They call themselves a "Cheap Art Hotel"... I'm not sure what an art hotel is, but it is affordable and I loved it. I am not sure if this is a usual choice for UK Connection groups, but I am glad that we did stay here. I also get the feeling that it is usually a younger crowd that stays at Hotel Panorama, but it isn't a hostel! When we arrived, the coach parked around the corner at a bus stop, so I went walking down the street as he suggested and just saw a little plaque on the side of a building with one door of two massive doors open. I don't think any of us used the lift, in fact I think the lift was just for the residents of the building, but keep in mind that you will need to climb some narrow stairs, pack light!
The staff member at the desk was very friendly and had all of our keys ready for check in, he was able to communicate with me in English (I know... I did try to learn some Italian, but I sound more like one of the characters from 'Jersey Shore'... Anyway, check in went ok... the lobby is a bit small for 50+ university students, so there was a line of students down to the front door. The lobby itself is quite nice, there are tables and chairs, a cooler with drinks you can purchase, and they have some handy pamphlets of things you can do and cards of restaurants. This was particularly helpful as the museums in Florence are closed on Monday (we arrived Sunday and departed on Wednesday), so it provided the students with ideas of what to do with their time on Monday. In fact some of them, including Work BFF decided to go on the tour of Tuscany, half of them opting for a wine tasting tour. It is a nice area to hang out and chat if you do not want to disturb the other guests (I always suggest this to my students) or if you bring back some sweets from the bakery/cafe just down the street... the tables are great ;)
The rooms are very nice and comfortable. The rooms range from singles to quads, all ensuite! My single was nice and large... large enough that you could leave a small weekend suitcase open on the floor and walk around, which in my opinion is a great feature as a number of singles I have stayed in in Italy have been the size of a shoe box! I did not need to use the air conditioning, I did leave my window open and while there is some noise from the city, for the most part it was rather quiet. The bathroom... is quite cozy... if I really wanted to save time, I could shower, use the toilet, and brush my teeth at the same time. I would recommend doing anything you have to do before you shower because everything will end up wet by the time you finish. However, at least there is a door on the bathroom so it all stays contained! There is a t.v. and there is wifi in the rooms, although I had to be in a certain part of my room to ensure a strong signal, but then again, I did not spend much time in my room, so to me it isn't an issue. There was not much noise I could hear from the hallway or other rooms (and I was next door to some of my louder students), so a good night's sleep is possible here. If you are bringing a group of students or traveling with children, you may want to note that some of the quads have balconies, and no they are not closed off. The hotel is very clean, no clutter, no dust, no bugs... just clean!
Breakfast... the breakfast is pretty standard continental fare, but what makes it awesome... the view from breakfast area. Breakfast is served on the top floor, there are windows all over the place so you can look over the city. Apparently you can come up here later in the day for drinks and access wifi. In order to get wifi, you just register at the front desk... you pay €0.50 for registering, they give you an access code, and you can use it for as long as you are staying there. Now... the location... it is in a quieter part of the city which is great for when you want to sleep, but if you go left out of the hotel doors and keep walking along that street, it will bring you into the heart of Florence and straight in front of the Duomo... not far from any of the main sights of the city. In fact the Accademia with Michelangelo's David is just a block down and one street over! As you walk down the main street, there are restaurants, gelato shops, and even the Tourist Information Office. There is the creepy Museo Criminale on the way between the hotel and the Duomo... they even have a museum of serial killers... yes. Serial killers. It is a little creepy walking by it at night, even if you cross the street like I do to walk on the other side, because there is usually a figure of Dr. Hannibal Lecter and the faint sound of creepy music playing... truly creepy.
Checking out was super easy... really the whole stay was very comfortable and convenient. Loved it and would recommend it to anyone! read more