Emerald Palace

Every now and then a hostel earns its place on a shortlist by simply doing the basics very well, Emerald Palace, in Florence Historic Centre, is one of those. Geographically speaking it's barely a stroll from the centre of Florence, and the strong location rating in guest reviews backs that up. Rooms feel modest; the…

Every now and then a hostel earns its place on a shortlist by simply doing the basics very well, Emerald Palace, in Florence Historic Centre, is one of those. Geographically speaking it's barely a stroll from the centre of Florence, and the strong location rating in guest reviews backs that up. Rooms feel modest; the touches travellers mention most are an in-house restaurant and reliable wi-fi, and the comfort feedback has been uneven. The numbers behind the reviews tell their own story, well over 4,800 reviews, scoring strong on balance. Reputation has held up across enough stays to mean something. Pricing has been sitting near €58 a night and the value score puts it in a strong-value bracket compared with similar properties. The honest read on Emerald Palace is that it deserves a side-by-side look against the bigger Florence names rather than a headline of its own.