Reviews of Accommodation in Florence
Palazzo Torrigiani - Conchita
Click image for all photos
Customer Reviews
Overall:
Very good. The apartment had everything we needed.
Enjoyed Most:
Location, well appointed apartment, nearby shops and restaurant, customer support. SKY TV with multiple news outlets was nice. Good security with doorman.
Unpleasant Surprises:
The couch. Near the end of stay the fan and elevator both conked out. The air conditioner worked, but it's loud. Stove heats living room which is not good during a heat wave. There's some traffic noise, but it dies down late nights. Editor's Note: The fan and elevator were repaired.
Surrounding Area:
Great fruit-vegetable store, bakery, and multiple restaurants nearby.
Nearby Events or Locales:
Florence is right outside the door.
Tips or Restaurants:
In addition to some good restaurants listed before by others, we really enjoyed Casalingua, located just off Plaza San Spirito. We did not think Bordino was as good as expected based on other recommendations. Negroni has free, good snacks with purchase of drink after 7:00 pm. Consider mosquito repellent.
Check In Out:
Laura and Doorman were great.
Kurt, July, 2009
Overall:
Great experience. Florence is beautiful, and the inhabitants are surprisingly friendly.
Enjoyed Most:
Location. Location. Location. Just across the Arno from the Uffizi. 2 minute walk to Ponte Vecchio.
Unpleasant Surprises:
A bit noisy unsurprisingly!. Couch and beds uncomfortable.
Surrounding Area:
What's not to like? Florence is a beautiful city, full of art and food! It was great to be so close to all of the action.
Tips or Restaurants:
Bring ear plugs if you aren't a sound sleeper, but that's the case for any apartment this close to the city center. If you plan to see several museums, look into getting a "Friends of the Uffizi" membership.
Check In Out:
If you are making any connections, be prepared to call if you will be late. I missed a connection in London and arrived 5 hours late. The local managers were very flexible, but only because I called from London.
Todd, June, 2009
Overall:
I was very impressed by the amenities in the apartment for the size I was paying for and expecting.
Enjoyed Most:
I appreciated having a washing machine, microwave, and refrigerator as well as the other appliances in the pantry that were available. The apartment was also in a very good location for seeing Florence.
Unpleasant Surprises:
There really was not a lot about the apartment that I did not like. The couch in the front room was not the most comfortable.
Surrounding Area:
We were right across the street from the Arno, the river that flows through Tuscany, and just a block from the Ponte Vecchio. There were many small, local shops near by with very friendly owners that we got to know while we there.
Nearby Events or Locales:
Fiesole is accessible by bus in Florence - a very nice 30 minute ride up the mountain side with wonderful views of Florence. I would recommend visiting it in the evening for a view of the sunset over the city.
Tips or Restaurants:
Mamma Gina's is a great restaurant a few blocks down turn left out of the apartment and pass the bridge, very friendly staff and delicious food. You can pack light since there is a washing machine. Also, because you have the use of the kitchen, you can definitely save money by buying food and cooking it yourself, there is a little shop just down the street again turn left, before the bridge that is very reasonable priced for fruits, veggies, pasta, and drinks. They recommended a 3 Euro bottle of wine that was very delightful.
Directions:
We took a taxi; it is on a major road so was very easy to find.
Karin, June, 2007
Overall:
Despite the shortcomings, our stay was enjoyable to a degree that permits us to
contemplate a return again to the same quarters for at least a month, assuming a functional sink.
Enjoyed Most:
The building and location were very attractive. The apartment was light and airy. The appointments were simple, but complete and satisfactory in all rooms.
Unpleasant Surprises:
The windows looked out of the building's rear away from the Arno toward a slightly higher building, about 30 feet away, 4 stories above a busy street that carried traffic in a direction opposite to that in front of the building throughout the day and night. This did not ruin our sleep but it could affect lighter sleepers.
Also the sink in the kitchen alcove was clogged beyond the ability of two plumber's efforts to repair. This urgently requires correction.
Surrounding Area:
The building is situated on a readily crossed road, despite frequent traffic which runs along the Arno as the name Lungarno implies. Across the Arno stands the sunlit - virtually all month - Uffizi museum and companion buildings. It allows
a view in 3 directions from the building front to appreciate the beauty of the city during the varied sunlight from morn to night.
Nearby Events or Locales:
Fiesole was the nearest town but required a 25 minute bus trip, round trip for 2 euros.
Tips or Restaurants:
Restaurants quite inexpensive but good - Sabatini, Casa Linga.
John, June, 2006
Overall:
Very nice and we were very satisfied.
Enjoyed Most:
Location, location, location. Nicely appointed clean property. Would recommend to anyone. Washing machine was a bonus. Property management team was a bonus - both Mr. Mauro the doorman and Laura. SKY TV was a bonus.
Unpleasant Surprises:
Sofa in living room was very uncomfortable.
Surrounding Area:
Close to everything. Right across the river from the Uffizi Gallery. Excellent.
Nearby Events or Locales:
Everything was within walking distance. All the local squares and museums. Train station a 20 minute walk that will take you anywhere you desire.
Tips or Restaurants:
The apartment has a guideline book with all good local restaurants, places to shop for food and also where to set up tours. Very self contained. Take along plastic storage bags.
Check In Out:
Very easy to get along with and very accommodating.
Dolorie, November, 2005
Enjoyed Most:
Mr. Mauro was so helpful and considerate, the nicest person we met in Italy. Location was good, near Ponte Vecchio, internet, grocery, gelato cafe. The microwave, American style coffee pot and toaster were great to have. We saved tons of money, ate better from our tiny kitchen than we did dining out. The handheld shower and tub combo is a plus since every other shower in Italy is smaller than a phone booth. Good thing we are skinny. Elevator is wonderful to have since you should plan on a lot of walking in Florence.
Unpleasant Surprises:
The noise! Major construction was going on next door. Jack hammers on the stone, then crashing into metal dumpsters 4 stories below. The motor bikes, which sound like 50,000 chain saws, sirens, trucks and cars are non stop from 7AM to 1AM. Parties in the bars and clubs across the narrow street from our 4th floor windows went on till 2AM on Friday and Saturdays. Pay extra for a quieter location facing the river, or just plan on being gone all day and wearing ear plugs at night. The love-seat size sofa is old and lumpy, low back, slides forward, no way to be comfortable.
Surrounding Area:
Sunsets on the Ponte Vecchio. Buying bread, pasta, sauce, pesto, fresh veggies, and cooking in the apartment.
Nearby Events or Locales:
Get used to using the bus. Buy your 1 dollar ticket at the tobacco shop at the corner, hop on Line D, to shoot across town to the train and bus station. The best deal to introduce yourself to the city is the Double Decker, scenic tour bus. 20 dollars gets you 24 hours of convenient, informative, hop on, hop off service. Buy it at noon take the A service for as long as you want, then the next morning, take the B service up to Fiesole for breakfast and wind your way down the mountain back to town. Best 20 bucks we spent in Florence. Just look for the Red Double Decker pictures at the bus stops around town - buy your ticket right on board, free headphones, relax and cruise above the chaos of traffic.
Please note, you can not usually hail cabs, you must go to a taxi stand or call radio taxi at 055-4390, memorize it like I did, they speak English. Grab a cab from the airport, for sure! Cost will be about 15 Euros, well worth it.
Tips or Restaurants:
One block up, along the river, you will find a great Internet Service, buy 5Euro card, use at leisure. With bread and wine store across the street. Please pick up old bread and feed the old ugly duck that lives alone under the internet store along the river. Look for the enormous fish and muskrats also.
We left a new cutting board, plenty of olive oil, balsamic, coffee, so basically you have enough to get you started. We bought yogurt and bottled water, fruit and wine, at the grocery one block away, look for fresh flowers on the curb. Stock up on tissue when you can since the rolls are much smaller than you might expect. The apartment has everything you might need. We did not find the switch to shut off the water heater to save money until the last day we were there. Under towel hook, behind the bathroom door. (It is now labeled - November 2005) Washer runs for about 2 hours, plan accordingly. It took a couple of days for some of our clothes to drip dry on the rack. Consider taking it all to a laundry once a week instead.
Check In Out:
Mr Mauro and his staff are great. It cost us 90 dollars for utilities for one month, plus the cleaning fee. We used a local calling card for long distance. Local calls are free.
Dianna, October, 2005
Overall:
I felt at home there and it was very cozy...I traveled with my mother who often would want to go back during the day and rest..I can't say enough about the location being as convenient as it was..
Enjoyed Most:
Excellent location...we walked out the front door and we were less than a block to Ponte Veccio, two blocks to the Pitti Palace and five blocks from the Duomo. We were close to everything we needed .
The most important thing to me when I travel is a nice,clean bathroom and kitchen and surroundings...Conchita was all of that..it was very small but very comfortable.
I certainly would stay there again and recommend it to friends.
I loved the old elevator.
Unpleasant Surprises:
The clothes washer didn't work...the toilet ran all the time...it was a little noisy at night because of street noise but not enough to complain..though we had Satellite TV. we could only get BBC and not CNN. Would have liked to hook my computer to the phone but was unable to ... even though I mention these things I know they are easily dealt with ...I enjoyed the apartment and would stay there again for sure.
Surrounding Area:
Loved the surrounding area...had no fear of walking around at night...and like I said earlier ...the apt. is located in the best location....and only a block from the best gelato I ever had...
Nearby Events or Locales:
I went to Fiesole which is 8 km from Florence...I caught the no. 7 bus and it took about a half hour..but the view was incredible...you can see all of Florence...it was beautiful.
Tips or Restaurants:
I only needed to buy garbage bags, and toilet paper but there where some there when we got there. I bought them less than a block away..all the restaurants I ate at I enjoyed the food ...alot of people like Mamma Ginas...again very close to the apt.
The apt. had dishes and glasses, small refrigerator and a two burner stove..
Check In Out:
I only saw the doorman..he gave me the papers to sign and the took the deposit...he explained how things worked and helped with any questions we had..he was very nice and helped us with anything we needed.
Michael, June, 2004