no1cub17

Wife and I recently stayed here for our first anniversary. WOW. Probably the best experience we've had at an SPG property. Even as lowly GLDs we were upgraded to a river view room. In advance of our arrival I arranged for flowers/champagne through the concierge. Our room wasn't ready when we arrived (around noon), but they stored our bags while we had lunch and had a pleasant stroll over the ponte vecchio. When we returned (as others mentioned above), our bags had been neatly placed in our room. The flowers and champagne were perfect. The room was magnificent (including the river view) and the bed was probably the most comfortable I've experienced at the hotel. The balcony was perfect for sipping prosecco and people watching. Needless to say, we won't hesitate to stay here again our next time in Florence.

dave_SEA

We're celebrating a family member's 70th birthday, and my wife wants to bring the party of 5 to this hotel for a few days late April. We found some good rates via SPG, but none seem to include breakfast.

Is breakfast worth it? Any tips or tricks for finding a good reservation?

factory81

SPG Plat w/ a booked points room of deluxe arno river view. SNA applied. Any idea of what to expect as plat? Parking is reasonable, or nay?

Breakfast? Wifi? High-fives? Low-fives?

MarkedMan

Property is a grand old dame with one of the very best rooftop bars in Florence. The bar does an aperitivo in the late afternoons, with what is usually some decent free food to accompany the drinks and the views. Location is excellent, wonderful walk over to the Duomo, Piazza Della Signoria and Piazza Della Repubblica, through all the expensive shopping streets You can walk to Piazza Sant'Ambrogio in no more than 30 minutes and eat at Cibreo or Teatro Del Sale, but are also close to some much more local sites on the southern side of the river. Also a quick walk to the station (which is usually how we come to this place, I grew up just outside Florence) and the Officina Santa Maria Novella for more spending opportunities

The hotel itself has some minor issues, as you would expect of such an old building, especially when it comes to temperature control. Likely to be much less of an issue at this time of the year than in summer or winter, when climate control is required. We stayed here in December and it was boiling, one setting per floor and you were just going to be warm.

Don't open the windows for too long - the river's a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other flying critters, you'll get bit. The hotel is proactive in notifying you of this. Just enjoy the amazing views.

Breakfast is great, similar both here and across the road at the St Regis, lots of everything you could want, including congee and cappuccino Plats get it comped, the whole thing, as is much more the case in these properties in Europe. The St Regis was a notch above in also comping a champagne moment at the bar in the afternoons, complete with sabrage and stunningly good tasting bites, oyster included! But you usually pay for the little extras there with a heftier rate. Both wonderful properties IMO.

lenny851

Stayed at the property last week. All around great stay. We did not eat at the hotel but enjoyed the rooftop bar.

amazing location, staff etc.

Highly recommend it to anyone.

best,
Lenny

factory81

Here is an update on my stay:

Sherwood continues to not spoil me on vacation.

SNA applied and declined by hotel.
Your24 applied and declined by hotel.

Booked a arno river deluxe room - and got a Arno river deluxe room. I wish the fruit baskets I got during my work stats at least would make an appearance again.

Really sucks cause I have been getting upgraded at every Hyatt and Marriott I stay at on this vacation - and I focus most of my stats at SPG. Girlfriend and I basically said - this just shows why diversification of points and status are important.

I'm regard to the hotel quality: Hyatt Recency in Nice was nicer. Park Hyatt in Paris is nicer. Even the Renaissance Il Ciocco over in Barga - was as nice or nicer. location is awesome tho

arkyrab

My wife and I just stayed at Westin Excelsior Florence, were upgraded to the Belvedere Suite with large terrace and expansive vistas to enjoy and had a fabulous total experience.

factory81

That sounds wonderful. I stayed almost 120 nights last year and don't get that kind of treatment at Starwood. I know our experiences are anecdotal, but SPG as a rule of thumb (for me) - will never upgrade me on vacation
Of course when I'm in Atlanta, LAX or Milwaukee for example - it seems I get the upgrade. But as soon as I book some aspirational awards - no dice.

Sitting at the Le Meridian in Barcelona now and my SNA was declined here as well. I'm in a large room they call a junior suite (booked on points). Although it is just a large room with a couch. I will even go as far as to say SPG's pictures of the junior suites make it seem like something it is not.

The staff and service are top notch here in Barcelona though, so that makes up for it. But still - I yearn for the day when my SNA will go thru

CandymanJim

Just got back from both Florence and Rome Excelsior's. I have to say our Rome experience was much better than in Florence. I had SNA's pending on both locations. Florence didn't go through, Rome did. We were celebrating our 25th anniversary on the trip, I made clear of that to Florence when the night of the 8th was our actual date while in the Florence hotel. I had corresponded with staff and they totally dropped the ball on anything for this event. It wasn't that important, but when staff says they will do something special, then does nothing, its kind of a let down. Rome on the other hand approved our SNA to a great Suite and had prosecco and sweet treats waiting for us in our room!

captain_starwood

That's a shame, CandymanJim. Did you relate this experience to SPG Corporate / Platinum care? Seems like a pretty big miss in service

kymbakitty

Any recent experience with this property? It's been over a year since last post on this hotel and boy, what a difference a year can make.

If I transfer all my points over from Marriott, I can stay here for the last 3 nights of our vacation this November.

Currently, we are booked at the Hilton in Florence because there aren't any Marriott properties there....but Starwood just opened up to me and I would be Platinum (I think we would have breakfast--but no internet--still learning SPG perks).

I definitely don't have any SPG Suite certs (?), but it could happen with Platinum. Not a deal breaker. I think there is no comparison to the Hilton Metropole Florence and the Westin Florence (not enough points for the St. Regis...not even almost).

We are celebrating our 25 year wedding anniversary and I'm thinking that this would be an awesome way to complete our two week vacation in Italy (Venice/Bologna/Tuscany/Florence).

Thank you!

Dawn

tridawg

Not a recent review, but a review of someone who stayed at both properties on my last visit to Italy.

My impressions of each:

Westin: stayed here first half of trip. excellent location, got upgraded from Deluxe Room to Premium Deluxe river view just being a regular SPG member in off season. Great hotel, and again excellent location.

Hilton: cheaper, great view of the city(we stayed here at the tail end of our trip so it was almost poetic seeing the city from the lounge the night before we left Italy). Got upgraded to King Junior Suite as Diamond, can't remember what I booked. View from the lounge and the lounge itself were great. taking bus or taxi to city was a pain, not a deal breaker but a pain after being in the action at the Westin. Don't know if I would want to do it for 3 days.

I'd go with the Westin. You can't beat the location. Especially for a special occasion such as this.

dingo

I've always been treated well as a plat when staying at the Westin even when my snas didn't go through.

pageboy

I stayed at the Westin Excelsior in Florence for 2 nights about a year ago. It is right across from the St. Regis with the same view of the Arno. For the difference in $/points, I would stay at the Westin. The breakfast there was great and free for Plats. I somehow booked the largest suite they had (think 1200 sq. ft. terrace with jacuzzi) on a really cheap rate with a funky promo code. They mentioned it at check in and gave my college age children a similar room next door. Nice hotel, nice people.

dingo

The Italy Starwood's are amazing to plats. Said for years it is the main reason I got and retained play status. I will miss them when these props get Marriott-ized.