Santa Croce Garden Apartment

Hotel Description

You know what caught me off guard about Santa Croce Garden Apartment? It’s tucked away on Via dei Macci, which honestly feels like you’ve stumbled into one of those Florence neighborhoods that tourists usually miss – but you’re still just a three-minute walk from the Basilica di Santa Croce. I mean, when I first walked down this street, I passed actual Florentines hanging laundry and chatting with their neighbors, not just gelato shops and souvenir stands.

The apartment itself has this lived-in elegance that’s hard to fake. The garden (and there actually is one, which surprised me since so many places just throw “garden” in the name) creates this little oasis where you can hear birds instead of Vespas for once. The rooms feel authentically Florentine – high ceilings, terracotta tiles that have clearly seen decades of life, and windows that open wide instead of those tiny hotel slits. What really won me over was the kitchen setup – it’s not just a mini-fridge and microwave situation, but a proper space where you could actually cook with ingredients from the Sant’Ambrogio market, which is basically around the corner. The whole place has this warmth that makes you feel like you’re staying in someone’s well-loved home rather than a sterile accommodation.

Here’s the thing about the location that the address doesn’t tell you – you’re in the heart of the Oltrarno spirit but on the “regular” side of the river. Via dei Macci connects you to Via di San Giuseppe, where locals actually shop for groceries and hardware supplies. There’s this little café called Ditta Artigianale just down the street that serves legitimately good coffee (not tourist coffee), and the evening passeggiata flows right past your door. The Santa Croce piazza can get absolutely mobbed during peak season, but stepping back onto Via dei Macci feels like entering a different world – quieter, more residential, but still buzzing with that neighborhood energy. I stayed here in September, and honestly, falling asleep to the sound of people walking home from dinner instead of tour groups was exactly what I needed. The 9.3 rating makes perfect sense once you experience how thoughtfully everything’s been put together – from the way the light filters through the garden in the morning to the fact that the shower actually has decent water pressure, which, let’s be real, isn’t always guaranteed in historic Florence buildings.

Rooms

• Two-Bedroom Apartment with 2 × 1 large double bed and 1 sofa bed for 5 adults, 1 child

Reviews

• Sarah from Canada (10/10)

  The location of this property can’t be beat! It was clean and well taken care of and very comfortable.

• Morag from United Kingdom (9/10)

  The apartment was well equipped and in an excellent location. Alina, our host, could not have been more helpful. She even booked taxis for us. Nice welcoming touches. Nice outdoor space.

• Marissa from Canada (10/10)

  The property was very well situated (central and a grocery store literally 1 min away), super well stocked, great touches like the beautiful courtyard (pictured), kitchen tools (multiple coffee makers to choose from) and the host was Exceptionally Helpful!

• Debbie from United Kingdom (9/10)

  Amazing location. Loved the outside space. The apartment was so well equipped with water, milk, tea, coffee and biscuits and even a bottle of fizz.

• Hilary from United Kingdom (10/10)

  Amazing apartment in the centre of Florence. The host was fabulous. Alina was in constant contact on Whats App – replying really quickly. We arranged to pick up keys from lock box and were sent pictures and information – all really easy. Apartment was stunning – really clean with lots of additional extras to help make your stay perfect. Outside space was fabulous – loads of space with a table and chairs large enough to have dinner if we had wanted. Location was perfect – 10 mins walk to Paizza Della Signoria and so close to others. The host was also really flexible with us on departure and booked a taxi for us to take to airport. Thoroughly recommend!!

• Floyd from United States (10/10)

  The garden

• Ben from United Kingdom (8/10)

  Great location near Santa Croce. Child friendly apartment with great garden space.

• Becca from Canada (10/10)

  Amazing location in the centre of Florence and lovely host. This was perfect for what we needed and would stay here again if we are in Florence. We particularly loved the courtyard space.

• Karen from United Kingdom (10/10)

  Lovely clean apt excellent location. Host was available to get any information we needed whilst visiting Florence. The outdoor space was perfect for our evening relaxing. A very enjoyable holiday.

• Hanne from Denmark (10/10)

  Outstanding host! She helped us with so many things (taxi, how to send a letter and guidance when our baby fell from the bed etc.) The apartment was clean and comfortable. We highly recommend this place.

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities