Pensione Sole's rather shabby entrance on a busy street off of Piazza Santa Maria Novella did not prepare us for the clean and cozy establishment found upstairs.
Hotel owner Anna was clearly eager to show us around a place she tries to keep as homey as possible. In our opinion, she does a very good job. Her cluttered living room, which guests are encouraged to use, even has an exercise bike for working off those Tuscan pasta pig-outs.
The Sole's eight rooms vary in size. All of them are outfitted with an antique-inspired décor, dark wood armoires, brass bed frames, fluffy floral bedding, and clean, white walls. Anna is always around, tidying up and chatting with her guests. Her activity lends a fresh and family feeling to the place. Bathrooms are small and tidy and come with fresh tiling and new appliances.
The pension is a simple, congenial place to come home to - a welcome, peaceful escape from the rather touristy rush below.
Note that Pensione Sole has a 1 a.m. curfew.
» 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.
About the Pensione Sole neighborhood
Across the street from the train station, the area around Piazza Santa Maria Novella is perhaps the most varied neighborhood in the city. The, dingier, urban streets leading to the station get a lot of traffic (both automobile and human) while the other side of the grassy Piazza is formed by narrow, serpentine little streets, characterful buildings, and top-notch shopping. The piazza itself is crowded with picnicking tourists and pick pockets preying on them. The 'hood is bordered by the river, the train station, shopping street Via Tornabuoni, this area suffers a bit of an identity crisis. One thing is for sure: once you're here, you're no more than ten minutes away from anything else.
more about Santa Maria Novella