The Hostelz.com Review
Emerald Palace B&B is a lovely little hostel on the outskirts of Florence. The owner runs the hostel during the day and enjoys meeting all the people staying at her hostel. She cares for her hostel and wants to make sure everyone who enters her hostel enjoys Florence as much as she does.
The Location
This hostel is a fifteen- to twenty-minute walk from the train station, north of the city. It is very easy to find, following the directions from the hostel's website. There is no sign indicating which building it is in, just a small sign on the door buzzer indicating that the hostel is inside. From the hostel to the downtown touristy area of Florence is a thirty-minute walk or a short bus ride if you can find the right bus.
Rooms and Bathrooms
There are four rooms with dorm beds. None of the doors to the dorm rooms have locks on them and some rooms have more space than others. There are no in-room lockers, but there are ten lockers in the main area for the entire hostel. All of the dorm rooms have four beds in each but there is the option of having a private room. There are three bathrooms, each with a toilet, shower, and sink but no shelves or hooks for clothes and towels. There is plenty of room to change in the bathrooms but the showers are small and only one shower has shelves. The bathrooms are kept clean by the staff but are old and feel like it.
Common Spaces
There is a main entryway, which acts as the common living area. It had two computers and a couch and a chair but does not feel like a good place to hang out and meet people. The kitchen is bright and airy and clean and has enough room for four small tables -- it is the best place to meet other travelers. There is a very small book exchange in the kitchen but contains mostly Italian books. There is a place to store luggage for a fee. This is not a typical social hostel due to the lack of decent common areas, but the guests in the hostel are typically young and chatty and therefore do not need much to meet other people.
Summary
This hostel -- on the third floor of a building and with a tiny elevator that fits two people -- is bright and clean. There is not much of a common area but the guests do a good job of mingling and chatting with each other regardless. There is a lockout for cleaning for a couple hours in the middle of the day, which is inconvenient for those guests who plan on making lunch at the hostel. Overall, this is a great hostel outside of the touristy area of Florence.
The Location
This hostel is a fifteen- to twenty-minute walk from the train station, north of the city. It is very easy to find, following the directions from the hostel's website. There is no sign indicating which building it is in, just a small sign on the door buzzer indicating that the hostel is inside. From the hostel to the downtown touristy area of Florence is a thirty-minute walk or a short bus ride if you can find the right bus.
Rooms and Bathrooms
There are four rooms with dorm beds. None of the doors to the dorm rooms have locks on them and some rooms have more space than others. There are no in-room lockers, but there are ten lockers in the main area for the entire hostel. All of the dorm rooms have four beds in each but there is the option of having a private room. There are three bathrooms, each with a toilet, shower, and sink but no shelves or hooks for clothes and towels. There is plenty of room to change in the bathrooms but the showers are small and only one shower has shelves. The bathrooms are kept clean by the staff but are old and feel like it.
Common Spaces
There is a main entryway, which acts as the common living area. It had two computers and a couch and a chair but does not feel like a good place to hang out and meet people. The kitchen is bright and airy and clean and has enough room for four small tables -- it is the best place to meet other travelers. There is a very small book exchange in the kitchen but contains mostly Italian books. There is a place to store luggage for a fee. This is not a typical social hostel due to the lack of decent common areas, but the guests in the hostel are typically young and chatty and therefore do not need much to meet other people.
Summary
This hostel -- on the third floor of a building and with a tiny elevator that fits two people -- is bright and clean. There is not much of a common area but the guests do a good job of mingling and chatting with each other regardless. There is a lockout for cleaning for a couple hours in the middle of the day, which is inconvenient for those guests who plan on making lunch at the hostel. Overall, this is a great hostel outside of the touristy area of Florence.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
October 2011
Their Description
Emerald Palace B&B Details
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Emerald Palace B&B Reviews from the WebHostelz.com Guest Reviews
Average Although my traveling partner and I booked into the Emerald Palace, we were told when we arrived that it was undergoing renovations and we would have to stay at a new site. This was extremely annoying as the renovations had been going on, as we were told by the manager, for several months and we could have been notified before our arrival to organise different accommodation. The room rate was not bad, but as we were not given the room we booked I felt that it should have been reduced. Breakfast was not provided, although the site stated that it was, although free internet was very much appreciated. Also, we were given transport to the other site when we arrived at Emerald Palace. There was a hole in the roof of the room we stayed at, which was off-putting, but it was the first floor so rain, wind was not an issue. Overall, not a bad place to stay at considering we were only there for three days but they do make a lot of claims they do not follow through with so be warned! — Olivia , Australia (2009-10-07)