At Il Marzocco, in October 2010, we were well taken care of. The bed was very comfortable and it was quiet. Nice, clean modern bathroom. Breakfast was a buffet of cheese, bread, pastries, yogurt, apparently typical. Bonus--the hostess made us cappuccino every day. Marco made reservations for us at museums and restaurants and advised us about where to go. Most places they sent us were great, one restaurant not so special. They let us leave our luggage there until our train left late at night. We had no complaints.

I stayed in il marzocco for a few days and was very impressed by interior design and by hospitality of the hosts: Marco and Federika. Within 10 mintutes they adviced me on the places to see, to eat, routes to go, and I followed their suggestions and was very happy to see not only major places but also hidden city treasures and typical italian places. B&B is located near railway station, and it takes about 15 mintutes walk to go to Duomo. The breakfast was lovely, also rooms, and they have cable internet (although not for free). I think that next time I will stay again at this place!

Upon booking confirmation, Marco sent me loAds of information on Florence and also answered to my many questions via email also immediately. Was really impressed by Frederica, the very friendly hostess, who recommended us places to visit and to have our meals. Love the ice cream place which she recommended, vivo li, best gelato tasted so far. The B&B is well located, close to the main train station and car rental offices. Great breakfast served in the morning as well. Only disappointment is that the room is a little too small for 2adults and 2 big luggage sand there isn't free wifi.

B&Bs require an entirely different scale when reviewing them. By definition B&Bs do not have all the conveniences, services, and budget of a full-serve hotel. They are small operations, with small budgets. So, from what I experienced, I'm giving the Il Marzocco four stars, which means that as far as B&Bs go they are very good.

Florence was our first stop in Italy, so after a long drive from Rome we (wife, another couple, and myself), were "travel-trashed" and ready to get a long night's sleep. Since there was no apparent signage, finding the Il Marzocco wasn't the easiest thing to do. However, our GPS told us we had arrived, so we got out and walked down the street for a couple of minutes until we found it.

I have to admit, there was that sinking "OMG, what rundown, flea bitten joint did we get ourselves into" feeling. You push a buzzer on the front door which opens into a dingy entrance hall. You then walk up the stairs to an even more dingy, dark hallway. There is a small elevator that fits two people (or one with all the luggage), and you walk up the dark stairs to the reception area.

That's where everything changed. We walked into a nicely decorated reception area and were greeted by a warm, friendly hostess who made us feel welcome. She explained house rules of the B&B, and then took us into our different rooms where she explained lights, locks, etc. After we were settled, she had us come back out to the reception area where she took time to draw points of interest on a map, and some tips about visiting Florence. We could tell by her enthusiasm that she loved her town, and was happy to share it.

Breakfast was served in a comfortable dining area, and was typical of most B&B's: juice, coffee, pastries, meats, cheese, etc. Offerings were the same both mornings, so I don't know if they change the menu at all during the week. The milk tasted like canned milk, but that's the way it tasted in all of Italy so I can't hold that against the B&B.

We had a room on the same floor as the reception area (I think P-2). It was quaint, good size, and nice modern bathroom. The only complaint I had was that my side of the bed had a strange twist in the frame, making me feel like I was sleeping on a hill. But the mattress was comfortable, and we had no trouble sleeping.

Some previous reviewers mentioned about leaving the room key. When you check in you are given two sets of keys. One is for the front door of the B&B so you can enter after everyone is gone, while the other is an old fashioned skeleton key for the room. When you leave for the day you leave the room key on the reception desk. I wasn't really worried about this, and it wasn't an inconvenience for us. There was a safe box in our room, so all important items were safely locked.

Didn't try the wireless. In fact, I didn't know it existed. When we needed to use the internet to check weather or reservations we just used the computer next to the reception desk. I think there was supposed to be some sort of charge for this, but they let us use it for free. My guess is that if you have to use the internet for a long time you will want to find a cyber cafe nearby.

Location was not a big deal to us. If you don't like to (or can't) walk for 20 minutes at a time, then you should look elsewhere. It is .8 miles (1.25 km) from the B&B to the Duomo. That's a short 15 minute walk for most people.

One (very small) issue I had was when we asked for an iron they didn't have an ironing board to go with it. Seems like this would be such a small investment to make things more convenient for travelers who pack clothes in tight.

I do think they need to put some effort in making the entrance hallway a bit more cheery. And for goodness sakes, put more lights in that dark hallway!

Other than those few little quibbles, we enjoyed our time at the Il Marzocco. The pleasant owners make it work. We would probably stay there again when in Florence.