Fornace Suite

Fornace Suite in Florence, Italy, a Michelin Key Selected property, consistently garners exceptional praise from guests, offering a luxurious and stylish stay that often exceeds expectations.

1. Overall Rating & Sentiment

The overall rating and sentiment for Fornace Suite are overwhelmingly positive. It boasts an "Exceptional" rating of 9.6/10 from over 200 reviews on Booking.com, and a 9.5/10 on Trip.com. Guests frequently describe their stays using words such as "stunning," "amazing," "perfect," and "exceptionally designed," indicating a very high level of satisfaction.

2. Key Highlights

Guests consistently highlight several key aspects of Fornace Suite:

• Design & Ambiance: The suites are celebrated for their stunning and artistic design, blending elegance with modern touches. They are described as high-end, designer, and architecturally impressive, with magical and tasteful decoration that guests consider a "piece of art".
• Service & Staff: The staff, particularly individuals like Dilik and Iiaria, receive widespread acclaim for being incredibly friendly, accommodating, helpful, attentive, and providing superb hospitality and excellent customer service.
• Room Quality: The spacious, clean, and comfortable rooms are a major draw, featuring luxurious amenities and high-quality finishes.
• Location: While not directly in the bustling city center, the location in Oltrarno is appreciated for being a pleasant and walkable distance to major attractions, offering a quieter atmosphere and easy access to local life and parking outside the ZTL.

3. Room Quality

The rooms at Fornace Suite are consistently lauded for their quality, comfort, and sophisticated design. They are spacious, with sizes ranging from approximately 53 to 70 square meters (570 to 753 square feet), and are described as bright, clean, and tidy. Each of the six suites is individually furnished with custom-made interiors, designed by the Florentine firm Archea Associati, reflecting Italian art masters and incorporating muted grays, unpainted wood, concrete floors, and contemporary furnishings. Specific suites, like the "Michelangelo" room, are noted for their ample size and tasteful decoration.

Amenities include plush and comfortable bedding, often with Egyptian cotton sheets and down comforters, air conditioning, private bathrooms featuring rainfall showers, bidets, free toiletries, hairdryers, and shower caps. Rooms also come equipped with 45-inch plasma TVs with satellite channels, soundproofing, wet bars, minibars, coffee/tea makers, espresso makers, complimentary bottled water, laptop-friendly workspaces, and separate sitting areas. Some suites also offer a private balcony.

4. Dining Experience

Fornace Suite provides a breakfast that is widely described as "great" and is typically included in the stay. This is generally served at a charming coffee shop or café located directly across the road or in an external bar. Guests appreciate the convenience and quality, with options often including a choice of four main breakfast items, a croissant, coffee, and water. While one guest noted the breakfast might not be "of the same level" as the exquisite rooms, others found it to be a "dream breakfast in an elegant and cozy setting" with a wide range of culinary delights. It's important to note that Fornace Suite, being a guest house with six suites, does not feature a full-scale restaurant or bar on-site.

5. Service & Staff

The service and staff at Fornace Suite are a consistent highlight, receiving exceptional feedback. Guests frequently praise the team for being incredibly friendly, helpful, attentive, and accommodating. Specific staff members, such as Dilik and Iiaria, are often mentioned by name as superb hosts who are very attentive and always available. Reviews commend their excellent customer service, including valuable restaurant recommendations and local information. The daily refresh of bottled water, juices, and coffee in the rooms is a thoughtful touch that guests appreciate, contributing to a pampered feeling. Housekeeping is also consistently rated as excellent. The property offers concierge services, private check-in and check-out, and a 24-hour reception team.

6. Location & Accessibility

Fornace Suite is situated in the Oltrarno neighborhood of Florence, a desirable area known for its picturesque churches, artisan workshops, and local markets. While not in the immediate city center, it offers a "prime location" that is a pleasant 20-minute walk, or a 10-15 minute walk, to central attractions, allowing guests to experience a quieter local atmosphere in the evenings. It is particularly close to Piazzale Michelangelo (a 5-minute walk) and within a short walk or quick drive of iconic landmarks such as Ponte Vecchio (18 min walk), Uffizi Gallery (16 min walk), Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria, and Basilica of Santa Croce.

For accessibility, the hotel is approximately 6-11 kilometers from Florence Airport (Amerigo Vespucci Airport). Guests can take advantage of an airport shuttle service, and the property also offers bike rentals. It's conveniently located near several public transport stations, including Florence Santa Maria Novella Railway Station, Firenze Porta A Prato Train Station, and Firenze Statuto Train Station. A significant advantage for those traveling by car is the availability of easy parking options in the street outside Florence's Restricted Traffic Zone (ZTL). There is conflicting information regarding an elevator, with some sources mentioning "a lift for easy access" and others stating "no elevator".

7. Value & Pricing

Fornace Suite is consistently rated highly for its value for money, scoring 9.3/10 on Booking.com. Many guests consider it "very cost-effective" for a hotel in Florence, offering "exceptional value and impeccable cleanliness". While the average price per room is around $290, compared to the city's average of $195, guests feel the superior experience justifies the cost. One guest noted it was half the price of a city-center executive suite, costing approximately 420 Euro per night for a family suite. Rates can start from around US$218.

8. Common Complaints

While reviews are overwhelmingly positive, some minor recurring issues or criticisms have been noted:

• In-room provisions: A few guests mentioned the absence of milk for teas/coffee and shampoo, although other toiletries, juices, and bottled water were provided.
• Air Conditioning: Some guests reported difficulty in getting the air conditioning "super cold" or were unsure of its operation, leading them to open windows instead.
• Breakfast Location: While generally praised, the breakfast being served at an external café across the road, rather than on-site, was mentioned by one guest as being "not of the same level" as the suite itself.
• Location Distance: A few guests found the location "slightly further out from the city centre than ideally we would have liked," though they also noted it wasn't a "massive issue" due to its walkability.
• Room Brightness: One review subtly suggested a room might have been "maybe too dark" for their preference, which contrasts with other comments about rooms being brighter than photos.
• Check-in Procedures: The front desk operates during limited hours (2:00 PM - 7:00 PM), requiring guests planning a late arrival to contact the property in advance for check-in instructions and an access code.
• Deposit and City Tax: Guests should be aware of a €300 refundable damage deposit, collected in cash upon arrival, and a city tax of EUR 6.00 per person, per night (for up to 7 nights), which does not apply to children under 12.

Sources

1. trip.com
2. booking.com
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5. agoda.com
6. fornacesuite.it
7. hotels.com
8. ricksteves.com
9. booking.com
10. michelin.com
11. florencehotelsit.com
12. expedia.com
13. booking.com