Hotel Caravaggio was a gem. I have stayed at many European 3-star hotels and this was by far the best.

The room was quiet, and I had a view of the Duomo (Room 302). The staff was very friendly and more than accommodating. The room was extremely large by European standards as well as the bathroom. I even had a jacuzzi. The hotel room and bathroom were very, very clean. Decorations were modest but not tacky.

The TV was not that old when you see what actual Italians have in their homes. If you want a 42" LCD Plasma, go to a five-star hotel in Florence, and pay $600 or more per night. This hotel was very well priced. I stayed for six nights for less that $1,000.00.

As for the mini fridge not working, mine was not working at first, and the staff said they would gladly store anything for me. Additionally, they do not rip you off on the drinks and snacks inside the mini-fridge.

The only thing I missed was CNN, which was not working because of the hotel's problem with their satellite. The only real gripe I had is that Internet access in the lobby costs 1 euro for 15 minutes. They should throw that in for free.

The hotel was situated very near the train station and the San Lorenzo Market , Academeia (David), and walking distance to the Duomo and Ponte Vecchio as well as the shops along Via de' Tornabuoni.

I would definitely recommend this hotel for anyone traveling to Florence.

The hotel reception was very informal.
Even when the room was large and quiet, the amenities were minimal (broken fridge, decoration awful and the television very old)
Breakfast good but In general, I would never recommend it

Stayed for five nights (May 2008) with my husband and college age daughter. Very good value. We stayed in a triple room facing the street and park. Although there was some noise from the street, it was somewhat muted by closing the windows. Fortunately the air-conditioning worked very well which kept our room comfortable. The room was very large with plenty of space for our three pieces of luggage. The bathroom was well appointed and immaculate. It did not have a shower curtain on the tub/shower so, even with care, the water splashed out of the tub. Fortunately there was a drain on the bathroom floor for the over splashes. Again, no face towel so if you use one bring your own. They have wireless internet available in the room. The location is a short walk to the Duomo and Accademia but a little farther walk to the Ponte Vecchio area. There are several good restaurants on the same side of Via Nazionale toward the train station. Also on Via Nazionale within a few blocks is a grocery store and self serve laundry. The staff who spoke English were pleasant enough. We didn’t have the opportunity to ask for too much assistance from them so I can’t speak to that. We did not frequent the small bar and outdoor patio area. The breakfast room was very pleasant and well appointed. The buffet breakfast was good and satisfying. The train station is within walking distance. Unlike other reviewers, we had no trouble walking to the train station on Via Nationale with our rolling suitcases. Save yourself the 15 E taxi ride and walk. Directions from station to hotel: Exit to the left upon leaving the train tracks. Cross the street at cross walk and head right, passing a McDonalds. At the corner turn left and stay on this street. It becomes Via Nazionale. Continue for about 3-4 short blocks. When you reach the park (Piazza Della Indipendenza), Hotel Caravaggio will be on the right side of Via Nazionale (as you are walking) across from the park. Would definitely return. See my other reviews on Hotel Apollo, Rome and La Locandiera, Venice.

The Hotel Caravaggio is a 10 mintue walk, straight up one street, from S.M. Novella train station. We stayed here for three nights in June 2008, 2 adults and 2 teenagers in a huge room with the biggest bathroom I've seen in Europe - now just to clarify, the room was handicapped traveler friendly hence the large area, but since it was at the back away from street noise (which you should ask for as others point out) it was perfect; AC worked well and you'll need it in summer n Florence. Their breakfast room is lovely (see picture on web site) and breakfast selection was great. Leonardo was helpful and friendly at the front desk.

Only problem was Florence itself - completely overrun with tourists and has become a haven for students and American punks. This, along with overpriced entry fees for every church and museum and no good city pass leads me to discourage a long stay in this town. Use Florence as we did, home base for trips to nearby towns in Tuscany such as Siena and Pisa.