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Back to B&B Manzoni
Dear In Italy,
Florence was at the beginning of our trip and so we have only just arrived back home. We had a marvellous time, as always Italy never fails to enthrall, it doesn't matter where you are!
We had a great time in Florence. B & B Manzoni was really great. Very friendly staff, very helpful, very clean. We really enjoyed staying there. The reservation made for the Accademia worked out very well. I only wish that we had made a reservation for the Vatican. I assume we could have done that with you as well? The line ups were incredible and so in the end we did not go in. We had too much to see and too little time.
I do have one comment to make regarding Florence. Unfortunately I left my more detailed map at home and was unable to find one before we went into Florence. Therefore we followed your instructions to take the north exit into Florence. I am at a loss to understand why you would recommend coming in that way as it means having to go all the way through the city. As we had never driven in Florence or Italy before, it was a bit of an experience. An experience which we would have rather not had. The south exit is literally 5-10 minutes from B and B Manzoni. It would have been so easy to find had we gone in that exit. I hope that you will modify your instructions. Take the south exit and follow along until you cross the Arno river, turn left and then turn right on Viale Giovanni Amendola which brings you quickly to Piazza Cesare Beccaria and to Via A. Manzoni. My only caution here is there are many one way streets and as we only went out this way I am not totally positive that the main road (sorry I don't have the name) is not a one way. I'm sure you can find this out though.
We had a simply wonderful time in Florence and the rest of Italy as we made our way around and I'm sure we will head back here in the next few years.
Thanks for your help and take care
Darlene P.
Dear In Italy,
Your choice of available hotels in Italy should be updated and relevant comments added to warn potential clients of the pitfalls of staying in one of your choices. For Example; Residence Manzoni in Florence is 54 steps up from the ground level and initial access is not available 24 hours a day. The B & B is on the third floor and it takes 6 flights of stairs (those 54 steps) to get to it just to find out no one is available to check you in. Florio was nowhere to be found. With two bags each it is just about impossible for two older folks to lug them up those stairs.
Jack C.
InItaly:
I really have to say that everything went so smooth and was just as I expected from reading your site and other travelers comments. Buying the maps in advance was a great help as was printing the info sheets available for each hotel and booking the train, and museum tickets online. AND most importantly packing lightly, most places have no elevator and there is A LOT of walking involved especially in Venice (to get to the hotel). Here's a breakdown of my visit to each city:
Florence: B&B Manzoni, the only thing we didnt like was the breakfast, no fresh cheese and ham here. But there are plenty of bakeries just follow your nose! In the big cathedrals like Santa Maria Novella students that are studying Art History abroad give free tours which we took advantage of and they know of many places to eat and see as well. Our restaurant of choice here was the Filthy Cook...sharing a table with others is really entertaining (and you can also exchange info about places to visit in Florence). For amaaaaazing brick oven pizza try Le Campane, the hotel gave us directions. Must go see the David! No words to describe its magnitude.
Hope this helps and sorry for the delay in my response!
Evangelia P
Dear In Italy,
First I would like to thank you and all of the folks at IN ITALY. COM. All of the accommodations that we reserved through your service well exceeded our expectations. The information that I obtained via your web site was very helpful and accurate and made the adjustment for traveling in Italy less stressful.
We had actually spent 30 days on this trip which a week of it was spent up in Austria.
Finding B&B Manzoni was an adventure in itself. We drove around in a large circle probably a dozen times passing the property several times, it was becoming hilarious. The map provided with the driving directions was fairly clear, however if Italy is missing anything it is that last sign. We followed the map and street signs as directed but then all of a sudden the street signs no longer direct you to your marker and there is no signs telling you a Plaza name or anything. After a while things begin to make some sense and by chance we found this place. This place actually is in the best location in Florence, a fairly short walk to the Academy of Art where the David is located and from there another short walk to the Duomo. There was so much to see and do in Florence we really could have spent more time there. I highly recommend taking the RED Sight seeing bus. As the bus drives you around through town you listen to a prerecorded audio guide that is very precise to your location despite traffic, plus you can get on or off the bus as often as you like for a 24 hour period. This is by far the best way to see all of Florence as well as assist you in deciding were you would like to further explore on foot.
The room we stayed in was very nice and spacious. Our breakfast was placed in our room the night before, it kind of reminded me of airline food, but it was ok. The nice thing was you could enjoy it when you wanted to and not have to be at breakfast between the hours of 7 to 9 a.m.as a lot of other B&B's do. One of the things that I did not like about this property was all those stairs. Of course if you’re in Italy for any time you learn rather quickly that everything is up stairs. The good thing was the staircase here was very wide and a lot easier to carry suitcases up and down then the other places we stayed at.
All in all we really did enjoy this property, it is extremely well located, very clean and very quiet. Parking was a little difficult, however if you kind of double park or something close by and keep an eye out for a little while a closer spot will open up then you or your spouse can stand in this spot while you run to get your car. It all seems to work out ok.
We really did have a wonderful time in Italy. My recommendations for any "first timers" visiting this country are as follows.
(1) Be very open minded :
The "Norm" does not necessarily apply here
(2) Forget about taking travelers checks :
It is bad enough taking the hit on the currency exchange rate, however it will just make things worse for you when you do cash a travelers check and get an even worse exchange rate PLUS pay a commission for doing so. Use your ATM card, there are a lot of ATM machines all through Italy plus a lot of places due take major credit cards. By doing so you will assure yourself that you are going to get the "actual "current exchange rate at that time and not have to pay an additional commission. This will help take a lot of frustration out of your vacation.
(3) Charge tour road tolls on your credit card:
This will get you through the tolls quicker and prevent the 100's of locals waiting behind you from honking and yelling at you while you are trying to figure out how much to pay. Even if the toll is just a couple of euro, "Charge It", I believe you should charge as much of your vacation in Italy as possible, after all, it cost you nothing to charge it "PLUS" you get the best exchange rate. Cash is a commodity, you will need it. Keep lots of Euro in your pocket at all times because there
are places that do not except anything else and you don't want to be caught without it. When you get home you can then spend your cash paying off your credit card, you will then see just how much you actually saved by taking full advantage of the fluctuating exchange rate.
(4) Just have fun:
Don't worry about driving in Italy, it is not as difficult as you might think it just takes a little getting use to. Italians are very aggressive drivers and they will honk and perhaps make gesture at you. Just keep in mind that you are a tourist and are not expected to know where you are going. Simply pull off to the right onto the shoulder, relax, view your directions then proceed. You don't want to make a wrong turn or take the wrong exit, after all it may be extremely difficult if not impossible to find your way back. Then you'll be forced to find an alternative way to get where you’re going. Having a partner to navigate as you drive is a must, I would only drive solo if I had made the same trip a few times and was very comfortable with my landmarks.
Anyway, thank you once again for your assistance. I hope this is what you wanted, and should we return to Italy I would use your services again as well as recommend them to others whom my be planning on going.
Sincerely;
Thomas M.
Cynthia,
We had a great trip and I am happy to say that all the arrangements we made on-line worked out very well.
B&B Manzoni was very nice: the location is very good and the rooms are comfortable. The staff was very helpful and friendly. On our first day, they recommended a local trattoria for lunch (La Giova) and it was a good experience: a tiny place with good food, friendly people, and a totally non-touristy feeling. We were able to walk to the historic center, parking was conveniently close, and there were two gelato places and two ATMs right in Piazza Becarria at our front door.
The description on your website is very accurate.
Thanks.
Fred F.
Dear Jessica,
Thanks for your note. Our trip was sensational - as always!!! First and foremost I have to say AGAIN how pleased we were with InItaly - every time we've used the site the service and arrangements were impeccable.
The B&B Manzoni was nice - clean and quiet - charming rooms –nicely appointed. We were pleasantly surprised to find a mini fridge – the bathroom was a good size and don't be thrown by the towels - they're very thin but dry quite well. Breakfast was included but we were very disappointed to find that meant prepackaged baked goods, warm juice boxes and instant coffee - in fact it was already in our room when we arrived midday for the following morning. I would suggest you mention on the site that there are FOUR full flights of stairs leading up to the B&B. Anyone with heavy luggage or not in good shape would suffer. The B&B is about a 20 minute walk to the Duomo and there's little on the way of interest – only one or two small cafes serving coffee and pastry. There are no restaurants nearby and the only one recommended by the B&B was in a questionable
neighborhood and no English at all was spoken or written. We had better luck getting recommendations from a tour guide we met and even then there was a 30 minute walk to and from. There is a taxi stand in the small piazza near the B&B but taxis are only there very early in the morning. It was a clean, economical spot for anyone who doesn't mind the extra walking and can fend for themselves for most everything. We can so it was fine for us.
One more note for your users - the new non-smoking laws have taken effect in Italy and B&B's fall into the category of places you can no longer smoke. Just fyi.
Thanks again for your note. Count on us to use InItaly over and over again.
Ciao!
Michelle Y.
Dear Jessica,
Our stay at B&B Manzoni was wonderful. We would definitely return there. The room was clean and comfortable and QUIET. The staff was pleasant and helpful. There was one glitch which was not fun to deal with on vacation: the printed reservation for the B&B specifically stated that they did NOT accept credit cards and DID accept traveler's checks. This was an error on somebody's part that put us in the middle of a 30 minute waste of time and energy. They said they would correct this with IN ITALY in the future. We did resolve it, but it was an unnecessary effort.
The bottom line, however, is that we WOULD stay there again without question.
Thanks,
Peter B.
Dear In Italy,
It was a wonderful experience and the manager was such a sweet lady, she waited for us to get there late about 9:00 pm due to train strike, also it was really a clean place with nice hot shower. They provide continental breakfast so if your guest expect warm breakfast that's not the place for them to stay. I definitely recommend the place to stay, their price is really reasonable for Florence. Thank you for your follow-up.
Audrey M.
Hi,
The owners were very nice people and because I had been painting in the Tuscan countryside the previous week, I needed to have clean clothes again yet could not find a laundry service to do quickly. Susanne the owner of the B&B Manzoni, let me use her washer and air dry on her roof. It was very kind of her. That type of generous warmth was greatly appreciated. I have traveled all over Italy a number of times now, have rented houses from individual owners to staying in major hotels. I found the nicely appointed rooms and bath mixed together with the genuine care for their guests, made the stay in Florence a pleasant one. In traveling Europe, Americans must remember what we take for granted when we travel here in the states is never to be expected there. It makes for a better trip all around and also reminds us it is always great to come back home.
Patti B.
Dear Julie,
I'm getting settled back at home after a wonderful trip. I would be happy to give you some info on B&B Manzoni. It was absolutely wonderful. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a place to stay in Firenze. The location was convenient and quiet. It was beautiful, impeccably clean, and the people there were friendly and helpful. There were nice little touches, such as fruit in baskets in the hallway if we wanted it. And a stack of tour books to use as well, which was nice because the book I had brought with me wasn't very helpful. Whoever did the decorating had great taste--the colors in the room were rich and drapes and bedding were beautiful and high quality.
I was very pleased with my stay there and thank you for creating a helpful and accurate website that allowed me to find such a place.
Local treasures? We found a restaurant not far from the Pitti Palace that was so good we went back twice. We had grilled salmon and grilled pork at one meal, from a menu area that allowed full meal and dessert at one price of 15 euro. I believe the owner's mother made the tiramisu and it was rich and perfectly flavored. At the other meal we had linguine with clams. Prices, service and atmosphere were all good, plus the owner also had a small wine shop next door and we purchased a bottle of our dinner wine to enjoy again later. It was Ristorante S. Agostino on Via S. Agostino. Nice too because being just a little off the beaten track, it wasn't hectic and crowded.
Thanks again. I hope to visit Italy again soon.
Jan C.
Hi Julie:
Our trip was more than I could possibly have hoped for. Very interestingly for us, Alitalia opened a flight directly from Dulles airport to Milan. 8 1/2 hours with no transfers. Everywhere we stayed was different but interesting in its own way. B&B Manzoni suited us perfectly. We could walk in about twenty minutes to the Duomo or to the Accademia or to the Uffizi, yet when we got "home" we were on a little side street about half a block from a major road. We used a taxi once, to get from the B&B to AVIS and to get from the railroad station to the B&B. The room was charming and comfortable, the B&B altogether quaint but delightful.
The trains made travel very easy and we used them for travel between all cities, using the car only during our stay at the castle. I did the numbers beore going and found it less expensive to buy tickets as we went along than to buy passes. There is no reason to travel first class. Second class seats are very comfortable. When possible we reserved seats, not knowing how crowded a particular train might be. Italian trains run on time and leave on time.
We found it easy to use metro in Milan, Florence and Rome so we didn't try busses.
By limiting our trip to five destinations in three weeks we were able to settle in a little. Only in Milan did we stay one night at each end of the trip. Our itinerary took us Milan - Venice-Florence-Umbrian countryside-Rome-Varenna (Lake Como)-Milan. We limited our "must-see" list and stopped when we were tired.
Food was excellent throughout. We sought out small restaurants on side streets when we could, very often family run and always friendly. Because small tables are close together, we were almost always able to have conversations with others over meals. Our Italian was extremely limited, but almost everyone spoke at least a little English and wanted to be helpful.
We experienced absolutely no anti-American feeling. I recommend that everyone who dreams of going to Italy should do it.
Thank you for your help.
Susie and Bill O.
Dear Julie,
We have had a good time in Firenze. Residenza Manzoni is a beautiful and comfortable place. We recommend B&B Manzoni to our friends for their trip to Italy. I think we will be back there in the future. I want to know if you have another B&B in Italy or even in other countries.
Thank you for your help.
Greetings,
Pablo B.
Hello Jessica,
Thank you for your message. We truly enjoyed our trip to Italy, especially B&B Manzoni. It was truly a little gem, esp. as Florence was our last stop before coming back home.
There is absolutely nothing negative to say about B&B Manzoni. It was very well situated and very easy to find, at walking distance from everything (and we felt safe walking around the neighbourhood at night, too). The staff was outstanding - very friendly and helpful - they gave us restaurant recommendations, helped us to arrange for a taxi to go to the airport, etc. The room was spacious, clean, quiet, and the bathroom was very large (much larger than what we experienced elsewhere in Europe)! We strongly recommend it.
Many thanks again for your help and efficiency. We will definitely recommend your web site to friends and family, and hopefully we will travel to Italy again next year!
Josee D.
Hello
We did have a wonderful trip overall, and our stay at B&B Manzoni was extremely pleasant indeed. The hosts were uniformly warm, hospitable and helpful. The only thing that was not clear, I suppose from the initial confirmation was how much remained to be paid after the deposit had been taken, and I was slightly surprised that the amount was a bit higher than I had expected. But in general we had an excellent time and I would certainly recommend B&B Manzoni to my friends when they go to Florence. One of the real highlights of our time in Florence was seeing the museum of the Duomo (across the street from it). It is not widely talked about (at least by visitors from here who have been there) but it is a real treasure. Thanks for your helpfulness.
Sam I.
Just a quick note to let you know the accommodation at B&B Manzoni was fine. The rooms were very comfortable, of a good size, clean and well kept. The staff were helpful and charming.
Only minus is lack of real parking if you have a car.
Would thoroughly recommend.
Regards
Tim P.
Dear Cynthia,
Our stay at Manzoni was very good .Especialy as it was warm and the room had airco . This may be evident in the States but not in all B&B in Europe. We were received very well by the staff. They were very helpfull and friendly. Two things I want to mention that were less good on our part:
1)to put my car away in a garage went wrong. They gave me an address. But the garage was closed so I had to put my car on the road
2)the breakfast was quite poor with 1 sandwich and two bisquits
For the rest I am very thankful of your service because through you I could also book my tickets for the Uffizi museum.
Best regards,
Hervé L.
Hi there, Cynthia,
I'm delighted to say that we had a fantastic holiday in Italy, thank-you! The B&B Manzoni was fantastic. We found the staff extremely courteous and hospitable, the rooms, plush and immaculately clean...So, thank-you for the booking. I must say, for the price, the accommodation is extremely good value and well situated: Hotels (we stayed in a few in Rome and Sorrento) offer relatively the same amenities but at three times what we paid at B&B Manzoni, without breakfast. So, B&Bs are definitely the way to go!
I loved Italy and will holiday there again, I'm sure. When I do....,my brain is spinning, I'd like to spend more time along the coast (Amalfi) and stay in a villa in the Tuscany.
But, thanks again and I'll be sure to contact you when we revisit Italy!
Regards,
Robyn S.
Good morning InItaly,
First of all, we are very pleased with the service and follow-up-care you provide as an agency! Concerning Manzoni, we are quite satisfied. The ambience was brilliant, the staff absolutely wonderful and very flexible; if there had been a breakfast room, I think the rating would have been extremely high. (but then, the price possibly also higher....)
Best regards
Willy J.
Julie--
Thank you for your request for feedback. B&B Manzoni was great!! It was perfect for us and felt so much like home. Thank you for referring us to them. It was perfect.
Mary K.
Dear In Italy,
The Residenza Manzoni has lovely, well air conditioned rooms. Susanna is learning English. Despite common language her expressive face and apt body language helped us make reservations, learn about St. John's day and other tourist issues. Be sure to ask for her restaurant suggestions. The restaurant she suggested near the Hotel was so good.
Mary P.
Dear Kristin,
This B&B was a good choice for Florence. The service was great, the location convenient and the price was good. There is no sit-down breakfast which might be important for others to know. They provide a tray with tea and bread which actually works great for busy schedules in Florence. We were able to come and go with great flexibility and found the location to be sufficient for our needs. The staff was eager to assist in any way needed.
Cathy & Spud A.
Hi Julie,
We did have a wonderful time in Florence and were very pleased with B&B Manzoni. The location was good and the rooms were spacious, clean and excellent. My only complaint would be the stale, prepackaged breakfast and instant coffee that I felt was inferior to my expectations. We also had difficulty finding the B&B due to the very poor signage typical in Italy. Perhaps a larger map of the whole city of Florence including typical entrance routes would be a good addition for your web site. Overall, we were very pleased and would choose B&B Manzoni again!
Thank you.
Paul R
Dear In Italy,
The B&B Manzoni was actually the best hotel I stayed at during my 10-day visit to 3 cities in Italy. The room was bigger than expected, quite charming and clean. The gentleman who runs the B&B was very helpful and friendly, providing maps, bus routes and other info. There is one restaurant I'd like to tell you about. Osteria Dell Agnolo, I'm not sure of the address but their website is www. osteria-agnolo.it. It is a charming two-story restaurant and bar with DELICIOUS and very moderately priced food. I ate their 3 times in my 3 days spent in Florence. The pasta is great, they have wood-fired pizza, and I highly recommend their mozzarella caprese, it's a huge portion, and it was the best I had. Definately check it out and include it on your website. It's right around the Duomo, so it's central to where a lot of people spend their time. Thanks for all the info I got from your site, it was very helpful.
Kelly D.
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