EuroCheapo review email this page print this page

Hotel Abaco's big, boisterous owner, Bruno, may look like a rugby forward, but he's got a tender spot for 17th-century Florentine baroque style and a gorgeous eye for detail. Occupying a 15th-century palazzo on a quiet street, just off the heavily-trafficked Piazza Santa Maria Novella, the Abaco has seven rooms, all named for the great artists of Florence.

Take the Botticelli room. The birth of Venus crowns a plush corona-style bed, dripping with red velvet and outfitted with polished dark wood, gilding, and parquet floors. Giotto, Fiorentino, Leonardo, Caravaggio, and Rafael follow suit, in shades of deep red or blue, parquet or marble floors, gold-painted cherubs, ornate nightstands, and plush brocades. Michelangelo even sports a miniature version of David, who Bruno jokingly warns, watches what his patrons do at night. Wink. Bathrooms are small and basic.

Enjoy breakfast or lounge about in the dimly-lit hall—also ravishing—with wood-beamed ceilings and red carpet.

The one-star rating of this small, central gem is a serious understatement.

» Annie Shapero

Note: This hotel was visited by a EuroCheapo editor and is recommended based on cleanliness, location, price and overall quality. EuroCheapo did not charge this hotel to be listed.

More Information

Hotel Address

Via Dei Banchi, 1
Santa Maria Novella, Florence, Italy

more information