Would you spend the night in what used to be a women's prison in the 12th century?…read more The Pagliazza Tower is the oldest building in Florence. It was built in the 6th century AD by the Byzantines as part of the "newer" city walls to augment the older Roman ones and protect the city during the Gothic War. The circular shape, which was rare in the Middle Ages, reflects ancient Roman building techniques. The tower rests on a circular wall that surrounded a swimming pool or Roman thermal bath. In the basement there is a calidarium, with brick floor channels for heat, which would have been used for steam baths. According to our guide, Roberta, it was used as a women's prison in the 12th century. Pagliazza references the straw mat bedding upon which the inmates slept. Later on, it was converted into the bell tower of a church. Eventually it was acquired as a private residence. Today it is home to a luxury hotel with a small museum and restaurants. The museum showcases artifacts from excavations dating back to the Roman and medieval times. Although we didn't stay here, the history of the Pagliazza Tower is very interesting.

"It's not where you live, it's how you live,"…read more It's nestled in the heart of Florence with rooms with a view of the Duomo - Duomo (English: /dwomo/, Italian: [dwmo]) is an Italian term for a church with the features of, or having been built to serve as a cathedral, whether or not it currently plays this role. Checking in was easy with an accommodating staff. The rooms are nice, but not fabulous, The elevator system confuses everyone! The breakfast (complementary for us) was quite good. While the location is fabulous and the staff quite nice, I expected a slightly nicer room for the price, but as they say, location, location, location.

The view is nice from their rooftop bar,, but my experience was really upsetting. The waitress took…read moreforever to even come by, and when I decided to leave, she confronted me harshly about a picture I had taken on my phone. I wasn't even given a chance to read the paper about "no photos", instead she pressured me to go through my phone and delete the photo, even from my "recently deleted" album, while giving me a nasty attitude. I decided to comply because I didn't want any issues, but I'm writing this review so others are aware. It was completely unnecessary the way she went about it, and it ruined what should have been a nice experience.

Lovely rooftop bar in the hotel with a view of Duomo. Apparently the review needs 85 characters but…read moreI think I summed it up succinctly.

What an incredible stay we had here - the staff is incredibly kind and accommodating and the rooms…read moreare top notch. They were particularly attentive to our 13 month old who was traveling with us. You absolutely get what you pay for here, and we will definitely return. Thank you for a wonderful stay in Florence!

I love this hotel. It thus far has surpassed the experience I had at Portrait Suites in Rome…read more Luca greeted me at the door and offered sparkling water and champagne while I was in the sitting area waiting for them to check me in. All the meanwhile he provided a brief overview of highlights and services at the hotel. The highlights served as a refresher since my last trip here. The restaurant recommendations and offer to set up reservations will make the trip smooth. There is morning breakfast at the third floor or option to have it for room service (charge included in hotel rate). Finally the location is central to attractions in the town, dining, and temptations galore for shopping!

A well deserved 5 star rating. Classic Old World charm and elegance updated with impeccable service…read moreand quality. From afternoon tea in the lobby to drinks on the terrace during the Golden Hour this is a must splurge. Come dressed well and enjoy.

Exceptional hotel. The entire staff and Concierge team are some of the best I have seen in my…read moretravels. Food was great, rooftop bar newly renovated, rooms were clean, well appointed and spacious. Only wish was to have more English speaking TV channels when it came to winding down at night. Situated along the Arno River was within walking distance to anything you needed or wanted for your stay in Italy. Fun fact - Napoleon's sister Carolina Boneparte once owned and resided at the hotel and is buried in the Church across the street. Not to worry the ceilings were very tall! Hehe.

We stayed at this beautiful hotel while recently visiting Florence. One of the best things about…read morestaying here is its location, it's near everywhere you'd like to go. Florence is a great walking city and from this hotel, we walked to all the main sites. Our room was large with a comfortable bed and a large screen TV. Everything was very clean. We received full breakfasts which were excellent with lots of choices on the buffet. Great stay and definitely recommend if you're visiting Florence!

This review is for their restaurant. I guess Italy is the only place where I LOVED a meal at a…read morehotel. And the funny thing is we really just stumbled upon this amazing place. We were starving, it was rainy and just got off the train from Rome so we even had our luggage. The service was impeccable, they took care of our coats and luggage right away and seated us. The restaurant was peaceful and gorgeous. I still remember thinking "oh awkward we are underdressed for this!" I usually don't get impressed by decors of restaurants but the color and the elements and the layout of the restaurant somehow just gave me the relaxation I needed. We loved our entire experience but the highlight was the food. Every single dish was beautifully prepared and so so delicious. We fell in love with truffle here. And don't think we have had truffle that blew our mind elsewhere after (including Michelin two and three stars). I can taste the chefs mastery of the ingredients. No dish was overly complicated but each ingredient and sauce just complemented each other perfectly. You feel like you are in the forest where the food comes from. It's one of the meals I remember the most vividly, even after 4 years. Even on our culinary journey throughout Italy, this was a clear highlight. My only regret is we didn't purchase the truffle products here. I highly recommend this restaurant!

Beautiful boutique hotel just 2 blocks from the Domo. The squares. The staff is exceptional. Every…read morerestaurant the recommended was better than the last. They host a nightly cocktail hour in their lobby. The breakfast buffet is wonderful. They servers are friendly and will happily make lattes and cappuccinos. The rooms are spacious, clean and the blankets and sheets heavenly. Full bathroom with all the amenities.

We really loved our stay here. Location is perfect in the center of town on Piazza della…read moreRepubblica. Beautiful view of Duomo from guestroom. Great restaurants and shopping all around. Hotel is beautiful and service is great. There are spa services but does not have a great spa (better to visit the beautiful La Spa at Helvetia and Bristol a block away.) The daily breakfast is nice too.

My sister and I stayed at the Pensione for 3 nights, and it was a delightful stay. We researched,…read moreand this location is to die for! It is in the heart of Florence and a few minutes walk to everything. We had a deluxe double bed room, that overlooked the Piazza della Repubblica. At night, when the window was open, music from Caffè Paszkowski would filter in. The beds we comfortable and the bathroom was very clean. The complimentary breakfast was basic, but how can you go wrong with ACE juice and some Nutella on a pastry? Whenever I am in Florence again, I will be staying here!

This hotel is in a great location and the staff were friendly and helpful. However we asked for a…read moreroom upgrade which we got on the 2nd of our three nights and although it was a very large room would easily sleep 4 + and it overlooked the square the room was very tired looking and the scaffolding at the front spoiled the view. The bathroom was completely different though, very clean and quite modern. We had no way of making a drink or even keeping water cold as there was no fridge. The Internet connection was poor very slow and even unavailable for some of the time. Florence is a lovely city and we enjoyed our stay overall.

The hotel has a cute rooftop that is popular during sunset - although you can't really see much as…read morethe bar area is blocking the view. But nonetheless, it provides a romantic atmosphere. The cocktails were extremely pricey when we went in August 2025. I was here the first time in September 2010 and it was so nostalgic that I wanted to revisit the rooftop again. Snacks were provided with your drinks.

Stopped by for a drink, but the rooftop bar was closed for the season. The staff was very friendly!…read moreGorgeous location.

I stayed at the Hotel Duomo over Christmas. As a solo traveler I booked a single room. And while…read moreit was small, it was so perfect. The staff was amazing. I recommend adding the breakfast option bc it had the best of everything, American breakfast options, Italian breakfast options. They even left me a little gift for Xmas! And of course the location is so perfect. It's centrally located so you can stop back by your room to drop shopping bags, rest or use the bathroom (iykyk). Highly recommend!

FIVE STARS IS NOT ENOUGH. this place was INCREDIBLE. overlooks the city, clean, the staff all went…read moreout of their way to make your experience here as enjoyable as possible. The free snacks and teas and liquor was such a fun way to start off your day of adventuring through Florence.