Rosso 23

True to its name, there are splashes of red throughout the Rosso 23 hotel, which shares its building, entrance, lobby, bar, and breakfast area with its sister hotel Garibaldi Blu. The lobby is situated in a classic Renaissance Florentine cloister with stone columns and tall ceilings. There is a living room-like seating area featuring a number of designer sofas and chairs (including a bright red one) clustered around a lovely faux fireplace. The decor throughout the property ranges from classic -- with arched hallways featuring hand-painted renaissance frescoes of flying angles -- to modern elements such as Marvel Comic hero statues in some corners. The modern breakfast room has a checkerboard floor, tufted banquette seating lining the walls, and small wooden tables. The breakfast area extends into a pleasant glass-walled interior patio.

The hotel is located in the Piazza Santa Maria Novella, one of the most beautiful piazzas in Florence that's presided over by the Santa Maria Novella church. The train station, which takes its name from the nearby piazza, is a three-minute walk away. Many sights can be easily reached on foot, including the Duomo, which is visible from some rooms and is five minutes away, and there are numerous restaurants, cafes, and shops in the surrounding area. Florence Peretola Airport is about 20 minutes away by car or 25 minutes away by bus.

There are 43 rooms at the hotel, all remodeled and featuring modern decor with a tasteful white, gray, and red color scheme. Floor length gray curtains frame tall windows and compliment the elegant white headboards edged in gray and bold red accent pillows. All of the rooms also have gray work desks with red chairs, as well as flat-screen TVs with pay-per-view channels and minibars. Some of the larger Superior Rooms have small sitting areas, lovely faux fireplaces, and fantastic views of the piazza below and the Duomo in the distance, though the French Rooms are quite small and may be a bit dark. Small bathrooms are sleek and modern with lovely marble tile and have either shower/tub combos or tiny walk-in showers, some of which are packed into a narrow corner and other drain directly onto the floor.

The Rosso 23 offers a free buffet-style breakfast with fresh fruit, pastries, coffee, meats, cheeses, and yogurts. There is a small bar serving cocktails and coffee drinks throughout the day and evening. The reception desk is open 24-hours and staff is helpful with laundry services, restaurant recommendations, and tour reservations. Valet parking service is available via a nearby paid garage for a daily fee.