Hotel Cestelli

My girlfriend and I stayed here 2 years ago, I should've written this then. The hotel is an absolute gem, down a quiet cobbled road its about as good a location as you can get. Our room had high ceilings and acres of space (furniture charming). No food / service facilities but you won't need it with the array of places to eat nearby. We had a shared bathroom (exceptionally clean) which i never had to queue for. The owners gave us directions to both the obvious attractions but also the hidden treasures in the form of bars and restaurants, extremely nice people. No need for taxis, pretty much most places can be covered on foot from the hotel location. Most of all it was incredibly romantic! One of the best i've ever stayed in.

My wife and I stayed at the Hotel Cestelli for 6 nights during the last week of September, 2006. I don't have much to add to the previous reviews. Alessio and Asumi are indeed gracious hosts. We stayed in room 5, which was a large room with it's own bathroom. The street noise, in my opinion, was a bit much at times. Nothing against the Cestelli-this is probably the case in pretty much any room in the city that faces a street. Ear plugs should do the trick. Regarding the previous comments about having to be buzzed into the hotel, we found this to be no problem at all. We were always buzzed in promptly and met by Alessio and/or Asumi with our room key and a warm greeting. In short, the Cestelli is a nice hotel choice, and we would gladly stay there again if we return to Florence.

Myself and two other women shared a large room at this hotel in June. Overall it was an excellent experience and I would stay here again. Good things: The couple who owns it went out of their way to make us feel comfortable and to share their knowledge of Florence. We ate at their recommended restaurants (fantastic) and they gave great info on the local attractions (don't go up into the bell tower of the Duomo because there is construction on the dome so the view isn't as good, etc). The room was extremely large and could have easily slept four. Huge wardrobe. Large bathroom. Even though it was hot outside and June the lack of air conditioning didn't bother me (and I am awful when it gets hot, but the place is so well-cooled naturally it wasn't a bother). Great great great location. Down a beautiful street about a 10-15 min walk from the train station and any other location in the city. Quiet outside but only a block from the action Not-so-good things: The key situation is strange. Make sure you are going to be back before 10 or get a night key - otherwise you are out! We were careful about this. I have stayed in many hotels where you had to leave the key with reception and this isn't a problem for me at all but the night key is a first. Also, since you have to be buzzed into the building, you can't really come and go like you please. And it's an old house, so you can hear people come in and people can hear you come in. If you get a night key and come in late it's almost like sneaking into home when you are a teenager - take your shoes off! The bathroom was great except for the shower curtain. There were no magnets on the bottom of ours so it kept attacking us and we flooded the floor every time! Ugh. I would definitely stay here again and really appreciated the value for the money. We paid 110 euros per night which was an absolute steal.

Let's set the expectation straight. We were traveling on a budget and were looking to spend 100 Euros or less per night (per room, 2 travelers) at each of the places we were staying on a 2-week tour of Italy. For that kind of pricing, Cestelli is excellent value for money. The room was quite charmingly decorated. The owners, as described in previous reviews, were excellent. Upon our arrival, Alessio asked if it was our first time in Florence, and promptly whipped out a map and gave us a brief on the key places to check out. He's very friendly and chatty, and we had a good time listening to him share about his views on Italy. As it was our honeymoon, Alessio and Asumi very nicely arranged for a bottle of bubbly and chocolates to be placed in our room. Very nice touch. Location - round the corner from the Ferragamo museum. Easy walking distance to all the main attractions.

Great location--close to everything and you feel like you are immersed in Florence. Asumi and Alessio were wonderful hosts for our 4 night stay. Simple but elegant lodgings. There is no internet, but available around the corner at a cafe. The modern bathroom met our needs, but we were prepared with out own toiletries and washcloths.

We loved Florence! My husband and I chose this hotel after reading numerous reviews and based on its location. The owners of the hotel, Alessio and Asumi, were wonderful from the moment we began our trip preparations. We booked our reservation through email and any questions we had prior to our arrival were promptly answered. Plus, the hotel rates are unbelievably reasonable for the location compared to other hotels we had researched. The hotel itself is located in the central tourist district and was an ideal point to start our daily excursions. Here you are only blocks away from the Uffizi, the River Arno and the Ponte Vecchio. It is located on the 2nd floor of the building, so if you have difficulty climbing stairs we wouldn't recommend staying here (especially with alot of luggage). However, the overall feeling is that you are staying in someone's home rather than in a hotel (which, in fact, you are as they have an adjacent apartment). It is so quaint and comfortable that you immediately feel welcome. Upon arrival, we were buzzed up to the hotel. We were warmly greeted by both Alessio and Asumi and our check-in was seamless. One of the nicest things they do for their guests is compile of a list of their favorite restaurants and cafes (authentic, non-touristy places). They also go so far as to explain their top choices & circle them on a map for you. They will also help you with museum bookings and offer suggestions on a number of places that shouldn't be missed. They are both geniunely interested in making your in Florence as memorable and fulfilling as possible. They are always there to greet you and discuss your experiences. We were told that many European rooms are fairly small, but our room at Hotel Cestelli (room 3) was spacious and comfortable. There is a decent sized bed, a small sitting area and a large armoire. The bathroom is also quite large, however, the shower is a tad on the small side. Each room is decorated differently and the attention to detail reflects the artistic personalities of the owners. The amenitites available are minimal: there are no telephones, alarm clocks or televisions. However, there is a telephone available in the small sitting area off the lobby (we used a phone card & called home from public phones). The lack of television was actually calming and added to the quiet atmosphere of the hotel (we caught up on news at one of the internet cafes nearby). Florence on the other hand is not quiet! Since our room was at the front of the hotel we would usually be awoken by the sounds of vespas riding down the street. It was our daily wake-up call! We visited Venice, Florence and Rome and Florence was by far the most incredible of the three! We only had 3 1/2 days in Florence, but truly wish it would've been longer. The city itself is so beautiful and culturally rich that you are deeply aware of the amount of history concentrated here. It is overwhelmingly splendid and we loved it! We visited most of the major s