Over the past few years we have discovered some splendid places to stay, courtesy of TripAdvisor, but Residence Michelangiolo tops the list, in terms of quality and value.

Even before we arrived, the charming and helpful hosts Angela and Cherubino were already working on our behalf – booking reservations for museums and galleries, thus saving us much time queuing. It was through them that we found out about the stunning frescoes of the Brancacci Chapel in Santa Maria del Carmine, which we may well have otherwise missed.

The Residence Michelangiolo is a beautiful, quiet haven, situated in a smart neighbourhood a short walk or easy bus ride from the main sites, but a welcome distance from the crowds and noise of the city centre. Our suite, which included a beautiful spacious bathroom, was extremely comfortable and elegant - reminiscent of a set from “The Marriage of Figaro”, and overlooked the garden, an old church and hills beyond.

A basket of provisions, cold drinks, milk and ground coffee were replenished daily and provided a simple breakfast. But the fridge, hob and utensils in the small kitchenette gave more scope, if required. Angela recommended a couple of family-run restaurants a few minutes walk from the Residence, that were extremely good value, without skimping on quality. You must try the Osso Buco at the Trattoria L'Orologio!

On our last day our kind hosts allowed us to leave our luggage at the desk, after checking out, and to pick it up in the late afternoon before taking a taxi to the station. We left reluctantly and look forward to staying here again on our next trip to Florence.

From the moment we arrived, Angela helped us feel welcome. She was more than willing to help with any questions we had. Her recommendations for dinner were perfect. We had our two best overall meals in Italy using her recommendations. She even printed off directions to get to an obscure place in Florence I was wanting to visit. Every time we arrived or left the hotel she went the extra mile to make sure we had everything we needed. I've never had service like that at a hotel before.

We stayed here for four nights. The room was really clean and pretty large by European standards. The view out of the balcony was very nice. The house is in a very nice neighborhood with many nice restaurants and shops nearby.

I have a bad back and the bed did not agitate my back at all. The bathroom was nice, but the shower is definitely on the small side.

Many people have commented on the location of the hotel. I thought the walk or bus ride to and from the old town was scenic and very enjoyable. More than that, though, I found the area around Piazza Ferucci where the hotel is to be much more authentic Italian than the old town. There were not many tourists over there and the service at restaurants and shops was much friendlier and warmer than what we encountered in the old town. If you stay here, definitely eat pizza at Gattabuia. It's the best pizza I've ever had. We even found a salami/
cheese store near the hotel where the owner gave us about seven different cheese samples free. It's that kind of service and hospitality that makes a trip truly memorable for me.

Staff was friendly and helpful. Fun to stay in an old villa. Convenient to have a "closet kitchenette." Appreciated the large room and huge bathroom w/ tub. We especially enjoyed our dinner at the nearby Trattoria Gigi restaurant. Good location from which to take the following interesting long walk on the south side of the Arno River: Piazza Michelangelo (overlook view), Chiesa di Miniato al Monte (church), Fort Belvedere, Boboli Gardens/Pitti Palace, and walk back along the Arno River.

We had a wonderful stay. The villa is out of the hustle, bustle and crowds of Firenze: but not too far. The room was huge by italian standards and everything inside was done beautifully. The only minor criticism we had was that our room, on the ground floor, got some entrance hall noise.