Barry

Please clue me in on hotels near train/bus stations. My travel agent has booked all of our accomodations from Venice to Paris for a three week trip, and for the most part, they appear to be satisfactory. However, I have some anxiety about our 2 night stays in Mestre (Venice) and near the Stazzione Termini in Rome. We are driving and one of our major considerations is convenience; but everything I read says to avoid these areas...besides the industrial enviroment and lack of charm, are these areas SAFE to be in?

Karen

Safe compared to bad neighborhoods in big U.S. cities, but unattractive and undesirable. Change to a nicer neighborhood in Rome, and in Venice, stay in the city!

Howard

In Rome, it depends on which area near the termini. Where is your hotel? <BR>AS for Venice, I strongly agree with the previous poster. Stay in Venice, not in neighboring Mestre! (PS: If you end up staying near the stazione in Venice, that's fine. The area is okay.)

Surlok

I agree with both posts: don't stay in Mestre, nor close to Termini. If you can afford, have your agent booking you a hotel in Venice itself. Some hotels have a kind of agreement with the parking spaces, and get you discounted parking fees. <BR> <BR>Termini is an ugly, busy, and not the safest area to be in Rome. Stay in the Historic Quarter, be it Piazza di Spagna, Campo dei Fiori, in the vicinity of Pantheon, Piazza Colonna and Piazza Navonna. Forget Termini. <BR> <BR>Good luck, <BR> <BR>Surlok

ricahrd j vicek

Good afternoon, Barry Yes, Mestre is <BR>a very large industrial area, stay in <BR>Venice, Areas in Rome such as around <BR>the Corso/Condotti, Pantheon and Pza <BR>Navona would be better areas for your <BR>hotels location. Richard of LaGrange Park, Il..

Natalie

Barry, <BR>Yes I agree with the other posters. Mestre is not very nice, try to stay in Venice. As the other posters said, it is a very industrialized area. As far as safety is not as bad, but not a very nice place to look at. <BR>Contact your travel agent ask if they can switch you to a hotel in Venice in your price range. There are several affordable hotels in Venice.

Diane

First, how long do you plan to stay in Venice? We parked our rental car at the big Tronchetto lot and spent 3 nights in Venice. You'll want a 3 day vaporetto pass anyway, so you might as well be able to use it at night as with the throngs of people commuting in/out from Mestre. No worry, no problems, and for a first visit probably plenty long enough. If you had planned to stay longer, consider driving around (and staying) in some of the beautiful cities nearby: Verona, Asolo, Vicenza are a few. Or, if you are headed to Rome after Venice, consider seeing some of Umbria or Tuscany on your way. Again, how long in Rome? If you'll be flying to Paris from there, (or training), turn in your car in Orvieto or at least at the airport, and train or take a car service in (from the airport) directly to your hotel. Don't stay near the termini -- you'll have along hike to many of the favorite sites. We stayed between Piazza Navona and the river (Tiber) and could walk just about everywhere. (Hotel Due Torri, which I highly recommend) In fact, the morning we walked to the Vatican was glorious and the 15 minute walk made it even more wonderful. Just my 3 cents. If you are driving from Italy back to Paris...I'd consider parking the car for 3 days at a rental company parking lot on the outskirts of Rome.

Diane

shoot, I saw your 2 night note after I wrote -- and thought it didn't post, but it did! That said, I'd leave the rental car parked for those 2 nights with not a thought. Venice is delightful at night after all the crowds (and there are ALWAYS crowds) and you and your family will really enjoy it more.

Bonnie

Any suggestions for reasonable, nice hotels in Venice- preferably near the train station.