Palazzo Gamba Apartments Al Duomo

Perfect location just outside the Duomo and close to other major attractions. Walking distance from the train station, which makes for great connectivity to other cities and attractions. Comfortable beds and warm in December. Quiet despite being right in the city centre.

Great location. Lovely staff. Comfortable beds. We had a great time in Florence in part due to the ease of location. Very reasonably priced given a family or a group of friends can stay in the apartments and enjoy the mix of proximity to all sights while still having the option to eat in.

I was fully expecting to be giving this properly 10/10. The location can’t be beaten, the rooms are incredible and it has all the facilities you would need. Or so I thought. There was a fire in one of the rooms below us on our last night. As we returned to the main entrance, the building was full of smoke and the two women who were staying below us said they’d called the fire brigade. I went to investigate and help put out the remaining flames caused by a faulty phone charged in the bathroom. When the fire brigade arrived, I asked them why no smoke alarms had sounded. They advised that legally they weren’t required, due to this not technically being a hotel! They said that there should be fire extinguishers, but there were none in the rooms. I asked the staff about why there were no smoke alarms and they just repeated that they weren’t legally obliged to have them! Had this happened through the night, it is likely that we would have all been overwhelmed by smoke and killed. Smoke alarms are about €20. I paid over €700 for 2 nights. Is some basic safety too much to ask? This has really given me pause for thought about whether I’d ever stay in unregulated accommodation like this again. I intend to petition the Italian government on this matter. Also, *********** has a duty of care to its customers. How on earth could we be expected to know that our lives can be put at risk by not booking an actual hotel? I would swap the fancy coffee machine in my room for a working smoke alarm any day.