Golden Tower Hotel & Spa — Hotel in Florence

Absolutely abysmal customer service. The concierge at this hotel is nowhere near the 5 star experience that you pay for. From check in to check out there were issues. First off, they are located in a gated area where they are only able to control the opening of the gate; once opened, it automatically closes after 30 seconds. If you’re driving in to the hotel, they ask you to call the hotel as soon as you’re at the gate so that they may open it, which is not the easiest thing to do as an international traveler. We ended up leaving the car at the gate and walked down and around the block to check in. Instead of offering to have an employee take care of our luggages and car, they instruct us to walk back to the car and unload our luggages, and an attendant will be with us shortly. Again, not the 5 star experience that you pay for. On one occasion, my daughter, who wasn’t a guest, accompanied me to our room for a few minutes. They immediately stopped her, even though she was clearly with us, and asked for her identification and proceeded to make a photo copy of it. When asked the reasoning for this, their explanation was that this is “required in Italy”. Maybe this is truly an Italian law that I’m unaware of, but I would expect better communication and treatment. Instead, they made the whole situation awkward and made us feel as though we were smuggling a criminal into their hotel. We stayed at multiple hotels in Italy during this trip, and many times before, and no other place has ever requested this. After we checked out, we got in our car and started driving off, but by the time we turned the corner, the gate was already closing (they couldn’t even time our exit appropriately so that the gate would stay open by the time we reached the end of the street). It’s difficult to make a u-turn in that area and I can’t make international calls to call them, so I had to walk back to the hotel and tell them to open the gate again. Is it so difficult to send an employee with the customer to the gate so that you may time the opening more...

This little gem was hidden down a side street, making it a little bit hard to find. This was easily my favorite of the three hotels on our Italian trip, and one of my favorites anywhere. The room was spacious and richly appointed with dark wood, gilded lamps, and elaborate ceiling decoration. The bathtub was big enough for both of us at once. If you open your window in the morning you can hear the beautiful cathedral bells from what sounds like every direction, but there's hardly a sound with them shut.

All of the staff were friendly and accommodating. We especially liked the bartender, Fabiola. She was very sweet and attentive, made good drinks, and friendly conversation. The lounge is comfortable and classy. They have a breakfast buffet and cocktail hour in the afternoon.

The spa here is interesting. A Turkish bath is kind of like a rainfall shower, except the water is at a higher pressure and comes out almost lukewarm. The idea is that the water will massage your shoulders. And if you prefer more heat, there are the saunas just beside it. It's nice to alternate between the two. They have water by the lounge chairs for you to recuperate.

We were able to walk here from the train station in around 15 minutes, though there was some cobblestone road. It was a nice way to see the surrounding area, though I wouldn't recommend it unless you have a suitcase...

This hotel exceeded all my expectations. Even before my husband and I arrived, all communications with this hotel were warm and friendly, expeditious and detailed. Upon arrival the staff was welcoming, gracious and helpful. We arrived prior to check-in time, and the hotel offered to hold our luggage, and allow us to go and explore Florence. . When we arrived back, one of the front desk staff greeted us and took us personally to our room. Our luggage had been placed in our room just as we had been told. Everything in the room was explained to us, as well as advising where breakfast was served, and what spa amenities were available to us. My husband casually mentioned we were celebrating our 21st wedding anniversary, and the hotel surprised us with a complimentary bottle of Proseco and snacks. The room was 5stars all the way. A spacious room along with a spacious bathroom with marble from top to bottom. Everything was done with class and elegance. We also had a turn-down service every evening. Centrally located in the heart of the historic center, we were able to walk to all the major attractions. This hotel and all the staff met every need and then some. I highly recommend this hotel if you are lucky enough to spend time in Florence. Should I ever have the opportunity to spend time in Florence again, there is no other place...