The Hotel Cosimo de' Medici is an affordable property with modern designs that stands out when compared to the typically shabbier mid-range options that are in the area. It's housed in a historic building that once served as the Alinari Brothers publishing house and is now shared with other hotels, shops, and residences. A vaulted rustic entrance leads to the reception area on the ground floor of the building. Preserved original designs remain in common areas and modernly decorated interiors give the hotel a pleasant atmosphere. Above the front desk is stained-glass window set in a brick domed design. The hallways have similar brick details and lovely wooden room doors and parquet floors. The lobby is narrow, clean, and modernly furnished, with a comfortable sofa and a flat-screen TV. A modern elevator takes guests to second-floor rooms, but doesn’t go to the top floor -- instead, guests must use the stairway, which retains its original railing. 

The Hotel Cosimo de' Medici is located at the end of the Via Nazionale on Largo Fratelli Alinari, a busy street lined with other hotels, restaurants, and bars. It's a five-minute walk to the Santa Maria Novella Train Station, making it an appealing location for business travelers or tourists on a budget, as well as to the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella. It’s a 10-minute walk to the Duomo, the Galleria dell'Accademia (site of the David statue) and the Da Basso Fortres convention center. The Uffizi Gallery is within a 15-minute walk. The Pitti Palace is a 15-minute bus ride away, on the opposite side of the Arno River. The Florence Airport can be reached in about 15 minutes by bus or car.

This hotel’s modern and pleasantly designed rooms set it apart from other mid-range properties in the area, which tend to be shabbier. For solo travelers or couples there are Single and Double/Twin Rooms, while Triple and Quadruple Rooms suit families or groups. Furnishings are simple, with parquet wooden floors, neutral textiles, dark-wood details, and writing desks. Many also have French doors that lead to balconies.  All rooms come with air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, safes, and minibars. Rollaway beds, cribs, and irons can be requested, but cost extra. Contemporary bathrooms have hairdryers and walk-in showers or shower/tub combos, and bidets; one room offers a whirlpool tub. Double-paned windows keep traffic sounds out and overlook the courtyard or street, but there have been some complaints of noise from the hallways. Small pets are permitted, for a fee.

The Hotel Cosimo de’ Medici's welcoming breakfast lounge has a warm setting with rich tapestries, tile floors, modern furniture, and a small buffet with basic continental offerings (included in room rates). There's a business corner (really just a PC in the lobby) and two more computers are available on request. The front desk offers reservations for museums, theaters performances, and restaurants. Deals to Tuscan restaurants, luggage storage, secured private parking (for a fee), and free hotel-wide Wi-Fi are also offered.