We stayed in the 'hidden room' and found the whole experience more unique and more affordable than staying at the Westin or any of the other 5 star places.

While it is not trying to be one of those places nor does it have the service or amenities... it does make up for it in character. We like to stay at centrally located places, with a more modern appeal and this scored well on both fronts. You can roll your bags right from the Maria Santa Novella train station too which is nice.

Yes two of the housekeepers are the only people you will see, this doesn't mean they are not friendly and helpful with reservations etc... We enjoyed the level of service they provided. It feels like you are borrowing the place for a couple days from a relative.

This is an old house transformed in a faked guest house where all you meet is not a florentine landlady but two gentle philipino girls who manage this place and do everything there from check-in to maid, from gurdian to making the coffee and that hardly understand what you say. They have an absurde unacceptable cancellation policy - charge you 100 euros extra if you check-in late at night. On the night we stayed there it was cold and I needed to stay in and watch some tv but unless I paid 180 euros excluding breakfast the tv didn't work. No apologize no compensation, I think the owner does the wrong job all they are looking for is make money and rip you off not offering a real florentine travel experience as one would expect by booking a small so called luxury guest house. Never more !!!!

Stayed in different hotels during our trip and Casa Howard (Florence) is my favourite stay. It has a beautifully decorated room (Hidden), TV, free wireless, heater, bathtub, common area, balcony at the common area, nice staff, great food downstairs and within walking distance from Firenze S.M.N station. We were there end Oct and we are still missing the great food. This place is indeed value for money and the condition of the place is much better than some of the other hotels that we stayed in Italy. Strongly recommended.

On the plus side: The concept is cool, the location is great, and the bathrooms are stocked with really nice toiletries from the Santa Maria Novella Pharmacy next door.

On the minus side: Prices are quite high for what it is, breakfast is an additional 12 euros/person/day, and the mattress in the Library Room, where we stayed was *extremely* thin and uncomfortable.

Overall, I really wanted to love this place, and maybe I would have if it had been 25 or 50 euros less a night, or if breakfast had been included. Also beware of the newly-instituted Florence City Tax, which is an additional 4 euros/person/day that is on top of the room rate.