HOTEL MEDICI - FLORENCE

I'd really like to keep this hotel a secret, but because they always do such a good job, I have to give them some public praise. We first discovered the

HOTEL MEDICI about 9 years ago, when we made our first independent visit to Florence.  It was January, and we'd requested a room on the 6th floor with a view of the Duomo.  Although it was too cold on that visit to sit on the terrace and enjoy the view, just opening the shutters and seeing the Duomo  - Giotto's bell tower and Brunelleschi's dome! - right there - almost close enough to touch, was magical. 

Although we've checked around for other hotels in Florence, we always seem to end up at the MEDICI.  For our most recent trip , which was a very impulsive, last-minute trip, I'd emailed to request a room on the 6th floor, but one around the corner from the Duomo.  I did this because the weather was still mild, and I knew there'd be people outside on the terrace, probably later than we'd want to be awake.  There's just no way to know who'll be on the terrace, or how noisy they'll be, so I figured it would be better to be around the corner where it was quieter. 

When we arrived at the hotel, Gabriele greeted us as old friends, as is his style.  He looked so sheepish and said to me "Do you believe it?"  I was puzzled - believe what?  What was he talking about?  After a long pause he finally continued - "Can you believe that the one room you DIDN'T want is the only one available?"   Because we'd made our request only a few days earlier, how could I complain?  As it turned out, the room he had for us was the very room we'd stayed in on our very first visit, the one at the very end of the terrace, closest to the Duomo.
 
In the last few years the hotel has undergone a complete renovation.  I asked Gabriele if they had added any rooms, not knowing if they had used all the floors previously, but he told me no, they still have 40 something rooms, but now, after the renovation, all but three are ensuite. 

We stopped by PEGNA on our way back to the hotel one afternoon, where they carry lots of British groceries.  I was hoping to find some cheddar cheese for a special treat, and I was in luck!  We bought a few slices of red wax cheddar, some goat cheese, crackers, and a bottle of red wine.  We hadn't brought a corkscrew with us, but the cashier at the checkout gladly opened our bottle for us!  They also have the smaller bottles of wine, as well as wine in a box. 

The HOTEL MEDICI includes a continental breakfast - coffee, tea or hot chocolate, juice, and rolls with butter and jam.  They also sell wine, water and soft drinks, and provide wine glasses, should you want to have a snack in your room or on the terrace. 

Like all hotels, the staff at the HOTEL MEDICI will be happy to make reservations for you at all the local museums, and to recommend restaurants.  They also speak several languages.  If you're every looking for a hotel in Florence with location, location, location, then the HOTEL MEDICI is the perfect choice.  When we stayed there in October our room, with ensuite bathroom and direct access to the terrace cost €80.