We really enjoyed our stay at Hotel Axial! The hotel is about a 15 minute walk from the Santa Maria Novella train station, and it is literally steps away from the Duomo. After reading all of the wonderful reviews of this hotel I was not disappointed! The hotel is on the second floor and you have to push a button to enter the outside door (kind of like an apartment building). As soon as we arrived we were greeted by the concierge who gave us a map and general information about the hotel. At Hotel Axial you have to leave your key behind each time you leave the hotel - but this was great for me! One less thing I have to worry about losing! After 1 am they close their reception, but they will give you the code to enter if you need it. The room was a good size - nothing special but the bed was soft and there was free wi-fi and a mini fridge! The included hotel breakfast is continental but has everything you need to get your day started: cappucino and coffee machine, assorted breads and pastries, cold meats and cheese, yogurt, boiled eggs and fresh fruits. Very yummy! The hotel also has a small wi-fi hot spot room that has a computer that guests can use, a great selection of books about Italy and the surrounding areas, and even some games: chess and cards.
I had a morning flight out of Florence airport back to the US and their reception doesn't open until 6:30am at the hotel, so I had to check out the night before and leave the key at the desk. However, the hotel concierge went over everything with me that I would need to do (how to open the locked main door) and even ordered me a taxi. The taxi arrived right on time and I was even able to see it pull up from the window behind the reception desk. If I'm ever in Florence again I will definitely stay here. It is pricey, but you can't beat the location and excellent staff. read more