Italiana Hotels Florence

The Italiana Hotels Florence is a standard, affordable property with a glass and concrete exterior. The interiors are well-kept and mostly modern. Touches like white marble floors and white leather couches bring a bit of freshness to the lobby, though there are also outdated elements like unattractive faux-fresco prints and landscape paintings on the walls. Overall, the common areas have a chain hotel vibe about them and a corporate feeling, which makes sense as the hotel appeals to a good number of business travelers and groups. Gray designs and silver door numbers create a clean look in corridors, and modern elevators service all three floors. There is a bit of garden space by the outdoor pool, which is popular among the budget-minded tourists who also stay here, though it closes regrettably early when the terrace is turned into a dining area during summer months.

The hotel is removed from the city center and situated on a congested street about five minutes from the Firenze Sud exit on the Autostrada A1. There are a few restaurants on the same street, but the major Florence sights are all a bus ride away on the other side of the Arno River. The Duomo is 35 minutes away by bus, while Ponte Vecchio and Boboli Gardens will take 20 minutes to reach. The Uffizi Gallery and Museo Galileo are a 20- to 25-minute ride. Cabs can make all of these trips in 10 to 15 minutes. The airport is about 30 minutes by car or an hour by bus, while the bus trip to the Santa Maria Novella train station takes 35 minutes (25 minutes by cab).

The hotel offers three types of rooms that range from utterly simple and characterless to marginally more sleek and contemporary. Standard Rooms are no different than those found in mid-range hotel chains around the world, with generic mid-tone wood furniture, dark industrial carpets, and token wall art in soft shades. Higher category rooms, like Superior and Deluxe Rooms, are a bit more stylish. Superior Rooms have faux-birch tiled floors, sharp gray walls, and throw pillows and bed linens in contemporary shades like orange and red. White leather love seats and padded headboards up the charm. Deluxe Rooms have uber-modern features such as circular mod beds and retro-futuristic white leather furniture in distinctive shapes. These rooms are far more interesting, but the built-in desk space that's mostly taken up by the window curtains and the lack of wall art makes them feel a bit cramped. All rooms have minibars, safes, flat-screen TVs, air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, and electric kettles on request. Modern bathrooms have hairdryers, bidets, and showers or shower/tub combos with partial glass doors and wall-mounted toiletries (with more products near the sinks). Views are unexciting, but some rooms overlook a small park. Guests have reported issues with noise from inside the hotel and mosquitos in their rooms; maintenance issues like poorly draining showers can also pose a problem here.

The hotel has a modern pool surrounded by hedges, with lounge chairs on the deck, and a small lawn area that offers more seating. Unfortunately the pool closes early to be turned into an outdoor dining area and is open only in summer. There is also a small 24-hour fitness center with a treadmill, a bicycle, and a few weights. There are decent facilities for corporate travelers here including four contemporary meeting rooms that can fit up to 150 people; cocktail service, catering, and coffee breaks can be arranged. Computer access is available in the lobby on four PCs and there is free outdoor parking is in front of the hotel. Le Tegolaia, the hotel’s restaurant, serves traditional Tuscan and international fare in a stylish but spare dining room that’s bright thanks to large windows; breakfast is only included with some bookings. The lobby bar serves cocktails, though it's a far less contemporary space than the restaurant. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel and babysitting can be arranged. Laundry services are also available and pets are allowed.