calispirit

Hi,

I'm planning on visiting Venice for 2 days (9/15-16). I've decided that I want to stay on the island, as opposed to Mestre on the mainland, given my time constraints and the cost/hassle of a bus or boat ride into Venice.

I did some research into convents, and find them to be an affordable and unique lodging experience. I like that most even offer a private room and/or bathroom for under €35/night. I have tried to contact 2 via email, but haven't had any luck in receiving a response.

Is there anyone that has recently stayed at a convent, who can offer me suggestions including:

(1) the name and location of the convent

(2)price/night (1 female)

I ask because some can cost more than a modest hotel. ex: CENTRO CULTURALE DON ORIONE

**(3) contact info, and how you went about making reservations.

Do I even need reservations? I read from a post on this forum that one could just show up. Though I don't particularly enjoy not having reservations, especially in a big city, I'm not sure if it's possible to get a confirmed booking via email, or phone. I speak absolutely no italian. Most places don't have websites, just phone # and email. The ones that do have easy booking processes seem to be on the steeper side.

I'm sorry if I seem a bit ignorant on this subject. I would greatly appreciate any advice you could offer. I've searched other forums, in which users mention convent stays, but aren't as helpful in terms of the details. Thanks so much.

kybourbon

www.eurocheapo.com might have something in your price range.

Lonely Planet's website attracts many budget travelers on their Thorntree forum.

This is a good website for convents in Italy, but has only one listing for Venice. http://www.santasusanna.org/comingToRome/convents.html

calispirit

thanks kybourbon,

yes. I checked out that website. It is where I found the one convent mentioned in the OP.

I found a great website:
http://www.turismovenezia.it/eng/dynalay.asp?PAGINA=407

It's the official website of venice's tourism bureau.

However, my problem still remains: How do I get in contact with the places to make reservations and/or book. I realize emails and phone #s are provided, but if one does not speak or write italian, what would you suggest? I've sent emails to a few convents, yet have not recieved a response due to what I assume is a language barrier, which is totally my fault.

elba

I think this when creativity and guts have to come through.

I made a reservation for a convent a few months ago. I can't tell you about the convent because I have not been there yet.

I too did not have any way to contact them except by phone. So, I got an Italian phrase book (Rick Steves) from the library, I wrote a little cheat sheet and read my script to the person that answered. The sister did not know a word of English but we got along famously. She was very patient, and I was very courteous. At the end she wished me Buona Pascua (Happy Easter) and got what I needed.

I am sure you can prepare one for yourself to fit your needs.

This is what I prepared. I am sorry if I am breaking all the grammar and language rules but it got the job done:

Buona sera,

Parla inglese?

Avete una stanza per due persone, due letto per ___ (date) settembre?

Vorrei un bagno completo.

Cuanto costa?

La prendo (I'll take it)

Mi chiamo (my name is)
---------

Staremo # note (number of nights).

Mile grazie

Have your dictionary with you as you speak and try to keep the numbers translation handy. Hope this helps.

elba

Aaaaarghhhh, I wish I could edit. Apparently, I also need to brush up on my English. "I too did not have", sheesh.

calispirit

Thank you so much elba.

It helps a lot. In fact I was just looking at altavista's babelfish translation website, but your phrases seem to make much more sense than the ones it produced. I'll try email first, then phone. My pronunciation is terrible. I can speak French fairly well, but that makes any Italian or Spanish I speak terrible because of the differences in their pronunciation rules.

Just curius, what made you choose a convent over hotel?

Girlspytravel

Calis-a couple of things-

First, Venice is not like Rome, it really doesn't have many convent rooms, and the convent rooms it does have available to the public, are available mostly in the summer only. In addition, convent rooms really aren't so inexpensive anymore-the ones in Rome have single rates starting at around 75 Euros on up (there are a few convents that are less expensive-but you will be looking at shared baths). In the low season, you can get single rooms in Venice hotels that will be cheaper than convent rates-but you are going to be there in high season, so obviously, rates are at a premium.

I know of a couple of lovely convent and "foresteria" (guest quarters) in Venice but again, the room rates are around 75-90E/nt-single/double.

There is, however this alternative:

RESIDENZA JUNGHANS-on the island of Giudecca, which faces San Marco, where you can get a single room, with private bath, for 40 Euros a night (this is open to both men and women).

You don't speak or read italian, but since travelers/students come from all over the world to stay here, they will speak some English when you email them, and they do respond promptly. The Residenza is well known in Venice:

Website: www.residenzajunghans.com.

When you go to the website, click on "tariffe" (rates) to the left-this will show you the single and doubles they have on offer-breakfast is served as well:

email: [email protected]

All you will need is a vaporetto pass to get back and forth from the island.

calispirit

thanks. looking into it right now.

elba

To be honest, I had made reservations to La Calcina which I had to cancel. My travel companion had to change the dates, I could not find any good and relatively inexpensive hotels, La Calcina could only accomodate me for a couple of nights.

I have previously stayed in convents in Rome and Siena, both turned out to be excellent experiences. I found them to be in the center of town, safe and clean. The convents I chose had private bathrooms and were cheaper but not dirt cheap. There are other convents where you share bathrooms but I have not tried them.

My friend wanted to try a convent (she is presbyterian). I am not happy with the location of the one in Venice, it is in Cannaregio. I am sure it is a good, clean place but I had my heart set on La Calcina.

elba

Here are some links to convents in Venice:

http://www.santafosca.com/statiche/ostello/costi.asp

http://www.genteveneta.it/viaggi/piazza.htm

http://www.donorione-venezia.it/ing/home.htm

elba

Oooops, the second link does not work.

This one should work:

http://www.italyguide.com/venezia/in..._religiose_eng

Girlspytravel

As you already know, Don Orione, although quite lovely, starts at 70E for singles 110 doubles-more than you would pay for a 3 star single room in Venice in low season.

Santa Fosca is a great option, but due to its prime location in Cannaregio, it's almost always booked up-if you can get in here, that should be your first choice-it could NOT be better located-Cannaregio is the charming, authentic heart of Venice, wonderful osteria and local shops all around-this is my favorite area, and the one I stay in when I go to Venice.

The other one listed I don't know anything about.

LoveItaly

Hi calispirit, if you cannot find a room in Venice that fits within your budget I just wanted to let you know if you can find something afforable in Mestre you can just take the train from the Mestre train station into the Santa Lucia train station IN Venice proper. The train takes only something like ten or so minutes.

WillTravel

I wish you luck in finding a convent room, but I suspect that they are already booked, given you want it in less than two months.

I stayed at this 3* hotel, which I can highly recommend. It was cheap in the off-season, but perhaps not in September:
www.laforcolahotel.com

(Of course, it is an Italian-style hotel, so don't expect American bathrooms, for one thing.)

kybourbon

calispirit - If you e-mailed during the weekend, you might not here anything until Monday. Also, the responses might be in your computer spam folder.

calispirit

Thanks everyone for the help. I just wanted to follow up my OP to say that I have booked a single room at Domus Civica. A single only costs 30 euro. Not bad. I guess I could have saved 5-10 euro elsewhere, but it's certainly not worth my hassel. Does anyone know about the area?

Here's the link in case others are interested. They also have doubles and triples.

www.domucivica.com

WillTravel

Thanks for the link and another cheap accommodation option. Although I can't comment specifically on the area, I remember that vaporetto stop that the convent is near, and it seemed like a fine area to me. I think it's practically impossible to get a bad area when in Venice itself - all areas have their merits.

kybourbon

The link is missing a letter. Try this one http://www.domuscivica.com/

Girlspytravel

Calispirit-I'm very glad to hear you got into to Domus Civica-I know of this student accomodation, but I was thinking it was only from June-August that it offered accomodation to tourists-in fact (and this does need to be pointed out) this particular university/hostel, with its great location in San Polo, is only open to tourists JUNE THROUGH SEPTEMBER.

Traveling as you are in September, you got a GREAT DEAL-it's near San Toma vaporetto stop, right there by the University area Ca Foscari, the lively Campo Santa Margherita, and the lovely enoteche in San Polo just behind Rialto's fish market-Cantina ai Do Mori, Do Spade, Bancogiro, to name the best of the bacarie in San Polo.


www.domuscivica.com/uk/ostello.htm