a&o Firenze Campo di Marte officially opens doors to guests in Florence

Berlin, 13 February 2025 – a&o Firenze Campo di Marte, located in the heart of Florence, is now officially open to guests from around the world. The 119-room property is a 30-minute walk from Piazza del Duomo and just ten minutes to the Asics Firenze Marathon stadium.

The new design of the building features a spacious light-filled lobby, with a window front over two floors, breakfast area with outdoor terrace and AI-generated wall panels. The hostel offers 466 beds and is the second a&o location to open in Italy following their Venice launch. The latest opening is the 42nd property for Europe’s largest hostel chain.

Oliver Winter, Founder and CEO of a&o Hostels, said: "Florence is a versatile city full of character with a year-round appeal. We want to make visiting Florence affordable, so after an extensive renovation, a&o Firenze Campo di Marte is opening its doors to give high value accommodation to visitors from around the world. Whether it's a city trip, stopover or workation, the city inspires. With its range of art and culture, Florence is a superb destination."

Offers will be launched for non-peak travel times, especially for core guest groups such as school classes and families – making the capital of Tuscany accessible at any time of year. As with many of the a&o properties across Europe, the latest opening is located in a central location within close proximity of the Campo di Marte train station, which connects to the Santa Maria Novella station every 15 minutes.
 

Mobile key app, self check-in, robotic cleaning and AI art

The facilities of the new a&o Firenze Campo di Marte set new standards in the a&o portfolio:

• Seven self-check-in terminals to enable quick and easy arrival in 13 languages
• Hallways and lobby are cleaned 24/7 with industrial vacuum/mopping robots
• e-charging stations and 40 parking spaces in the in-house underground car park
• Centrally managed, pre-programmed, and digitally controlled convection oven for dinner service
• Mobile key/a&o app can be used as room key on request
• AI-generated wall panels in the rooms are eye-catchers

This year, the lobby will be designed by BWM Architektur & Design from Vienna with large-scale art on the walls. The large inner courtyard will be equipped with sports and recreation facilities for guests and neighbours.
 

Growth in Europe, sustainability locally

a&o celebrates 25 years in 2025, with the year marking an important opportunity for expansion and sustainability initiatives. Together with its owners StepStone Group and Proprium Capital Partners, a&o will invest over 500 million euros in the expansion, conversion and modernization of existing and new properties in the coming years. Oliver Winter said: "Locations in European cities and year-round destinations remain our focus - the planned upcoming projects demonstrate this."

After several years of renovation, a&o Firenze Campo di Marte, the former administration building, remains true to itself peaking behind the facade dating from the 1960s which was preserved and restored at the request of the city administration. Modern water-cooled air conditioning systems enable efficient room temperature control; a photovoltaic and solar thermal system on the roof of the six-story building generate electricity and hot water.
 

Local attraction

Florence offers a wealth of sights. It is just 30 minutes on foot from the hostel to the historic city centre. Whether Piazza dell Duomo or Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Pitti and Piazza della Signoria, the Uffizi art museum with works by da Vinci and Raphael or the Galleria dell`Accademia with the almost 16-meter-high David statue by Michelangelo - the city is famous and valued for numerous art and architecture masterpieces of the Renaissance. And the capital of Tuscany also has a lot to offer in terms of sport: over 10,000 runners from more than 70 nations take part in the annual Firenze Marathon.