Hotel Helvetia & Bristol

Exceptional, beautiful hotel, located in the heart of the city. I cannot say enough about the rooms, service and experience. We have traveled extensively and this will go down as one of the best hotels we have stayed at. PHENOMENAL.

My overall experience at the hotel was exceptional and I was impressed by the level of service. Unfortunately, the positive impression was significantly diminished at checkout. When I was presented with the itemized invoice for my approval, I was surprised to see a €200 staff gratuity added as the final line item. I found this particularly unexpected given the traditional approach to tipping in Italy, where gratuity is not expected in the same way it is in some other countries. What made the experience especially uncomfortable was that the suggested gratuity was presented at checkout, putting me in an awkward position and creating an implicit expectation to approve a substantial additional charge. I found myself feeling embarrassed and uncomfortable in a way that seemed completely out of character for an outstanding hotel. Guests should be free to decide whether and how much to tip without feeling pressured, particularly at a luxury property where the quality of service should already be reflected in the room rate and other charges. It is unfortunate that what had been an exceptional stay ended on such a disappointing note. I hope the hotel will reconsider this practice because it risks overshadowing an otherwise excellent guest experience.

A wonderful hotel in the centre of Florence. Everyone was friendly , welcoming and efficient. We were travelling with our two dogs and when we arrived in the room, two dog beds were ready with snacks, complimentary fold up dog bowls , pooh bags and all. For us humans there were complimentary chocolates, a well filled fridge and snack bar. The room was spacious, comfortable and spotlessly clean. We highly recommend this hotel.

Dear Management of Helvetia & Bristol and Starhotels, I am writing this message as a long-standing guest of Helvetia & Bristol in Florence. My wife and I stay at your hotel several times a year and have always appreciated the location, the friendliness of your staff, and the quality of the food. The people working at the hotel have always been professional, welcoming, and helpful. However, during our most recent stay, I was genuinely shocked by what happened at check-out. After paying approximately €1,400 per night for our room, I was asked whether I would like to make an additional voluntary contribution of €70 for the staff. I travel the world every month and stay in hotels across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the United States. I have never experienced anything like this. At this price level, asking guests for an additional €70 contribution at check-out is, in my opinion, completely inappropriate. It puts guests in an uncomfortable and embarrassing position. Nobody wants to feel as though they are refusing to support the staff after spending thousands of euros on accommodation, dining, parking, and gratuities throughout their stay. For the record, I already tip generously. During this stay alone, I paid approximately €70 per night for valet parking, spent around €300 in the restaurant, and tipped staff members throughout our visit. If Starhotels believes an additional contribution is necessary, then simply include it in the room rate. Charge €1,470 instead of €1,400. At least that would be transparent and professional. What is not acceptable is placing guests in a position where they are effectively asked for more money at the moment of departure after already paying premium luxury-hotel prices. I made it clear to your reception team that this criticism is not directed at them personally. They were friendly and professional, and they are not responsible for this policy. Unfortunately, this experience has left such a negative impression that it will be our last stay at Helvetia & Bristol. After many visits over the years, I never expected that a checkout procedure would be the reason for us to choose another hotel in Florence. I hope Starhotels will reconsider this policy, because it is damaging the guest experience at an otherwise excellent hotel. Kind regards, Laurens van der Kroft Barcelona / Valbonne / Andorra

This is a lovely hotel in a beautiful period building and its central location could not be better. The welcome that we received was so warm and professional, and the reception, concierge, and breakfast teams were all first class. Thank you for looking after us so well 🙏. Our room (a suite in the older building) was also beautiful and whilst the bathroom was a little bit cramped we could not have felt more comfortable. My only complaint is the bar offering. A 5* hotel such as this should really have it gripped but it was so haphazard: On the first night, looking for a night cap, the bar was full so we were directed to the lobby. Despite asking, no one came to serve us so we just went to bed ☹️. On the second night (Monday) the bar was closed. So we were directed back to the lobby again! On our third and final night we finally managed to order some aperitivo but the service was so bad that we ran out of time and had to rush our drinks. I am sure that the bar experience can be easily fixed and I would highly recommend this hotel if you are looking for a great base from which to explore the delights of Florence.