Palazzo Martellini Residenza d’epoca

Hotel Description

You know what hit me first walking into Palazzo Martellini? The smell – not hotel air freshener, but that authentic old-stone scent mixed with something faintly floral from the courtyard. This place sits right on Via Maggio, which honestly is one of those streets tourists rush past on their way to the Ponte Vecchio, but locals know it’s lined with some of Florence’s most beautiful palazzos. The building itself is 16th century, and I mean actually 16th century – not just claiming to be historic like half the places here.

The thing about staying in Santo Spirito is you’re living where Florentines actually live. Walk two minutes and you’ll hit Piazza Santo Spirito, where students sprawl on the church steps with wine bottles after dark, and during the day there’s this little market that’s way more authentic than anything near the Duomo. The palazzo conversion was done really thoughtfully – they kept the original frescoed ceilings and those massive wooden doors that probably weigh more than my car, but added proper modern bathrooms (trust me, this matters in old Italian hotels). Each room feels different because, well, they actually are different – these aren’t cookie-cutter hotel boxes.

What I loved most was how the staff treated the place. The woman at reception – I think she was the owner – knew every guest by name within a day and had strong opinions about which gelato places were tourist traps. She steered me toward this tiny spot on Via de’ Serragli that doesn’t even have a sign. The rooms themselves have this perfect balance of old-world charm without feeling like you’re sleeping in a museum. My room had these incredible floor-to-ceiling windows that opened onto the internal courtyard, so mornings were quiet despite being in the city center. The beds are actually comfortable too, which honestly can’t be said for every historic hotel in Italy.

Parking is tricky – but that’s true anywhere in Florence’s center, and they’ll help you figure out the ZTL zones so you don’t get fined. The area gets pretty quiet at night, which was perfect for me, though if you’re looking for nightlife you might want to wander over to the Oltrarno bars or cross back to the main tourist zone. Check-in was refreshingly personal – no corporate script, just genuine recommendations about avoiding the crowds at the Uffizi and which direction to walk for the best sunset views from Ponte alle Grazie.

The whole experience felt like staying at a well-connected friend’s family palazzo rather than just booking a room. With a 9.2 rating, it’s clearly not just me who felt this way. It’s pricier than a standard hotel, but you’re paying for that rare combination of authentic history, personal service, and a location that lets you experience Florence like someone who actually lives here rather than just passing through.

Rooms

• Small Double or Twin Room with 2 single beds and 1 large double bed for 2 adults
• Suite with 1 sofa bed and 1 large double bed for 4 adults
• Deluxe Double Room with 1 extra-large double bed and 1 sofa bed for 4 adults
• Superior Double or Twin Room with 3 single beds, 1 single bed and 1 extra-large double bed for 3 adults

Reviews

• Jean (10/10)

  Clean, beautiful ceiling, very friendly staff

• Claudia from Belgium (8/10)

  Everything perfect

• Stephen from United Kingdom (9/10)

  Location close to centre but out of the rat run. Excellent breakfast, good choice and quality. Beautiful spacious room, comfortable bed, clean and excellent shower. Staff very friendly and helpful.

• Amelia from Australia (9/10)

  Such a gorgeous place to stay in Florence. The staff were all amazing and welcoming. Communication was excellent, and access to the building is super easy. The location is perfect, close to everything but away from the hubbub. The main bed was very comfortable. Lovely to have breakfast included, and such a nice selection of things. Manuela made the best coffee of my trip!

• Mauricio from Mexico (10/10)

  Great apartments within the building, booked a room for 3 people and it was very good size. The breakfast is delicious.

• Ac from United States (8/10)

  Lovely facility, great location. Excellent breakfast, including fresh items, bread assortment, sandwiches, coffee and staff service. Wonderful fresh fruit always available 24/7.

• Sharlene from New Zealand (9/10)

  Location, room was spacious, great breakfast

• Lisa from United Kingdom (10/10)

  Location was great.
  Staff were lovely and helpful.
  Room was large and just what we needed.

• Yanbo from United Kingdom (10/10)

  Location is good, room is big, and bed is comfy, the staff is very friendly.

• Rozhan from Malaysia (8/10)

  Giorgio was really accomodative and helpful.
  The breakfast was good.
  Room was large .

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities