Hotel Abaco - Florence

This was stop number 3 of 5 Venere hotels throughout Europe during our trip. Really enjoyed it, one of our favorites! It was very easy to find, only about a 5-10 min walk from the train station and most tourists attractions. The Duomo is right down the street, you can almost see it from the doorway. We never once used public transportation, everything was within a very small, easily walkable radius. Drawbacks--located on 4th floor of building. No elevator that I could see, so you have to carry your luggage. We only had carryons so we were fine. If you can't climb stairs or have a ridiculous amount of luggage (which I don't recommend anyway because its a real problem lugging through train stations and the uneven streets in Florence) this is not the hotel for you. The host, Alice, spoke little English but was able to communicate (definitely spoke more English than I spoke Italian). She was very nice and kept the hotel very clean. We had a double room. Very large, window that opened onto the street, TV and desk. We had our own shower and sink, but not toilet. The shower and sink were clean and in a glass cubicle in the corner of the room--quite common for Europe. There were 2 toilets down the hall and we never had to wait on anyone being in them. Breakfast was typical, mostly carbs, but she did have a cappuccino/espresso machine and would make your caffeine choice for you. We also had WiFi, which was a huge plus. Really liked the architecture. It felt like were were living in a Renaissance apartment, not something you will likely get at a large chain hotel. Would recommend to anyone! We had a great time!