I've done a search on Fodors for info on Canal & Walter but not much has been recently posted. Has anyone been recently?

Venere.com gives it a 4 out of 5 rating and many people have written positive things but thought I'd check out the crowd here.

Tripadvisor.com gives it mixed reviews.

We stayed there in March 02 - don't know if you read my review on here - but click on my name and look for posts back in April 02!
Good luck,
Carol / Brahmama

1/27/2003 is the earliest of my posts. Yikes! I had no idea that earlier posts had been deleted.

So, wanted to tell you that when we stayed there (and it was August 01) sorry - it was absolutely a budget hotel - 1 flight of stairs, no lift, no central sitting area etc. BUT, it was totally immaculate and had a chandalier and a good AC. Our room was large by Venice standards and we had a window on the Grand Canal. The marble floors were so shiny my husband thought there was a pool of water under the chair! The bathroom was new with all amenities. The buffet breakfast was out in the garden - and it was excellent. We would go back again. In fact, we tried to go back there in March 03, and the prices were almost double. We were just very fortunate to get the room in one of their very limited low season windows. We had good luck with itwg.com and found another good one right off St.Marco's square in March 03. Venice is hard for budget travelers like we are!

Brahmama - clicking on your name will only bring up your posts back to the time of registration. For earlier posts, try entering your name into the search box.

Brahmama-

Thanks for your input.

The things that you mention that it is missing is really unimportant to us. We want a bed and a bathroom that are both clean that won't cost a million bucks. It amazes me what a "budget" hotel costs in Venice!

From what you recall, is walking to the hotel from the train station easily done?

Dear Moldy,
It was a snap walking to the hotel from the P Roma - only 2 small bridges. But the train station is across the canal and the bridge over the canal is huge - maybe 50 steps up and then 50 steps down. We had come to the P Roma from the airport, so we were already on the correct side of the canal for the hotel.
So if you have a lot of bags, beware of the canals in Venice! Esp if you have to cross the Grand Canal.
Carol

We will have a rolling suitcase each and a carry on bag (likely a small backpack) each. I didn't realize we would have so many stairs. Thanks for the heads up!

Now, to show my ignorance... What is the P Roma?

P Roma is Piazzale Roma, where the buses from the airport end their routes and where there are parking lots and garages. You will want to get out of it as quickly as possible.

Author: Eloise

Message: You will want to get out of it as quickly as possible.

Eloise - is it simply because it is a bad part of town or is there something else I should know?

Oh good heavens, it wasn't my intention to mislead you, but I obviously did.

It's not a "bad" or a "good" part of town; it's just a huge and messy conglomeration of buses, cars and, once you get through the buses and cars, vaporetti on the Grand Canal.

It is not, in my experience, dangerous, but in any area such as this where tourists find themselves at a bit of a loss, it is just as well to be alert and to keep a sharp eye on one's belongings.

And probably because so many hundreds of thousands of tourists flow through there, the people in the tiny branch office of the Venice tourist office that is (was?) in there among the cars and buses tend to be a little bit more impatient and a little less forthcoming than those in the main office (which is near Piazza San Marco).

What I suppose I could also -- less alarmingly -- have said is that you will not be tempted to linger there.

Thanks for the clarification. I've only been to Venice once (nearly 15 years ago) and it was a blur of a visit. We weren't even there two days and I remember so little regarding the logistics.

We are considering an early train (6am -ish) to leave out of Venice. Do you consider it "safe enough" for three of us to walk to the train station at that hour?

I should think so. I'm not generally up and about at that hour in any city, but I can imagine that some Venetians might already be going to work at that hour.

Although I don't know when you plan to be in Venice, chances are it will be broad daylight by then.

So, yes, I think you would be safe enough.