were a little unsure of finding her when we arrived at the door. She had a note posted to her address down the street. We would stay with her again.

9.9

This was one of our favorite places to stay in Italy. No one was around when we arrived, but a sign on the door told us where to find Annamaria. When we found her she was very gracious and told us all about the building and the restoration. We really enjoyed talking with her and learning about Florence. The location was fantastic - near the train station, but not noisy, and very close to duomo. No breakfast but that was okay.

8.4

For the most part, we were happy with our stay, and Francesco and Annamaria could not have been more pleasant. However, we were not permitted access to air conditioning until the third hot day, and the telephone access mentioned in the hotel description was a public phone on the street, two floors down.

10

the couple were terrific, very kind and helpful, the husband, kindly carried our bags to the street, called a cab and make sure he understood our needs, i will surly stay withe the family again.

7.8

The room we stayed in was very nice. It was clean and nicely decorated. As plenty of other people have mentioned in their reviews, the market traders make a lot of noise when they're setting up, closing down - by dragging their trolleys over the cobble stones outside the B&B. To be honest, it never really bothered us. I suppose if we'd wanted a lie-in it would have woken us up, but we were up and about early every day. The one gripe I have - and it is mentioned in numerous other reviews - is the bed & BREAKFAST issue. There was NO breakfast. Despite the confirmation print-off that clearly stated I'd asked for bed & breakfast, we were told that we couldn't have one & would have to pay an additional ten euros per day if we did. We opted not to. Their are loads of cafe / coffee bars in Florence and we just went there instead.

9.6

The owners of Soggiorno AnnaMaria are very nice, welcoming hosts. The house is in an excellent location, with the City Market on one side and San Lorenzo on the other. Being located in between the station and the Dom, we never needed transportation. The house and our room added to the general atmosphere in Florence. Beautiful decor and old, but elegant structures. The bathroom had just been redone in a lovely Italian style. We highly recommend this place.

9.8

Very good place to stay, close to everything at Firenze, and the owners were very kind.

9.8

My husband and I found Soggiorno AnnaMaria one of our favorite landing places. Florence has many choices, but the AnnaMaria meets and exceeds every requirement we hoped for. We would choose to stay there over and over again. The husband and wife team are so friendly and accomodating. The rooms are fresh and new--without losing the historical ambiance of the building. We enjoyed two rooms here. One was especially commodious. The baths are attractive and comfortable. We chose to stay on the street side of the hotel...there was some noise from the carts from the open air market as they closed shop and bumped down the cobblestones outside. The windows are double paned and close out much of the temporary noise should you choose. For us, it was an experience of the city which we would not have missed. The location is wonderful. A block away is an open air market (larger than the leather market of the Boar) and even more interesting was the central market where locals and visitors rub elbows as they shop for exceptional food items. The Annamaria has an agreement with a nearby coffee and bakery bar where you will enjoy a latte and fabulous pastery in the morning. Nearby eateries are very good. I recommend the hotel most enthusiastically for those who enjoy local color, kind and helpful hosts, and clean attractive rooms with arched hallways and frescoes. If you are a traveler that needs constant desk attention and food on the premises, you would want to look elsewhere. But for travelers who enjoy a historical perspective, and enjoy hosts that go out of their way to make your stay everything that it could be, this is the place for you. I only hope its future popularity will permit us to stay there again.

9.7

Great location! We joked that it is 2 blocks from everything. The room was spotless, large for Italy & obviously newly refurbished. The bathroom was all new. Couldn't have been nicer.

9.9

Very difficult to find but worth every hour of looking. Very convenient location, wonderful staff, clean room. You don’t need a vehicle to get to anything, as you are centrally located. Definitely request a rear room to avoid the street noise.

10

The location was quite convenient however and the rooms are lovely but it is about 50 meters from Piazza and unless you are a very sound sleeper you will be awake most of the nite. the positive is its in center walking distance to everything; the negative is its in center it is always very very noicy.

9.9

This B&B was everything we wanted. The room was quiet, clean and spacious, the location central (close to train station) and the staff welcoming. I will be recommending it to my friends.

7.6

We were accommodated not in Soggiorno Annamaria, but in Katti House, which is under the same management. On arrival we had a little diffulty finding it, walking on a hot afternoon from the station (the distance does not warrant a taxi-ride), as the location on the map was a little indistinct; they could have written, "from the station you go..." The man-about-house, Francesco, was very helpful and cheery. He has no English, which pleased me as I was keen to practice my Italian, and most of the people you talk to have a frustrating habut of replying in English! The room was large and airy, and the bathroom (shower without bath) similarly. Anna Maria also has no English, but is good at waving her hands around expressively. Via Faenza is a narrow and busy street, but very noisy at night. There are the dust-carts - only too necessary as so many tourists have unbelievably filthy habits - then there are the late-night parties with people talking and laughing at the tops of their voices (again many of them doubtless tourists); then there are the market stalls being pulled along in the morning. But I don't think you should go to Italy if you expect peace and quiet. Although this is described as bed-and-breakfast, the latter is not provided, though their breakfast bar is being installed. We were taken by Anna Maria to a breakfast cafe - then she added the charge to her bill! The great plus is that it is very central to everywhere. We spent a week there, and on the whole were very satisfied with it.

10

Very safe place to stay. The property was lovely and the owners were welcoming and warm. The location was perfect. I have no complaints at all and I would recommend it to anyone.

9.2

The room we had was facing the street, and therefore a little noisy- the market is only around the corner and the stalls were pushed past the window. However, the place is near to everything. The couple who run the place are lovely and friendly. We would definitely stay there again, only ask for a room in the back.

9.6

I could write a novel about this wonderful place to stay. Of the 6 locations I stayed over 2 weeks, this was one of the best. I generally travel for business and have discerning tastes, but lowered my standards a bit for this holiday (from 4/5 start to 2/3). Soggiorno Annamaria is immaculate (mostly), charming, and very comfortable. The staff was very friendly and helpful, decor was perfectly matched to the city and well - I loved it. Since it was just renovated last year, it still has a crispness to it that is not always the case in places like this. Other wonderful surprises, I will let you discover yourself. Two things/warnings: you will probably not find the hotel easily. It is marked with a small brass plate but even if you do find it, it won't be of any use since you have to go to Katti House to check in. As you discover this, the gypsies will be sizing you up so before you get there, have a clear picture in your head of where you are going [Anna Maria is on the left, Katti House is about 50 feet further down the road on the right if you are walking from the train station]. Don’t worry about the gypsies, this is a very safe block. The merchants and residents keep a watchful eye on things – you are very safe, but until you get adjusted you may have your doubts. The other thing - bring earplugs. I am an extremely heavy sleeper and there is no way i could have slept without a pair of quality earplugs. This is the nature of Florence since there is an abundance of merchants that have to roll their carts through the streets at 5 or 6 am. It's not a problem, just be prepared. One good tip, a bit further down the road is an internet point (red awning) where they will transfer your digitals to CD. I didn’t do this, figuring I would find the service in other locations. Ha ha!!! A bird in hand…

8.2

Annamaria and her family were friendly. The room was comfortable for us.

10

This was perfect. Small, very clean, quiet, convenient to all sites and the train. A great pensione experience and would stay here again. The restaurant across the street was terrific and the pastry shops at both ends of the street were excellent also great. Say hello to Franceso and Maria, they are wonderful hosts.

10

This is one place I will come back to over and over again. First of all the room and bathroom where spacious, clean and with all the necessary amenities (don’t let the 3 stars turn you off). After traveling for 3 weeks in Europe and staying at over 12 hotels I must say that this was definitely the best value. The owners are extremely friendly and made every effort to make us feel at home, try even joined us for dinner. If you are traveling by train and need to drag your luggage around town... don't!!! This place is two plus blocks from the train depot and perfectly located. We had a barbershop, convenient store, pastry shop, cinema and an incredible hole in the wall restaurant, all within the same block. Behind our building (1 block away) was the local merchants/vendors row, her you can find most souvenirs. Three blocks away turn left and there is the Duomo. The location was just as impressive as the price and the hospitality. Believe me after staying at 4 and 5 stars hotels during our trip this was definitely the way to go. I live in San Francisco but I left my heart in Florence. If you want to feel like a “local” for a few days, stay here!!! Francesco, Annamaria and Kattie (daughter) will make you feel at home. Mario M. from San Francisco

8.4

We loved the area, the room was spotless and the noise was minimal. The only complaint we had is that on the website for this hotel, it indicated air conditioning and credit card welcomed but when we arrived we had to pay an extra 10 Euros for A/C and they would not accept credit card. They wanted cash only.

8.8

Francisco was friendly but we did not like it when he told us that we had to pay an extra 10 Euro/day to use the Air Conditioning. The room (including bathroom) was clean although the floor could be mopped. Our feet got dirty and we had to wash it before getting into bed. Also he told us that the credit card machine broke but said that it may be fixed when we check out. It was and we did not have any problem charging our room at check out. We did not like the auto timer for the bathroom light and that the AC shut down automatically in early morning. Having said the negative points above we thought that we got great value for our money even with the extra money for the air conditioning. The location is very close to the train station and the shops. The place was clean and comfortable. My recommendation to the owner is to raise the price 10-20 Euro up front and stop trying to get a few extra Euro from the customers. That would improve the atmosphere and our enjoyment greatly. We would stay here again because it is a good value, good location, and clean. It just that you should know what to expect. The owners seem to be nice people and I hate to sound so negative in the review.

9.3

Despite the fact that Fransesco's English was almost non-existant, we felt extremely welcomed and were delighted by his friendlieness. The rooms were clean and tastefully decorated and the location was exceptionally convenient. Breakfast is NOT included in this hotel--even though it's listed as a "bed and breakfast." However, we actually prefered getting our own breakfast as you usually pay an extra 20 Euros (per couple) for what basically amounts to bread, cheese and Nutella (if you're lucky). Our only complaint was the air conditioning which mysteriously seemed to switch to "fan mode" in the middle of the night. Otherwise an excellent, friendly place we'd highly recommend.

9.3

Excellent location - an easy walk from the train station, and you may take a luggage cart, ("carrello") from the station so long as you bring it back. Very short walk to the Duomo - we saw all the sights on foot only. The area has very good restaurants nearby and felt perfectly safe. The hotel is adjacent to the Mercato Centrale, where leather, etc. is sold outside, and all kinds of food items inside - certainly worth a look. The hotel is lovely and looked at least as good as on the website. We had a large room with a large closet, good mattress, good linens and towels, good tv, and brand new modern bathroom. Breakfast was one cappuccino and one brioche at a nearby bar, which we enjoyed each day, especially since you could get it at any hour that you wanted. The best part, however, is Annamaria and her husband, Francisco, who were extremely friendly and accommodating, although their English is limited. If you have any Italian blood, be sure to tell her. There was no problem with the price quoted, and Annamaria made it clear when we checked in that she took only cash. There were about 20 marble steps up to the rooms. The only problem we had is that the air-conditioning, which is installed in all rooms, was not working during an unexpected heat wave in early June, so we had to leave the window open, and the early morning street noise was deafening. As New Yorkers, and very good sleepers, we did not think that street noise would bother us, but, as the vendors wheeled their carts to the markets each morning, it sounded like cement trucks coming right into the room. We would certainly look forward to staying there again, provided that we were assured that the air-conditioning was working, and would probably try to get one of the back rooms instead of one whose window was right on Via Faenza. On balance, however, I would say that the welcome and assistance we got from Annamaria and Francisco made our visit so pleasant that the problem seems minor in

9.8

The hotel was simple, clean and the owner made the visit extremely nice. She went out of her way to welcome and help us with anything we needed. The only thing that could have made our stay better would be air-conditioning.

9.7

The soggiorno is on the second floor of a 3-floor building. The building was recently renovated and is in excellent condition. The Dome and the train station are within 10 minutes walking distance. We stayed in a room overlooking Via Faenza. I don't know if this was the room where the knights from Malta sojourned, but we liked it a lot. The room was very spacious and had plenty of light. The ceiling consisted of wood beams which gave the room a medieval flavor. All fixtures in the room and bathroom were in top condition. The floors were tiled and everything was kept very clean. There was no breakfast included, but the street below had many pasticerias where you could get a good breakfast. The street was noisy, especially early in the morning when the peddlars pushed their merchandise carts on the cobbled street. The host, Maria, was very nice and friendly.

4.5

The bed and breakfast offers no breakfast. The rooms are very noisy, the street is never quiet. In addition, when it comes time to pay they claim they can't accept non Italian credit cards, and we haad to take out cash from machines, which is much more expensive. I think she just doesn't wan't to pay the fees to the credit card company. The rooms were small, and overall, not a very good deal.

10

Francesco was a wonderful and accomodating host. He offered tips on where to park the car and where to eat- mentioning his name seemed to get us a discount everywhere! The Annamaria is located in a beautifully restored old building just a few blocks from the Duomo. It was central enough for us to come back to the room for mini-breaks during our walking tours of Florence. Highly recommend Walking Tours of Florence which is located near the Ponte Vecchio- English speaking art students that provide phenomneal tours of the Uffuzi and city during the day and night. Would definitely recommend Annamaria to everyone.

9.6

This is an excellent, recently remodeled property. Hosts were very friendly and kept the room spotless. Be aware though, as can happen frequently in Florence: There are two number 24's on this street. The right location has a sign with the B&B name on it out front.

9.3

Great place to spend time in Florence. Rooms are spacious, new and with original tuscany style tales, the stairs have original "affreschi" from the 17th century, the owners are kind and helpful. Close to the train station, it is also close to shops, restaurants, bars and pizzerias open till very late, and many many internet cafes. PS: the pictures on the site do not show the real good features.

9.8

What an incredible surprise Soggiorno Ann Maria was and the sister facility Katti House which is located one block away on the same street, Via Faenza. The owners of the hotels made me feel as though I was one of the family and always were there for assistance. Francesco and Maria Puzzella are to be commended for the high standards they maintain in throughout the hotels. I literaly felt I was among friends and family. When walking down the street one evening and to hear someone call out my name only to find out that it was Francesco walking home and he pointed out that I walked past the door to the hotel! What an incredible kind gesture and it is one that I will not forget! I know that I have found a home away from home in the two of these hotels and in my mind, there is certainly no other place to stay in Firenze! Another outstanding feature is the fact that I walked directly from the train station to the hotel in less than 10 minutes! Dropped off my luggage and then went around the corner to the Mercato Centrale for lunch at Nerbone's which became my daily hangout for the best food for low cost. HIGHEST RECOMMENDATIONS! FIVE STARS AT A FIVE STAR PRICE! Get thee to Katti House or Soggiorno Anna Maria