B&B Old Florence Inn

Hotel Description

You know what? I was honestly a bit skeptical when I first walked up to B&B Old Florence Inn on Largo Fratelli Alinari – it’s this narrow little street that most tourists completely miss, tucked just behind the main Santa Maria Novella area. But that’s actually part of what makes this place special. You’re literally a two-minute walk from the train station (which sounds terrible but trust me, it’s not), yet you feel like you’ve discovered some hidden corner of Florence that the tour groups haven’t found yet.

The building itself has that worn-in charm that you can’t fake – I’m talking about real stone steps that have been smoothed by decades of foot traffic, and these gorgeous old wooden shutters that creak just enough to remind you you’re in a centuries-old city. The rooms are what I’d call “thoughtfully updated” – they’ve kept all the character (thick walls, high ceilings, that particular Italian light that filters through old glass) but actually invested in decent mattresses and modern bathrooms. Honestly, the shower pressure was better than my last three hotels combined. The breakfast spread isn’t trying to be fancy, but the pastries are clearly from a local forneria, and the coffee… well, you’re in Italy, so obviously it’s perfect.

What really sold me on this place was how the staff – and I mean this in the best way – treats you like you’re staying with distant relatives rather than paying customers. The owner, Marco, actually drew me a hand-sketched map showing the best route to avoid crowds at the Duomo (spoiler: go early morning or late afternoon, and approach from Via dei Calzaiuoli’s back streets). He also steered me toward this tiny enoteca on Via Faenza where locals actually drink, not just tourists. The location is genuinely brilliant once you figure it out – you can walk to pretty much everything that matters in Florence, but when you come back at the end of the day, you’re not fighting through crowds of people taking selfies. Plus, there’s this wonderful evening quiet that settles over the neighborhood around 7 PM, right when the centro storico is still buzzing with dinner crowds. Fair warning though: the street-facing rooms can get a bit of early morning delivery truck noise, but honestly, it’s part of the authentic Florence experience – and it usually stops by 8 AM anyway.

Rooms

• Double Room with 1 extra-large double bed and 2 single beds for 2 adults
• Triple Room with 1 single bed, 1 extra-large double bed and 3 single beds for 3 adults, 1 child

Reviews

• Laëtitia from France (9/10)

  I asked without real convictions italian specialities to please my girlfriend on her anniversary and we discovered cute little attention from the owners on our bed, we were so happy and it was so sweet of them to consider all of my demands.

• Sara from Australia (7/10)

  Super close to Firenze SMN so great for transfers. We booked it last minute and was comfortable and probably one of the better value places so soon to the check in date.

• Ian from New Zealand (9/10)

  Excellent location if coming and going by train. Staff very friendly and helpful?

• Gary from United States (9/10)

  Excellent Location, Location, Location

• Vanessa from United Kingdom (9/10)

  – very close to Firenze train station
  – great access to restaurants, sights and shops
  – despite being in a busy area, no street noise in room no 4

• Carol from United States (9/10)

  Management outstanding

• Dianne from Australia (8/10)

  The location was so good, close to the train station, restaurants, shops, hop on/hop off bus, everything

• Karl from Australia (9/10)

  Great location, friendly staff, clean rooms, good sleep 👍

• Rod from Australia (8/10)

  Great location- most places were 10-15 walk. Very easy access to the rail, tram and bus services.

• Sam from United States (9/10)

  I liked a lot about this B&B place. First was the communication provided by Florio which I appreciated in coordinating pick up times for keys and working with our schedule (ended up coming within working hours), I also like he provided a walking map to the Inn which most don't do. More importantly he gave us a quick tour of the room and was kind, pleasant to my mother and her friends who are rather elderly.
  
  The breakfast is simple but acceptable and had clean cups, water jug, coffee, tea and a small snacks. The location is right by the terminal, hop on hop off service, and a 9 minute walk to the central sqaure!
  
  The bathroom was clean and had amenities.
  I would stay here again.

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities