Firenze Inn Youth Hostel

First of all, when we arrived in Florence we could not make out the directions to this address so we finally decided to take a cab. When we showed the address to the cab driver he looked at it and said "this is closed" and we knew we were in trouble. He took us to the address, down a dark alley and there were absolutely NO indications of a hostel existing at all. I had my suspicions that this hostel did not exist as a few weeks after we booked it I could not find it's listing on the Web site that we booked it on but I thought maybe it was just a fluke. So basically this hostel screwed us and we ended up walking around Florence in the dark with all of our stuff until 10 p.m. trying to find a new place to stay which we did and ended up having an amazing time in Florence. However it was NOT because of the Firenze Inn. Stay away!

This was by far the best place for meeting people and it was so close to everything — the Uffizi museum, and the Duomo. I had the best time. The food was great and it was free, as well as the beer and wine. Watch out, it runs out fast. The staff are awesome. There was no rush to get my passport, they told me to take my pack off and relax a minute. The rooms were full but very cozy. I plan on returning next year just because the hostel was so enjoyable.

This was the worst hostel experience of my entire trip. First we arrived in Florence after a long train ride expecting to check into our room and get a shower and lay down for a bit to rest up. After finally finding the place down a dark alleyway with no sign marking it, we checked in with a girl sitting on a stool using a laptop. After we paid she informed us that we could choose to either stay in this building, in which we would have to up and out by 9 a.m., or in their other room across the street which would have no lockout. First of all, the ad online advertised no curfews or lockouts, so we chose to stay across the street so that we would not be rushed. She then told us that our room was not ready yet and we could wait in the lobby. We waited until 10 p.m. when we were finally allowed to bring our bags across the street. After making our beds up, the front desk girl came over and informed us that we could not stay in the "no lockout" portion after all because she had promised it to someone else. So we gathered our things back up to go make up another bed back in the building we started at. Then the next morning at 8 a.m. the management frantically rushed us all out of bed and ordered us to move our bags back across the street where we could shower. While we were gathering our things, the staff were breaking down the bunk beds to cover up any evidence of this place being a hostel because of an "inspection" This took place at 8 a.m. all three nights we stayed. There were two bathrooms and showers for 30 people to share, and everything about this place was filthy. I came to Florence to see the sights and party and had a miserable time at the Firenze Inn. I wouldn't stay at this place for free or recommend it to anyone else. Horrible, horrible, horrible.

I've never had so much fun.

We stayed here about a month ago and it was the worst! The new staff were drunk by the time we arrived. They argued about the price we reserved at and tried to up it almost 40%. The cheap wine they gave us resulted in food poisoning. The bathrooms were so dirty we couldn't use them. There was no toilet paper anywhere (we had to steal sheets and use them!). We had a bed break about 4 in the morning, almost crushing someone below. The second night we came back to broken glass all over our dorm floor! We couldn't sleep each night due to all the noise. I would never stay here again!

OH MY GOD! This place was so awesome I would recommend everyone go there. Just to meet the staff at least because they are the most generous staff you will ever meet. They are now like my family and whenever I'm in Italy again I will definitely make sure I make a stop to stay there again. However many nights you book for, expect to stay more because everyone does. What more could you ask for really, when everything is free? And Chef Alessandro makes the best meals ever! Nothing compares.

Warning! This is a squatter house posing as a hostel. There is no character or comfort. Here is a summary of our experience: The one manager smoked in the lobby the entire weekend. When we arrived they tried to up the price of our reservation. They only have three rooms in the entire place, with multiple beds in each room (6-24 beds per room). If you reserve a private room you will have roommates! You will not get your money back. The two bathrooms should be condemned. No toilet paper in the entire place! I stole extra sheets and used them after I received mild food poisoning from the cheap wine they served us when we arrived. The power went out around 8 p.m. and they couldn't figure out where the breakers were to restore it. I finally had to borrow one of their lighters to find the building's main breakers. At 4 a.m., returning to my top bunk bed, I climbed up only to have the entire thing collapse onto my friend below me!!! The bed broke and nearly killed someone. After removing the mattress and sleeping on the floor I was awoken by someone who was stuck outside at 4:30 a.m. because they didn't have enough keys for everyone staying there, and the manager was passed out. The next morning they broke a glass on the tile floor while trying to fix the bed. They didn't say anything. We noticed the broken glass all over the room when we returned that night. We were tipped off about it from another couple who was staying there. They offered no apologies or refunds. The majority of other guests were not seasoned travelers who knew anything about culture or history. Bottom line, if you value your health, safety, and quiet while sleeping do not stay here. If you still choose to stay please bring earplugs and your own toilet paper.

We stayed here a few months ago and had a great time. It is very laid back, has a good kitchen and was right next to the Duomo [Florence Cathedrale]. Also, I think it was cheaper than the other hostels because not as many people knew about it.

They wanted to make us stay. They came up to us in the train station and didn't want to let us go anywhere else. Trust me, once you see the place you'll get the power to say NO!

I have stayed at the Firenze Inn twice, and yup, it's disorganized as anything. There's only one toilet/shower, the dishes never get done, yada yada yada, but for all that I have never stayed at a hostel with so much character. The staff are great and take everyone out to all the hotspots all the time, and the place seems to attract an interesting crowd. And the location couldn't be better! You'll either love it or hate it.

I guess you should look for other hostels before coming here. I cannot say anything for the location, you can get anywhere by walking in Firenze. The sheets were extremely dirty, and the beds were so close to each other that it seemed like you were sharing a double bed with a stranger. The kitchen was equipped well, but nobody cleans the dishes, and the hostel-keeper asks you to take out the rubbish! Anyhow, it had a friendly atmosphere; you can sit and relax on the sofa and on the balcony.

Do not stay at this hostel! First of all, it is down a dark alleyway, and we did not feel comfortable at all in the location. Walk a little further to the sights and stay in a better neighborhood. Secondly, there were TONS of beds and only a single toilet and shower. The hostel was dark, messy, the linen was disgusting, and the staff were unfriendly and unhelpful. The stairway up to the rooms was not lit, the beds were uncomfortable, and the kitchen was a mess. Sure, you can stay here for a night, but don't pay the 25 euros per bed! Their website claims they have lockers, phones, and internet, but we did not see ANY of those things! After one quick look my friend and I got out of there as quickly as we could, and booked a cheap hotel room near St. Marks square for the same amount of money--50 euros a night (25 each split between us). There are much, much better places to stay. PLEASE look around.

I had a grea t time at Firenze Inn. The staff were really nice and the location was great. It's right next to the Uffizi and Palazzo Vecchio. The upstairs bathroom was nice and clean and it had a cozy atmosphere. The kitchen is well equipped for make-shift dinners and watching Italian TV. I really enjoyed my stay there and I would definitely go back.

I had an okay time at this hostel. It's definitely a safe hostel. It's in a good location. I didn't have problems with the staff, but the guy at the desk didn't seem to know much. It was pretty clean, not great but average. The sheets and bedding were unappealing, but I had my own. It's not a very social hostel. I left after a few nights.

I had a great time staying at this hostel. The atmosphere was fabulous, and the hostel was clean. They organised a dinner for everybody and we all had a great time. While it might not be the most high-tech place, it was definitely worth the stay. I will be back.