Stella Mary wasn't our primary accommodation and we ended up there just for one night as the other hotel had no room vacancies for our last day in Florence. Our short stay was nonetheless pleasant.
The hotel occupies the second floor of a typical Italian 'palazzo' (a residential block), having just eight rooms. You can go up to the second floor in a traditional elevator enclosed in a wrought iron case. It is sturdy enough and safe, but some might feel uncomfortable using it (well, there's always the staircase.) The room itself was spacious, and although its en suite bathroom could do with some minor maintenance here and there if I were to be finicky, the room was charming with a very comfortable, clean bed.
The receptionists were really nice and helpful (they kindly offered to look up train schedules for us when we were in a hurry, even though the station is a short walking distance away) and the breakfast was surprisingly very good. Don't be fooled by the small breakfast room—it may not fit all the residents at one go, but the choice is varied, the service extremely efficient, and the quality good.
It is my impression that this hotel might be better suited for families with young children or slightly older couples. We are in our early 20s and felt a bit uneasy returning to the hotel at 12.30am, seeing that we were the only ones still out at that time and knowing that the sole receptionist on shift was waiting just for us to return before probably locking the door to the hotel. (That said, there was absolutely no pressure at all by the receptionist about this.) Younger adults might prefer a bigger, less personal hotel which lacks this 'family house' aspect.
Although Hotel Stella Mary wouldn't be my primary choice if I were to return to Florence, I have no real qualms about it. I still think it is a very decent 2-star hotel at a very convenient location. Give it a try—its qualities might be just what you're looking for after all.
- Stella Mary Hotel
- Stella Mary Florence
