A friend and I were in Florence for a week for language school, so we speak reasonable Italian. We booked 2 single rooms in this hotel on the strength of the photos and reviews in laterooms.com and were pleased with the rate. However, the photos are NOT accurate: There is no entrance area off the street - you have to press a bell and are then faced with a grim set of stone steps to the first floor. The bar/reception/lobby/breakfast room are really all one room. If you have the first bedroom off this room, (as I did) you will hear the tables and furniture being moved late at night ready for breakfast the next day. Breakfast was very meagre with only pre-packaged food, nothing fresh and even plastic glasses for the fruit juice.
However the main cause for concern was the mould on the shower tiles, black hair in the shower (I have red hair) and dirty shower curtains. When I asked to be moved, the owner was extremely rude and said it was impossible. They cleaned the bathroom and I thought that was that. However, by then the owner had patently decided that he could get a better rate by letting it himself, as the weather was unseasonally warm and Florence was busy. So, when we arrived for our key on the afternoon of the third day, he started to shout at us and deliberately provoked a row - he patently wanted us to break our contract so that he could charge us the full amount. Reviews in laterooms.com reveal that he has done this before. We didn't fall for this trap however, although we did not want to stay, but in the end we came to the compromise that we would move and he would charge us only the two nights we had stayed. Altogether, it was a very unpleasant and frightening situation for two women on their own and by the end we were both concerned for our safety.

This hotel is more like an upscale inn. The owner Marco is extremely helpful and clearly cares a ton about the reputation of his business. He was very accommodating, helped us find our way around town, and even worked to resolve a complicated issue with our credit card company. The building is very safe as the attendant on duty has to buzz in prospective visitors when they reach the front door.

Our room was small but the extremely tall ceilings made it feel much more spacious than expected. All of the furniture was cool and antique looking. The air conditioning worked very well as did the phone. This hotel is also equipped with fire alarms (which apparently are not mandatory in smaller hotels/inns in Italy).

The overall decor of the inn is very Tuscan/romantic. The breakfast room is super cute and breakfast itself is a notch above the average continental breakfast. Marco provides cereals, juices, milk, and will make cappuccino when requested. There were also a variety of cheeses, sliced meats, and fresh sliced bread.

Oh, and there is free wireless internet at this hotel which was great!

All the sites are easily reached on foot from this hotel. When we return to Florence we will stay here again!

Spent 6 nights here during the very warm spell, beginning of October 2011.Very pleased indeed with the Hotel (only 10 rooms), and the service from the owner/staff.Would easliy recommend it to anyone.Rooms have modern air conditioning/tv/disabled access(stair lift-bathrooms)/free safe deposit boxes.Breakfast foods were really good.Hotel in a quiet spot on the south side of the River Arno.It is one floor up, above 2 restaurants.The 2 or 3 rooms that have the view over the Arno will be affected by sounds from the restaurants below(not part of the Hotel).The overall noise/ambience in the Hotel was quiet.It is a 15min walk into the centre of Florence, but each time it is a delight, crossing and re-crossing the Arno.
The only cautionary point I'd make is the city does have mosquitos- bites only- not plague or malaria, so take some stuff with you.

Here's a quote;
Me ( to hotel Night Porter)-" Where is the nearest post Box please?"
Him " At ze main Railway station";
Me " May I give you my postcards to go with the Hotel's outgoing mail ?"
Him " Its a never been done before, but I do it "
How sweet

A delightful little hotel, very clean and friendly and beautifully understated. Rooms are spacious and the owners are really helpful. It's close to all the major sites but just far enough to be away from the hustle and bustle on a riverfront boulevard on the south side of the city. I'd hearlily recommend the Antico Rustico restaurant just round the corner in the Via San Orofino and in terms of trips out from the hotel I would recommend the Pitti Palace and the attached Boboli Gardens (a 10 minute walk) and the Piazza Michaelangelo and nearby San Salvatore al Monte (beautiful views over the city and a calm yet imposing church, with far fewer people than similar establishments to the north of the river: I personally enjoyed our trips out to the south far more than the hurly burly of the Uffizi and the Accademia but that's probably just me.

So if you want a low key friendly family run hotel in Florence rather than some anonymous corporate establishment, the Relais Il Castello could be just the place for you.