Run by the Maioli family for nearly three decades, the Hotel Maxim is a homey two-star hotel located off of the busy Via dei Calzaiuoli (the thoroughfare connecting the Duomo and Piazza della Signoria).
The front room and reception is flooded with light and filled with eye-popping artwork and tchotsky shelves busting at the seams. The entire place, in fact, is packed with flower vases, family pictures, and oriental rugs.
The Maxim's 26 guestrooms are spacious and fresh, even though they’ve clearly seen some years. The style is "imitation Florentine classic", with heavy-ish dark wood furnishings and a few flourishes—a gilded mirror here, a polished parquet there. Rooms are equipped with AC and satellite television. Bathrooms sport black tiles and have spacious showers. They’re old, but well kept.
The Hotel Maxim is a prime pick for Cheapos who want to be in the middle of the action while enjoying the charm of a family-owned pension.
Note: The Maoli family also runs the nearby Hotel Axial, which we also recommend.
» 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.
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Hotel Address
Via dei Calzaiuoli, 11
Duomo, Florence, Italy
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About the Hotel Maxim neighborhood
You can't miss Brunelleschi's magnificent dome atop the rosy marble Cathedral. It's the obvious central meeting point and tourist hub of the city. Here, you're in the vicinity of practically everything: the Uffizi Museums, Palazzo della Signoria, the San Lorenzo Market, and the Accademia. The streets surrounding the Duomo cater to visitors, with generic, all-day dining (for a price), and exclusive shopping. The big guns in Italian fashion are located along Via Tornabuoni (technically closer to Santa Maria Novella), with several others on Via Calzaiuoli, Via del Corso. Borgo Albizi, which starts behind the Duomo is more a boutique street, featuring handmade, original designs in clothing and accessories. Souvenir shops abound, as do street performers, caricature artists, and tourist traps.
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