Grand Hotel Minerva — Hotel in Florence

A bumpy start with a stellar finish. My room was facing the square and was incredibly quiet and peaceful. I felt safe sleeping with the window open, breeze coming in. One night with a magical thunder & lightening storm. I slept better there than any other location on my lengthy trip.

Hot water and great water pressure A+++

But, the best part was the staff and the people. I wish that I could name them all.

The booking manager went out of his way to assist with a booking error that was all my fault. Quite an ordeal for him to correct. I am grateful.

The front end manager took care of a room issue upon arrival and went above and beyond to make it better than okay...

Specifically, two of the people that helped with room service were gracious and kind. It's wonderful to be greeted with that energy first thing in the morning.

The restaurant and bar staff were kind, friendly and helpful daily. They really made me feel welcome and at home in Florence.

The food is exceptional. You mist try the chocolate chip cookies and chocolate croissant- better than France I don't normally care for chocolate and these were a favorite! The touch of salt in the cookie and crispness at the edge! Masterful!

The breakfast buffet is A+++ Beautifully displayed, large variety of options- FRESH! I had 3 dinners onsite- I loved the chicken Cesar salad. Pasta was delicate with complex flavors...Room service for breakfast made working from my room and a slow pace in the morning essential for the ease of my stay. The staff were incredibly kind and accommodating when I messed up with the room service ordering. They went above & beyond to help and make me feel comfortable.

The hotel is in the perfect location. Close to walk to everything. Taxis a few steps away which is good because with traffic - requesting a car can take a bit to get to you before you even begin. Train & public transportation 5 min away.

As a female solo traveler, I felt extremely safe in this location.

The over arching theme was the kindness of the staff - across the board.

I am grateful... and...

I can't wait to return and have recommended Grand Hotel Minerva to many headed...

Disappointing Stay at an Overpriced Hotel – Not Worth the “Premium” Label

We stayed one night at the Grand Hotel Minerva in Florence, hoping for a luxurious experience given the price—around €900 per night for their Premium Florence View room. While the exterior is charming and the location on Piazza di Santa Maria Novella is excellent, the overall experience fell far short of expectations for a four-star hotel.

Let’s start with the room: it was so small you could barely open a suitcase without rearranging the furniture. Despite the modern design and good air conditioning (a plus given the 100°F/38°C heat), we were shocked to find no complimentary water provided in the room. Instead, you’re expected to purchase it from the mini bar. I’ve traveled extensively, and I’ve never encountered this at a hotel in this price range—it’s both unreasonable and unwelcoming. Ironically, they do leave you a complimentary bag of biscotti and a printed welcome note. Biscotti but no water? That pretty much sums up the misplaced priorities here.

When I inquired about the gym, I was told to wait for a voucher—only to find out the gym isn’t even on-site. It’s at a completely separate business a few minutes away. This might be acceptable for a budget hotel, but not for one charging nearly €1,000 a night.

Need to press your clothes? Don’t expect an iron in the room—they don’t offer them. I was told I could pay to have clothes ironed. Only after pushing back did they offer a steamer, if available. Again, very poor service standards for the price.

And as for the so-called “Premium Florence View”, don’t be fooled. The view from the first floor is mediocre at best—certainly not worth the upgrade cost.

In short, this hotel nickel-and-dimes you at every turn while delivering a product that’s nowhere near the level it pretends to be. There are better options in Florence that offer genuine comfort, service, and value. I’d recommend...

I wholeheartedly recommend this hotel in Florence. I don't know if you could pick a more picturesque locale. This is right on a piazza next to a beautiful church. There's a great gelato place on the corner and you are surrounded by restaurants and shops. You're not more than 15 minutes from most major attractions by foot. There's a laundromat nearby, pharmacies, and you're less than 5 minutes from the train station.||The hotel itself is very nice. Lobby is gorgeous, front desk was terrific, the free breakfast is fabulous and the waitstaff are incredible. Sefedine and Paolo felt like old friends by the end of our stay. By the second day they had remembered our drinks and other requests and always took the best care of us. They even gave my sister in law a gift for her birthday!||The rooms we were in were mid-tier among their offerings and they aren't as picturesque as the rest of the hotel, nor are they huge but the beds are comfortable, bathrooms were very nice, they were very clean etc. We did adjoining rooms since we were traveling with kids and we weren't planning on spending much time in the room so this was a good choice for us. If you are there for a romantic stay, perhaps upgrade to one of their fancier rooms. ||The rooftop pool has the most insane views. It's a tiny pool but perfect for our needs for an hour here or there for the kids between activities. No lounge chairs, just a few couchlike things and then tables and chairs. At night I think it is an active bar and can be attended by non hotel guests and I bet the views at night are equally incredible.||I will be telling all my friends to stay at this hotel if they are coming to Florence, that's how...