European apartments, as a rule, have several important differences to apartments in the United States:
Europeans, as a rule, don’t use window screens. This is something you should keep in mind, especially in the summer. Some of our apartments have air conditioning, and we have indicated it in the descriptions; many do not. Unless otherwise indicated, while your apartment may have every convenience, it will NOT have air conditioning or window screens.
Towels and linens are provided. A clean set is provided to you for each week you are in your apartment. Maid service is not available in Untour apartments. Most of our accommodations have laundry facilities in the apartment — usually a washing machine and a clothesline for drying.
Reading lamps leave a lot to be desired all over Europe. We’re not quite sure why, but rather than try to reform the whole continent on behalf of our customers, we simply tell our customers: if you like to read in bed, you may want to bring a small battery-powered reading lamp like those sold in bookstores everywhere in the U.S.
Our apartments in Florence are comfortable but not fancy. Furnishings vary widely and according to the taste of owners. Many of our apartments are furnished with family possessions, antiques, etc. This gives a very different feeling than a typical "vacation rental" property in the U.S.; it’s often warmer and more homey, with all the pros and cons that "warm and homey" imply.
While we maintain our apartments very carefully, they are often in buildings that are hundreds of years old. This means old architecture, old pipes, old wiring, etc. We attend to repairs promptly, but the occasional need for them is part of the package when staying in such an old, historic city!
Most apartments are owned by families who do not live on site. They work with local representatives, though, to take care of any issues that might arise with the apartments. And our on-site staff person is always just a phone call away.