Located 2 metro stops off the T1 line or just about a 15min walk from the main train station, the hotel is perfectly located to mee the needs of every traveller. A 20 min walk to the city center means all the tourist spots are relatively close by and easy to access. The rooms are adequate and comfortable. The only problem may be the noise coming from the hallway.
Getting Here
The hotel is conveniently located across the street from the 1st stop after the main train station on the T1 line. If you don’t feel like paying the 1.50 Euro for the short trip, it’s about a 15 min walk from the train station. The only time you might be tempted to pay the fee is after a long day of sightseeing where you’re just tired of walking. It’s located in a quiet neighborhood with plenty of places to go for a quick bite or even snacks at a grocery store.
The Hotel
The AC hotel is 5 stories tall with the basement level that houses the underground parking as well as the onsite gym. The gym isn’t large but it certainly serves a purpose and I’m sure it’s more than adequate for anyone wanting a quick workout while on vacation. I think the parking garage is a greater selling feature though since there’s a good chance you might want to rent a car and drive through Tuscany.
The first floor is the lobby and the restaurant/bar area. I didn’t eat breakfast at the hotel so I can’t comment on the quality of the food but judging by the number of people who were there every morning, I’m guessing it was pretty popular. At night, you could get a nightcap here if you wanted.
One the top floor, they had a sundeck with lounges set up as well as showers if the summers get a little warm and you wanted to cool off. That’s accessed by going to the 4th floor and then walking upstairs to the solarium. I didn’t see access to it from the 5th floor and it looked like rooms on the 5th floor had their own private patio areas.
The room
I was given room 218 which was the last room at the end of the hallway (always a good sign). I believe I was upgraded to a Standard Plus King room which was 2 twin beds pushed together to form a king along with a sitting area of sorts. I actually would have preferred a room with a desk so that I could plug in everything and get work done a little more comfortably (typing at a low coffee table just isn’t that comfortable for me).
As you walk in, you’ll need to find that slot to put your room key (or credit card, piece of paper, key to previous hotel, etc) along the wall. Since my train was late, my arrival was subsequently late. Add that housekeeping had closed the curtains completely meant that I was arriving to a bat cave. If they had a camera showing my struggle to find the stupid key slot to turn on the lights, the staff would have been dying of laughter.
As I walked in, the first thing was the bathroom. It wasn’t anything fancy but just the basics with a toilet, bidet, and shower/tub combo. The sink was of clear glass (which must me a nighmare for the house keeping staff to clean) and next to that was were other toiletries like a hair cap, shoe shine glove, facial pads, etc. The bathroom wasn’t big but it made good use of the space and it had everything you’d need.
As you walked into the room, there was a coffee maker, safe, and mini fridge all located together. The only annoying part was trying to fill the coffee maker with water since it was at a weird height for me (I’m 5’10”) and I basically had to pull the entire machine out to fit the water carafe. The mini bar was fully stocked with beer, water, and juice as well as snacks.
The main bed was created by pushing 2 twins together so it wasn’t ideal for sleeping but it got the job done. Next to that was a seating area for 2 which was nice but it was there in leiu of a desk which I would have much better preferred. Opposite the bed was the closet which I honestly didn’t notice at first since it so neatly tucked away into the space. The doors just slid open.
The downside to the room was that you couldn’t get the fan or the AC to turn on below 68. Many probably feel like that’s plenty cold but I really have a hard time sleeping to begin with and anything remotely close to warm makes it worse. Luckily I was able to open the window and allow for the breeze (even though it did rain the final night).
A great selling point to the room was the door to the bedroom. I dont’ know if that’s something that’s only available for certain room types or if that’s a feature for all the rooms but having a door that acted as a 2nd buffer to the noise from the hallway was fantastic. It seemed like all the hotel guests were staying on the 2nd floor and it was so loud hearing doors slam shut or conversations in the hallway. As you walked by the rooms, you could also hear people talking, hair dryers blowing, or even the TV. The sounds just seemed to carry through the hallway so having that 2nd door was really helpful in minimizing the noise polution.
As I walked in, the staff had left a bottle of Tuscan wine as well as a small container of fruit jellys as a welcome gift for my Titanium status. The small touches are certainly appreciated and always welcome by me.
Final Thoughts
The AC Firenze hotel is a fine hotel in Florence. Great location, easy to get to, and a short to medium length walk to the major tourist parts of the city, it’s great for any traveller who doesn’t want to spend a fortune. Although the noise within the hotel was a bit loud, the surrounding area is quiet. The saff were friendly and helpful and the fact that there’s onsite parking will be a great point for those driving across the country.