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Claudio and Christelle, a young, hardworking Italian-French couple, have put their years of hotel experience together to create something wonderful and rather high-tech at the Tourist House Ghiberti. We spent four nights at this modern bed-and-breakfast and were impressed by the sparkling new facilities, unexpected perks, and comfortable, spacious rooms.
Rooms at the Ghiberti are totally new and rather on the luxurious side. Beds are large and mattresses are comfortable. Lovely oak dressers and wardrobes provide ample closet and storage space, and rooms are furnished with individual desks and chairs fit for an executive.
Windows are double paned to keep out street noise (which is necessary, given the Ghiberti's central, busy location), and everything—from the floor tiles to the bedding fabrics—is fresh. Bathrooms, which actually have bathtubs (imagine that), are likewise spacious and well designed.
What makes the Ghiberti different, however, are all the extra perks. A Jacuzzi and sauna are available to guests all day and evening. Each room has a minibar that boasts the cheapest prices on water, wine, and beer that we found in Florence. And each "executive desk" is equipped with a computer with free high-speed Internet access and a flat-paneled monitor.
It goes without saying that rooms come with cable television and telephones, but were you expecting your own private fax machine? Got it! Room lights are set by one-touch dimmers, and track lights in the bathroom that are activated by motion detectors. Furthermore, lovely tile mosaics, created by Claudio and Christelle, frame the mirrors.
The five-room Ghiberti is named after the famed Renaissance artist Lorenzo Ghiberti whose studio was located on the first floor of the building five centuries ago. Ghiberti crafted the famous "Gates of Paradise" doors, which open to the baptistery at the Duomo. Claudio and Christelle have kept up the artistic tradition, decorating each of the guestrooms and public areas with the cool and emotive paintings of the modern Tuscan artist Fabio Calvetti.
A plentiful breakfast buffet (included in the price) is served every morning, and Christelle and Claudio are always available to assist in booking museum tickets, excursions, or restaurant reservations. Certainly, the Ghiberti is not for everyone's budget, but we found the level of comfort and service well worth the extra euros.
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