| Date | Rating | Comment
[Guest Comments: 20 positive, 0 negative]
|
| 08/18/09 |
Positive
|
Mary, you gave us a home away from home. The
extra attention to detail made this apartment well
worth renting. The bed was very comfortable, two
bathrooms a plus, and the apartment clean and
orderly. The cell phone, internet access, central
location, tips and suggestions as to what to visit,
where to eat and where to find the best kept secrets
of Florence made our two week stay highly
memorable. You gave us everything we
possibly needed to make our visit one to remember
fondly. Thank you, Mary for sharing your fine
apartment and your gift of friendship. We look
forward to renting from you again. Irene |
| |
Irene Marshall, Monmouth, Maine USA
207-268-3793 |
|
| 06/01/09 |
Positive
|
This very quaint apartment is in a great location.
Many shops are located right on the same street for
groceries, pastry, coffee, etc. The fully equipped
kitchen made it easy to prepare lunch and breakfast
so we could "splurge"on dinner every night. Our
teenage daughter found the sofa-bed very
comfortable. We appreciate the hospitality of our
hostess and definitely will be back. |
| |
Mark Douglas, Elk Grove, California
(916) 690-6740 |
|
| 10/29/08 |
Positive
|
Echoing previous comments I'd like to amplify that this apartment is superb from a location and amenities perspective. Mary Rose was easy to communicate with in terms of the initial inquiry and booking process; she even assisted us in securing museum reservations. The apartment is very well positioned within the city so the historic center is easily accessible as is the train station and other services. The apartment's two-story layout works well and the second bathroom in the bedroom upstairs is nice to have. Specifically, the mattress was very comfortable and the kitchen is perfectly set up with nice appliances. Laundry is a nice plus, too. As noted by earlier reviewers, the street has a mini-mart, restaurants, several bakeries, etc.
All in all we had a very positive experience with the apartment and would surely stay there again. |
| |
Gene P., Burlingame, CA |
|
| 09/15/08 |
Positive
|
| We just returned from our stay in Florence and found the apartment, Bellissimo, a perfect location to explore the city. It was so convenient to all the major sites and resturants. The charm of the apartment makes one feel she is actually living as a local. It also has all the conviences of home. Mary Rose is a great reference and her recommendations for resturants, museums and other facets of Florence were invaluable. The whole trip was magnifico! |
| |
Lee DiGiovanni, Orange Park, FL
|
|
| 07/25/08 |
Positive
|
This is a very charming, clean, and comfortable
apartment just a 5 minute walk south of the train
station, and within easy walking distance of
Florence's main sights. The street has all the shops
you'll need: fruit and vegetable, pastry, a mini-
supermart, meat, fish, hardware, etc. plus
restaurants and a pizzeria. An internet center is
around the corner. Mary Rose made everything
easy! We will definitely stay here again the next
time we are in florence. |
| |
Janet Giannini, San Francisco, CA |
|
| 06/16/08 |
Positive
|
| I would highly recommend this apartment to anyone traveling to Florence. It is incredibly convenient to the main attractions of Florence as well as the train station for day trips, spacious, nicely decorated and reasonably priced. After long days - it was nice to come back to an apartment (loved the Jacuzzi!) versus a hotel room (especially since I was with my teenage daughter!). Thank you again - Bill |
| |
Bill Wyman, New Jersey
|
|
| 06/14/08 |
Positive
|
Mary,
We had a lovely time in Florence and LOVED the apartment. It was charming, well equipped, and in a fantastic location. Thanks for all of your attention to detail--it makes for an especially nice stay when you can have a "home base" to return to after sightseeing.
|
| |
Kristin Groth, Louisville, CO 80027
(303) 665-6781 |
|
| 05/13/08 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
Dear Mary,
Thank you for your wonderful apartment. While we were having a really good time walking around Florence, we were also looking forward to coming back to the apartment.
I will be recommending your place to my friends.
Thanks,
Kira Kushner
|
| |
|
|
| 11/28/07 |
Positive
|
My husband and I stayed at Mary's lovely top floor
apartment for 3 days in early October 2007. We
were in Italy for 3 weeks and this apartment in the
heart of Florence was the best experience we had
out of all the apartments and 4 star hotels we
stayed at.
The unit is completely updated, charming, very
clean, has every amenity you'll ever need, the
neighbors are quiet, and the neighborhood is
wonderful. There are many shops, cafes and bars
in the area. It was a treat to get back to the
apartment after a long day of touring. It felt like
home.
The train station is only a 5 minute walk away. The
apartment location is close enough to the sites, yet
far enough away from the crowds. You'll feel like
you're experiencing real Florentine life when you
stay at her apartment.
Her payment terms were simple and flexible.
Dealing with her was a breeze and we'll definitely
stay there again. Can't wait to go back! |
| |
Jesika Clark, San Francisco, California |
|
| 10/30/07 |
Positive
|
My husband and I stayed at your oasis on 4 Oct
2007. I call it an oasis because that is what is was.
The washer AND dryer, the air cond., the generous
bathtub, all were just like being at home and
quenched our thirst for those American
conveniences we are so addicted to. But the special
suprise was the cell phone. We were meeting up
with friends quite often and having the cell phone
was just what we needed. Your apartment also had
a wonderful and resourceful library full of important
and up to date information on the marvelous city of
Florence. Besides the fact that the apartment oozed
quaintness, it was also quite convenient to the
buses, river, and train station.
Thanks again for the lovely accommodation. We
look forward to returning in the future. |
| |
Judith Hutchison, Campbell, CA |
|
| 10/03/07 |
Positive
|
Absolutely perfect. The apartment far far exceeded our expectations. Immaculately clean, comfortable, close to everything. We loved our time staying there and commented many times about how nice it would be to have a place of our own just like it.
Thank you again. |
| |
Jeanmarie, Brooklyn, NY
|
|
| 09/11/07 |
Positive
|
| Excellent apartment!! Great location! Welcoming and helpful management at an exceptional price. Tastefully decorated, spacious, and clean. The space was well designed with all amenities above and beyond our expectations. We would definitely stay here next time!!! |
| |
Anonymous, Houston, TX/US |
|
| 08/13/07 |
Positive
|
| The stay was wonderful! |
| |
Pedro, Texas
Merced |
|
| 08/20/06 |
Positive
|
Hi Mary Rose,
We wanted to write and let everyone know how good we felt about our time at your place in Florence. (We stayed there in late April/early May of 2006.) Booking a reservation through VRBO was easy - and so was dealing with you as we prepared for our stay. I want to make sure folks take into consideration that the PROCESS of securing the reservation, getting the keys to the apartment, and getting the "lay of the land" is almost as important as the quality of the property. And it was "all good" - as we say. That's something that can't be underestimated when securing a reservation half way around the world in a country we had never visited.
The apartment was in great condition, and the location in the city is certainly perfect - especially for those of us who like to discover through walking (and, boy, did we walk!). I must admit that the "sounds of the city" continue past our bedtime - but we quickly learned that closing a window or two fixed that. No worries.
We will forever carry with us the memories of our favorite pasticerria just a few doors down and the wonderful little market directly across the street. Those romantic visions of cheese, bread, fruit and wine are true - and we really enjoyed them. Likewise, the pizzeria across the street was perfect for those nights when "informal but fabulous" was our goal.
Having the washer and the dryer in the room worked. We had planned on them, packing lightly to take advantage - went off without a hitch - left lots of room to bring back souvenirs.
We took advantage of the apartment's proximity to the train station to plan day trips to places like Bologna, Viareggio and Siena. In short, we had a marvelous time - thoroughly enjoying the experience and never once having to worry about our "home away from home."
We have recommended your place to several people that are planning trips to Italy. We certainly know where we'll stay when we return.
Thanks for everything,
Mac and Gail |
| |
Anonymous |
|
| 04/11/06 |
Positive
|
Greetings Mary!
We finally made it home and I am (I think) coherent
enough to send you our thanks for renting your flat
to us. We had a marvelous time and the flat was
perfect. It was just the right size and in a
wonderful location. We loved the pastry shop right
next door where we had cappucini and croissants
every morning. Our only regret is that we were not
able to bid the proprietors a proper goodbye.
The convenience of the various markets was
wonderful. We made dinner at the flat a few times
and felt lucky that we found the pasta store a
couple of blocks away so that we had wonderful
pasta with our meals.
Even with two weeks in Florence, we felt as if there
were still many, many things we did not have time
to do.
We hope we left the flat in good condition. We did
not use the phone so there should be no depletion
of the amount on the phone. If we missed
something or need to settle up on anything, please
let us know.
Again, thank you so much. We hope to visit again
soon. In the meantime, if you ever come to
Minnesota, please let us know so we can prepare a
wonderful Minnesota welcome for you.
Again, thanks for your kind hospitality and
we'll be sure and recommend your apartment to
anyone considering a Florence visit.
With warmest regards,
Barbara Wood and David Kampf
|
| |
Anonymous |
|
| 06/13/05 |
Positive
|
We loved the apartment. It is located in a very convenient part of Florence, away from the mobs, but close enough to the museums and churches to make it an easy walk to the major sights. It’s about a fifteen minute walk to the Duomo and about a five minute walk to the train and bus stations. There are ATMs and an internet location just around the corner from the apartment. The neighborhood is VERY safe. There is a friendly and helpful neighbor directly across the hall. The street—Borgo Oggnisante--has several small grocery stores and other shops. My favorite was literally at the bottom of the stairs. Fresh fruit, vegetables, pastries, bread, local wines, meats and some prepared food were all available within a one-block radius. Some of the merchants speak a little English, and some don’t, so it’s a great opportunity to practice your Italian.
The apartment itself is nicely decorated and was very comfortable for us. I’d move in in a heartbeat. Although located in an old building, the apartment itself is absolutely modern and recently remodeled. The photos on the website don’t do it justice. It is much nicer than it appears. (It’s not that the photos are bad, but rather that the apartment is very nice in ways that are not adequately represented in the photos.) It is secure, so that there is no cause for concern about leaving money or passports there. The bedroom is air conditioned and even during very hot weather—around 90 degrees Fahrenheit when we arrived—we slept comfortably. There is a washer and dryer, but we found it unnecessary to use the dryer since clothing dried so rapidly when hung. (There is a clothesline upstairs.) There is an iron and an ironing board and a hair dryer. There are a plenty of towels and pillows. The bed is comfortable. I cooked a lot and loved the stove. There is a cell phone for local use, which turned out to be helpful to us since Air France lost our luggage and needed to reach us by phone. Someone with mobility limitations might find the apartment challenging both because of the number of stairs—it’s on the fourth floor and once you get there there’s another flight of stairs up to the bedroom; there’s no elevator—and because there is a high walled tub/shower.
Mary Rose, the apartment’s owner, was very accommodating, both before we arrived and afterwards. We had no problems with the financial arrangements or in arranging to get into the apartment on a schedule that was convenient for us. I can’t think of a single thing she could have done to make our stay more comfortable.
We are looking forward to going back just as soon as we can. |
| |
Ed Montanaro, Tallahassee, Florida
850.907.0522 |
|
| 07/23/04 |
Positive
|
Hu Mary,
Just a quick note upon our return, thanking you for the availability of your wonderful apartment. It was perfect for our family of four, great location, spacious and comfortable. We wish we could have stayed longer! we all loved Florence so much. We echo the positive comments about Il Profeta. It's a gem and the owners are gracious and welcoming. Hope all is in good order, thank you very much again!
|
| |
Lisa |
|
| 06/08/04 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
Hi Mary,
Had an absolutely lovely time in Florence... what a wonderful city!! The Apt. was just great, we really enjoyed our visit. I hope we left the apt. in good order for you.
Had some great meals, and loved the sightseeing and shopping. We must have walked 20-miles! We also took the double-decker sightseeing bus and would recommend it highly for people that want to get a nice intro. to the city, and we used it to go to Fiesole and loved the side trip up there.
Monday we went to San Gimignano and loved the town and the country-side - inspiring. I hope some of my photos can due the landscape justice.
We left early on Tuesday, and you were right about the Taxi - it was there in 10-minutes flat, just as you predicted-thanks! It was also nice to find the TAXI stand a block up and adjacent to the river. We mostly walked; but it saved us some time when we wanted to take a quick taxi to a site.
I hope we were fine on the cellular phone minutes - if we owe you anything for those call, please let me know.
Once again, thanks so much for your hospitality. We will recommend the apt. to others whenever we get the chance.
Kindest regards,
Doug Stang
|
| |
Douglas J. Stang
|
|
| 10/14/03 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
Hi Mary,
Amy and I had a wonderful 15 days in Italy. We loved Florence and really enjoyed our stay in your apartment. Everything was so convenient - the train station, the neighboring shops for wine, cheese, and baked goodies (Amy especially liked the small leather shop down the street), the sights... But the food was spectacular! We had wonderful meals at Sabatini and Armando's and also at your suggestions Mamma Gina and Il Profeta. We shall return!!!
|
| |
Amy and Rich
|
|
| 09/23/03 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
Dear Mary,
We have only just found an Internet place that is not too far from our
house and are trying got catch up on our mail. I wanted to thank you again
for your wonderful apartment and the help and hospitality that you provided
while we were there. Believe me, the house here in Rome, while it has many
charms, is not nearly so well equipped and comfortable as your place.
All the best and thanks again.
Ciao, Anne
|
| |
Anne and Charles
|
|
| 07/16/03 |
Positive
|
| Charming apartment in a great location. My wife and I stayed there for 8 days and loved the place. The hosts are great and knowledgable about the city, places to see, and transportation alternatives. Great local places to eat. |
| |
Ed Swanstrom, Chicago, IL, USA
|
|
| 01/14/03 |
Positive
|
| This is the PERFECT location for travelers. The apartment is hospital clean, wonderfully outfitted, and the hosts could not be more accommodating. Literally just steps to the Arno and the beautiful sunsets. Fabulous restaurants nearby, try Il Profeto across the street, best Tiramisu in the WORLD, pricey but worth it. We brought home a wheel of Pecorino from the Cheese shop downstairs, best ever. I can't wait to return. Thank you Mary for the best vacation ever. |
| |
Bob Geary, Harwich, MA
|
|
| 11/02/02 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
I was reading all the entries in this book from previous residents and we all appear to be of one mind, as far as recognizing the superlatives of this apartment and the charm and warmth of its owners. We immediately met our first two Florentine angels as we arrived at the apartment. I could have hugged and kissed them for whisking our luggage up those steps. They were so full of helpful information in getting us started. We were very pleasantly surprised and pleased at all the thoughtful amenities you have provided with this apartment. The location for access to the city and public transportation is ideal and the variety of shops in one block supplies all our needs. It's hard to believe we lucked out with such winning combinations. Everything you provided made being here so stress-free that we were able to truly enjoy every minute of our week in Firenze.
Bless you for your thoughtfulness!
|
| |
Grossi Family
|
|
| 10/10/02 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine such a beautiful and warm welcoming home. I am somewhat sad to leave Borgo Ognissanti and Florence.............
I can't express how much I loved your apartment. From feeling so homesick you made things very comfortable and at time I felt like I was at home. If I was ever to travel to Florence, Italy I would love to stay here again.
|
| |
Camarena Family
|
|
| 09/24/02 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
Great Location !!! Thanks so much for your hospitality while our family visited Florence.
|
| |
Jennie Dave and Cameron
|
|
| 09/03/02 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
This was the perfect place to send my son off to college from. While he was settling into the NY campus, I was out and about in Florence and Fiesole. The weather, food, art and history were fantastic and the apartment just right for all I needed.
Thank you for setting it up so well.
|
| |
Cote Family
|
|
| 08/09/02 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
This is simply a great apartment ! It's perfectly located and beautifully decorated and accompanied by a wonderful host and hostess. All this and air-conditioning too. I will definitely refer this place to my friends in California.
All the best.
|
| |
Vernetti Family
|
|
| 07/29/02 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
We hate to leave our lovely little home away from home. The comfortable accomadations added much to our enjoyment of this spectacular city and breath-taking Tuscany. How did you manage to secure such wonderful shops for your block! Groceries, wine and the baked goods all available steps away and pastry to die for.
Ciao !
|
| |
Geary Family
|
|
| 06/22/02 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
First of all, thank you for the loan of your beautiful apartment right in the heart of this beautiful city. Florence was everything we wanted it to be and more. We would definitely recommend a visit to your future visitors.
|
| |
Wes and Rebekah
|
|
| 06/20/02 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
We've had such a lovely stay in this perfectly outfitted little home away from home. The location is wonderful- The air-conditioning has been a blessing and we've been happy to have a kitchen, where we've cooked the fresh groceries from the great Mercato Centrale. Thank you for all your help and friendliness.
|
| |
Kraus Family
|
|
| 05/29/02 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
Your apartment is so perfectly situated. Thank you so much for your splendid hospitality. Your apartment is perfect,cozy and met our every need.
|
| |
The Gigliotti's
|
|
| 05/16/02 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
You are a great hostess - providing us with so many thoughtful amenities. This apartment was darling and sooooo tidy! The only problem we had was "over-sleeping" on some mornings when it would have been better to get an early start!
Thanks so much
|
| |
Hopkins Family
|
|