Aug 3, 2019, 7:37 am
Westin Excelsior - Florence, Italy [Master Thread]
Jun 16, 2011, 5:40 am
#122
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Programs: Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum
Posts: 362
We just got back from a 4 night stay - upgraded to a jr. suite overlooking the main square with a view of the Arno. All in all - a great hotel with a great location (Harry's Bar right around the corner!).
The bad news? The bar! Lit up every night with super bright ceiling lights so that it had the ambiance of a high school cafeteria - even when the piano player (fabulous player) was performing. The other bad thing was that the evening dining area was behind the bar - and the kitchen is on the other side of the bar lobby near the breakfast/lunch main dining area. This meant that all kitchen orders would have to be transported across the bar lobby past lobby bar patrons to the evening dining room - not good.
The good news is that the Excelsior has built a fabulous rooftop bar and dining area - it is jut not opened yet. While it is finished - they are having difficulty in getting the proper permits to start operating - but when they do it will be a super dining/drinking venue!
The bad news? The bar! Lit up every night with super bright ceiling lights so that it had the ambiance of a high school cafeteria - even when the piano player (fabulous player) was performing. The other bad thing was that the evening dining area was behind the bar - and the kitchen is on the other side of the bar lobby near the breakfast/lunch main dining area. This meant that all kitchen orders would have to be transported across the bar lobby past lobby bar patrons to the evening dining room - not good.
The good news is that the Excelsior has built a fabulous rooftop bar and dining area - it is jut not opened yet. While it is finished - they are having difficulty in getting the proper permits to start operating - but when they do it will be a super dining/drinking venue!
Jul 1, 2011, 9:04 am
#123
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Boston
Programs: SPG Plat, MAR Lifetime Plat, UAMM, AA3MM
Posts: 119
... also visited St. Regis
Spent 4 nights at the Excelsior in June... and enjoyed the hotel very much. The hotel was very busy, so missed out on a Jr. Ste but they gave me a very large room overlooking the river which I liked very much. The staff seemed genuinely interested in my well being and was very accommodating... recognized my Plat status, etc.
While at the hotel they offered me a tour of the new St. Regis hotel (located right across the courtyard... about a 30 second walk). The St. Regis is magnificent... all redone, a very polished and grand atmosphere. The room I saw (a standard room... not on the water) was very small but impeccably appointed. Personally, I preferred my larger room w/balcony at the Excelsior over the smaller, spiffier St. Regis room, even though the Excelsior is much older and a bit worn around the edges. The St. Regis would have been more money as well. I'm sure, however, that a great room at the St. Regis would be phenomenal.
At the time of my stay a few weeks ago, the St. Regis only offered a small amount of their rooms for sale (about 29 I think they said), as the rest were not completed yet... the common spaces are done... and impeccable. You can also use any of the St. Regis outlets and charge to your Excelsior room account. We used the small outside terrace spot for some afternoon cocktails.
AUTO WARNING: If you park a vehicle at either hotel... you are entering a restricted zone (those notorious cameras will get you), so you will get a ticket in the mail unless the hotel doorman records your plate number and sends it to the police to enter into their system... you are allowed to enter the zone if you are going to a hotel within the zone. They are very good about doing this... but always check on it so there are no surprises.
While at the hotel they offered me a tour of the new St. Regis hotel (located right across the courtyard... about a 30 second walk). The St. Regis is magnificent... all redone, a very polished and grand atmosphere. The room I saw (a standard room... not on the water) was very small but impeccably appointed. Personally, I preferred my larger room w/balcony at the Excelsior over the smaller, spiffier St. Regis room, even though the Excelsior is much older and a bit worn around the edges. The St. Regis would have been more money as well. I'm sure, however, that a great room at the St. Regis would be phenomenal.
At the time of my stay a few weeks ago, the St. Regis only offered a small amount of their rooms for sale (about 29 I think they said), as the rest were not completed yet... the common spaces are done... and impeccable. You can also use any of the St. Regis outlets and charge to your Excelsior room account. We used the small outside terrace spot for some afternoon cocktails.
AUTO WARNING: If you park a vehicle at either hotel... you are entering a restricted zone (those notorious cameras will get you), so you will get a ticket in the mail unless the hotel doorman records your plate number and sends it to the police to enter into their system... you are allowed to enter the zone if you are going to a hotel within the zone. They are very good about doing this... but always check on it so there are no surprises.
Apr 2, 2012, 9:07 am
#124
Join Date: May 2006
Programs: aa spg
Posts: 10
Complimentary Internet Access?
Does anyone know if SPG gold members are offered (or can choose as their welcome gift) free internet access at this hotel? We're planning a trip in July, and web access is a decision factor for us...
Thanks
Thanks
Apr 4, 2012, 5:39 pm
#125
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Apr 5, 2012, 6:29 am
#126
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 139
Not that I imagine that I could add anything of value to a response of our esteemed Lurker, but I asked your question of the front desk when I checked out of this hotel this past Tuesday (have been without Internet since) and was assured that since March 1, Gold members could choose free Internet as their amenity. FWIW, in my unscientific estimation, the wifi speed was fine for my purposes, but not blazingly fast.
Apr 18, 2012, 9:50 am
#128
Join Date: May 2006
Programs: aa spg
Posts: 10
Thanks
Thanks both of you - I appreciate the info!
Not that I imagine that I could add anything of value to a response of our esteemed Lurker, but I asked your question of the front desk when I checked out of this hotel this past Tuesday (have been without Internet since) and was assured that since March 1, Gold members could choose free Internet as their amenity. FWIW, in my unscientific estimation, the wifi speed was fine for my purposes, but not blazingly fast.
Aug 13, 2012, 8:26 am
#129
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Nashvegas
Posts: 867
A short TR from our two-day stay last week. In a word, fantastic.
We (me, wife and two girls aged under 8) had a premium deluxe room in which the staff placed two rollaway beds. The room was very, very large and comfortable, and although it had no view at all, worked perfectly well for our needs. Note that IME you have to call the hotel directly to do this. I was unable to reserve this configuration online or through central reservations, but the hotel was happy to ... accommodate ... my request. The A/C worked very well and since it was 100 degrees when we were there, that was very important.
The staff was excellent: extremely friendly and helpful, and always comfortable in English. The concierge made good suggestions for dining and coffee, and helped us reserve a tour of the Palazzo Vecchio (incidentally, an excellent tour). The door guy remembered my name as we went in and out, and was always kind to my girls. The breakfast staff was equally sweet to my girls, and happy to get us whatever we wanted. The buffet breakfast is EUR39 and I would not have had it in the hotel had it not been included in our room rate. As an amenity included in the room rate, the spread was very good. We had drinks on the top floor one afternoon, which was as expensive as it was pleasant. The view is spectacular and, again, the staff was excellent.
As a Gold guest I was offered an amenity of points or internet access (normally EUR 14 I think for 24 hours). The internet access is fine and stable although, as stated above, not especially fast. The location is very good and did not create any sense that we were walking a great distance just to get to the attractions.
In summary, I would not hesitate to use this hotel again and found it to be among the most comfortable and well-turned out Westins I have stayed in. The staff is an absolute credit to this hotel.
One practical point for family travelers especially: There is a laundromat not far from the hotel that stays open until 11pm or so. It is EUR 3.50 for a load of laundry, and EUR 3.50 to dry (although two load - whites and colors - will fit in the dryer so you only need EUR 10.50 to do a lot of laundry, which we had). Detergent is EUR 0.50/load. The owner was nice enough to offer that if I gave him EUR 5, he would move our clothes from the washers to the dryer and set the dryer running, so that I could adjourn to a bar nearby rather than wait in the laundromat. Basically, he kept the EUR 1.50 and bought a beer, which did not seem unreasonable. He doesn't speak English but lots of hand gestures, some elementary school Italian and a fistful of coins sorted out our collective plan.
We (me, wife and two girls aged under 8) had a premium deluxe room in which the staff placed two rollaway beds. The room was very, very large and comfortable, and although it had no view at all, worked perfectly well for our needs. Note that IME you have to call the hotel directly to do this. I was unable to reserve this configuration online or through central reservations, but the hotel was happy to ... accommodate ... my request. The A/C worked very well and since it was 100 degrees when we were there, that was very important.
The staff was excellent: extremely friendly and helpful, and always comfortable in English. The concierge made good suggestions for dining and coffee, and helped us reserve a tour of the Palazzo Vecchio (incidentally, an excellent tour). The door guy remembered my name as we went in and out, and was always kind to my girls. The breakfast staff was equally sweet to my girls, and happy to get us whatever we wanted. The buffet breakfast is EUR39 and I would not have had it in the hotel had it not been included in our room rate. As an amenity included in the room rate, the spread was very good. We had drinks on the top floor one afternoon, which was as expensive as it was pleasant. The view is spectacular and, again, the staff was excellent.
As a Gold guest I was offered an amenity of points or internet access (normally EUR 14 I think for 24 hours). The internet access is fine and stable although, as stated above, not especially fast. The location is very good and did not create any sense that we were walking a great distance just to get to the attractions.
In summary, I would not hesitate to use this hotel again and found it to be among the most comfortable and well-turned out Westins I have stayed in. The staff is an absolute credit to this hotel.
One practical point for family travelers especially: There is a laundromat not far from the hotel that stays open until 11pm or so. It is EUR 3.50 for a load of laundry, and EUR 3.50 to dry (although two load - whites and colors - will fit in the dryer so you only need EUR 10.50 to do a lot of laundry, which we had). Detergent is EUR 0.50/load. The owner was nice enough to offer that if I gave him EUR 5, he would move our clothes from the washers to the dryer and set the dryer running, so that I could adjourn to a bar nearby rather than wait in the laundromat. Basically, he kept the EUR 1.50 and bought a beer, which did not seem unreasonable. He doesn't speak English but lots of hand gestures, some elementary school Italian and a fistful of coins sorted out our collective plan.
Aug 13, 2012, 12:10 pm
#132
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: europe
Programs: EX˛-*wood platinum, EX-hyatt diamond, sixt platinum, hilton silver, leaders club, esselunga verde...
Posts: 2,048
Sep 24, 2012, 5:40 pm
#133
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Hawaii & Texas
Programs: AA ExPlat / LT Plat / 3MM, Delta Plat, Bonvoy LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,109
We'll were back from our BMW European Delivery trip. It was the trip of a lifetime! Here's the start of our Trip Report
All in all, the Westin Excelsior had an exceptional staff, from the valet staff, check-in, etc. Also had a nice room with a terrace that overlooked the city. I would stay here again in a heart beat.
The St. Regis, I guess I had the highest expectations so it was a let down. It was the most costly room of our trip and the service was meh. The beds were super comfortable! The Florentine murals in the room were a nice touch as well.
We're planning a trip back to stay a week sans car and it won't be at the St. Regis but probably the Excelsior.
As a Platinum, the breakfast at both hotels was very good. We enjoyed the prosciutto for breakfast!
All in all, the Westin Excelsior had an exceptional staff, from the valet staff, check-in, etc. Also had a nice room with a terrace that overlooked the city. I would stay here again in a heart beat.
The St. Regis, I guess I had the highest expectations so it was a let down. It was the most costly room of our trip and the service was meh. The beds were super comfortable! The Florentine murals in the room were a nice touch as well.
We're planning a trip back to stay a week sans car and it won't be at the St. Regis but probably the Excelsior.
As a Platinum, the breakfast at both hotels was very good. We enjoyed the prosciutto for breakfast!
Oct 5, 2012, 10:07 am
#134
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Dana Point CA
Posts: 109
Just checked into the Westin Excelsior, Florence
We just checked in the Westin Excelsior about an hour ago to start our 5 night stay. As Platinum we were upgraded to a room with a view of the Domo, not the river, but are very happy. The river seems very low and looks a little like a swamp - don't now if this is how it is normally, but the Domo view is just fine with me. Check- in was fine, the desk person was friendly and helpful. We went up stairs to the rooftop bar to enjoy a drink and the view from there is great. When we returned to our room a butler delivered us a bottle of Chianti Classico wine - a very nice gesture. I'm afraid I didn't top him quit enough - just wondering if any of you have this experience and what did you tip?
Anyway, off to a great start of a 5 day stay (on points).
Anyway, off to a great start of a 5 day stay (on points).
Oct 5, 2012, 6:34 pm
#135
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,990
We just checked in the Westin Excelsior about an hour ago to start our 5 night stay. As Platinum we were upgraded to a room with a view of the Domo, not the river, but are very happy. The river seems very low and looks a little like a swamp - don't now if this is how it is normally, but the Domo view is just fine with me. Check- in was fine, the desk person was friendly and helpful. We went up stairs to the rooftop bar to enjoy a drink and the view from there is great. When we returned to our room a butler delivered us a bottle of Chianti Classico wine - a very nice gesture. I'm afraid I didn't top him quit enough - just wondering if any of you have this experience and what did you tip?
Anyway, off to a great start of a 5 day stay (on points).
Anyway, off to a great start of a 5 day stay (on points).
Cheers,