The Excelsior, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Florence

The Excelsior, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Florence, a Michelin Key Selected property, consistently receives high praise for its blend of historic elegance and modern luxury, offering guests a quintessential Florentine experience.

1. Overall Rating & Sentiment

The general consensus for The Excelsior, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Florence, is overwhelmingly positive, with guests frequently describing their stays as exceptional and wonderful. Review platforms show high ratings, including an "Exceptional" 9.1 on Agoda, an average of 4.8 out of 5 on Marriott Bonvoy, and a "Wonderful" 9.0 on Booking.com. It is widely regarded as a beautiful, luxurious, and elegant hotel that offers a top-tier experience in Florence.

2. Key Highlights

Guests consistently laud several aspects of The Excelsior:

• Service & Staff: The staff is frequently described as excellent, exceptional, friendly, helpful, attentive, and going above and beyond to make stays memorable.
• Location: Its prime location in the heart of Florence, right on Piazza Ognissanti along the Arno River, is a major draw. Guests appreciate its unparalleled accessibility to the city's iconic attractions and major transport links.
• Design & Ambiance: The hotel marvels guests with its curated decor, a luxurious boutique feel, and a sophisticated ambiance that blends historic period style with contemporary details. Public spaces are often highlighted as stunning.
• Rooftop Views: The rooftop terrace featuring the Cosimo Rooftop Restaurant & Bar (formerly SE-STO on Arno) is a consistent highlight, offering breathtaking 360-degree panoramic views of the Arno River, Florence's landmarks, and the rolling Tuscan hills.

3. Room Quality

The hotel boasts 171 elegantly designed rooms and suites, many of which were renovated in 2014. Guests describe the rooms as beautiful, amazing, comfortable, and spacious, particularly by European standards. They feature luxurious decor, often blending contemporary details with classical flourishes like chandeliers, carved headboards, and antique-style furnishings. Comfort is enhanced by pillowtop mattresses with hypo-allergenic bedding, plush bathrobes, high-quality linens, and premium toiletries. Many rooms offer private balconies or terraces with stunning views of the Arno River. The bathrooms are often highlighted for their Carrara-marble interiors.

4. Dining Experience

The Excelsior provides a memorable culinary journey:

• Cosimo Rooftop Restaurant & Bar: This rooftop venue is celebrated for its modern Tuscan cuisine, expertly crafted cocktails, and aperitivos, all complemented by truly spectacular 360-degree views of Florence.
• Breakfast at Sala Caminetto: A varied buffet breakfast is served daily in the elegant Sala Caminetto hall. It features an extensive selection of hot and cold favorites, sweet and savory creations, Tuscan delights, fresh seasonal fruits, and Italian sparkling wine. Approximately 67% of verified guest ratings give optimistic reviews about the breakfast. Breakfast costs range from 22€ for a light breakfast to 52€ for a buffet per person.
• Other Dining: The Orvm Bar in the lobby offers a sophisticated setting for all-day snacks, light meals, or cocktails. The Donatello Bar is also mentioned as an inviting spot for drinks.

5. Service & Staff

The service at The Excelsior is consistently rated as exceptional. Staff members are frequently praised for their friendliness, attentiveness, and professionalism. Guests have highlighted the concierge team, specifically mentioning individuals like Nico and Leonardo, for their invaluable assistance in booking museum tickets, tours, and offering local recommendations. The staff's ability to provide personalized greetings and go above and beyond to cater to guest desires is a recurring theme in reviews.

6. Location & Accessibility

The hotel's location on Piazza Ognissanti, along the Arno River, is considered excellent and perfect by guests. It offers unparalleled access to Florence's most iconic attractions, including a short walk to the Piazza di Santa Maria Novella, Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, Ponte Vecchio, the Uffizi Gallery, and the Duomo. The Florence Santa Maria Novella Railway Station is also conveniently close, about a 5- to 15-minute walk or drive, providing easy access for exploring beyond the city. Florence Peretola Airport is approximately a 15-minute drive away.

7. Value & Pricing

As a luxury property, The Excelsior, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Florence, commands a premium price, with average room rates often exceeding $500 per night, significantly higher than the city's average. While it is a more exclusive and costly option, guests seeking unparalleled comfort, exquisite amenities, and exceptional service generally find it to be a worthwhile investment, reflected in its "value for money" ratings of 8.3-8.7 out of 10.

8. Common Complaints

While generally highly rated, some guests have noted a few recurring issues:

• Some older reviews mentioned rooms being "a bit small," though more recent feedback emphasizes spaciousness.
• A few AI-generated summaries indicated issues with cleanliness or limited breakfast options, although overall cleanliness ratings are high and breakfast is largely praised for its variety.
• Isolated instances of slow or overwhelmed service at the 5th-floor rooftop restaurant/bar have been reported.
• Some guests were disappointed by noisy renovations or the closure of the rooftop restaurant/bar for refurbishment, which they felt was not clearly communicated at the time of booking.
• Older reviews occasionally mentioned poor internet access.
• Some downstairs restaurant meals were noted as potentially being quite pricey.

Sources

1. agoda.com
2. booking.com
3. marriott.com
4. momondo.com
5. hotels.com
6. expedia.ca
7. booking.com
8. united.com
9. michelin.com
10. florence-hotels-it.com
11. booking.com
12. kayak.com
13. theluxuryeditor.com
14. squaremile.com
15. marriott.com
16. marriott.com
17. hotelnewsresource.com
18. costcotravel.com