Ok, I've been reading the forums and still cannot figure out the best way to get to my hotel in Venice, can anyone help? Heading to this hotel:
Hotel Palazzo Giovanelli
Santa Croce, San Stae, 2070, 30135

Thanks in advance!

Admittedly, the hotel's website makes a bit hard to find, but they do have directions and a map. Here's the link:

http://www.hotelpalazzogiovanelli.com/location.htm

It's located between the rialto Bridge and Piazzale Roma and on the Grand Canal.

You have basically the same options as every one. Bus to P le Roma the vaporetto to San Stae stop. Alilaguna to the Rialto, vaporetto to the stop. Private water taxi the actual hotel's stop fromthe airport.

Are you driving or flying? The apartment we are staying in has sent me these directions for arriving by car and our friends directions who are fly in. Both end up at the Rialto Bridge, hope it helps. (& I hope its as easy as it sounds ;-) )

<b> Arriving by car </b> <i>the best parking garage is in Mestre, accross the street from the train station.
It's called PARKING STAZIONE, it's 6 euro/24 hrs, very safe.
The address is VIALE STAZIONE 10, MESTRE
Once you have parked your car, you cross the street and get either on the bus to PIAZZALE ROMA or on the train to VENEZIA S. LUCIA; then you take boat number 2 and get off at RIALTO. </i>
<b>Arriving by plane</b> <i>take the ALILAGUNA boat line and get off at RIALTO or the bus to PIAZZALE ROMA and then boat number 2 to RIALTO, either way it's going to take aprox one hour to get to Venice from the airport.
Or, but it's more expensive (100 euro), a water taxi to CAMPO S. MARIA FORMOSA.</i>

If anyone can see any issues with what I've posted, please let me know.

The above advice is clear, but get off the No.1 vaporetto at SAN STAE, not Rialto. Your hotel looks very close to the stop.

If it wouldn't blow your budget the first day, I would take a private water taxi at the airport directly to your hotel. It won't be cheap-I am guessing 80-100E. Assuming you will be arriving as we did on an international overnight flight-you will be in a jet lagged fog. The vaparettos are always crowded, one frequently has to stand, and there is no place to store luggage, you just have to keep it with you and hang on. Your water taxi driver will assist you with your luggage, (much like a cab) and if he can't drop you right at the door of your hotel, he will get you as close as he can. Nothing is easy to find in Venice, and you could be wandering the streets for quite a while with your luggage (amongst the throngs of other tourists) trying to find your hotel if you take the vaparetto. We took the water taxi to and from the airport and it was worth every penny!

Everyone, thanks for your responses, the private water taxi's is something I am leaning towards at this point especially considering it is just my wife and I along with our luggage and yes SusieKay we are taking a 7pm flight which gets us to venice @ 10am so we will be undoubtedly disoriented and jet lagged!

Hello, jbassman. If it works with your budget there is not a more wonderful way to arrive at your hotel in Venice than via the private water taxi. I so agree with SusieKay's thinking. And in that you will have jet lag being in the water taxi will help clear your head so to speak due to the fresh air, the quiet and serenity of not having other people around you and of course being able to really enjoy your first views of beautiful Venice. Best regards and enjoy!

An alternative, which is a bit cheaper and would save about 50 Euro, is a shared water taxi. A caveat - I've not used it yet, but will use it when we visit in November:

http://www.venicelink.com/index.php?...1&lang=english