Hotel Alba Palace

The hotel gave us a little surprise! Haha. The location is unbeatable, super close to the train station, making it very convenient to get around. Although the hotel is small, the decor has a lovely vintage charm—even the trash can is made of ceramic, haha! The room is compact, but spotless and well-equipped. And the elevator is the largest one I've ever seen in Europe, haha.

This hotel was the first one I booked for my trip, and ironically, it turned out to be almost the worst, though the others weren't great either. 1. The room was so tiny; I'd guess it was only about 4 square meters. The 0.8-meter-wide bed took up half the room, excluding the bathroom, so it definitely wasn't as big as advertised. 2. As soon as you walked into the hotel, there was a strange smell. It wasn't a pleasant perfume scent, but a very odd odor. I'm not sure if it was sandalwood, but even after I kept my room windows and AC (which I suspect only had a ventilation function) open for two days, it didn't dissipate. It felt like the smell had seeped into everything. 3. The decor was incredibly old and rundown. While I know overseas hotels can't always compare to domestic ones, I didn't expect it to be this bad. It was on par with the kind of guesthouses I'd never stay in back home; even a chain like Hanting is miles better (I'll never complain about Hanting again). 4. The cleanliness wasn't great either. Perhaps because it was so old, everything looked a bit grubby. 5. The breakfast was terrible. To exaggerate a little, it made me feel like throwing up. 6. There were only two redeeming qualities: it was extremely close to the train station, just a three to five-minute walk, and the staff were all very friendly.

Out of the four hotels we booked for our Europe trip, this one was by far the best. It's the kind of place I'd definitely stay at again if I return to Florence. The hygiene was excellent, the ambiance was lovely, breakfast was great, and the bed's firmness was just perfect. The building is old but meticulously maintained and clean, and the bathroom felt refreshingly new. The staff were experienced, warm, and polite. The location is simply fantastic – just around the corner from the train station. While you might see groups gathering outside the station, this street felt very safe and had a good atmosphere. Plus, the 800-year-old perfume shop is right next door. The breakfast here is definitely worth it. They also have a dedicated, clean room for luggage storage with secure metal lockers, which is incredibly convenient given its proximity to the train station. The only minor issue was the capsule coffee machine; I couldn't get it to work. But with coffee available at breakfast, it wasn't a big deal. Keep up the great work, and please don't raise your prices!

The location is excellent for tourist attractions, train stations, and nearby restaurants. However, the facilities are strictly 3-star, and I recommend eating breakfast elsewhere.