Hello,
I booked a double room at Hotel Abbazia in Venice, 600 euros for 4 nights. I chose it over a more centrally located B &B because it is 200 euros cheaper. Has anyone stayed at this hotel? Is it too far from the main drag i.e. St. Mark's Sq, Rialto Mkt, etc? Thanks.

They have good accommodation and very friendly staff. I was there once only though.

Near the train station? That's not the perfect location in Venice, but I wouldn't worry about that. If the hotel seems decent and it meets your budget, location is secondary in Venice, since it's easy to get around.

Tripadvisor will probably have many reviews - maybe it would be good to check that out. IMO I wouldn't worry much about close to the train station - it's not hard to get around Venice and you shouldn't be more than a short walk from a more atmoshperic location, esp. in the evenings when most of the toursits clear out. Plus being close to the train station will be convenient for arrival and departure and if you want to take a day trip.

@vincenzo32951 Yes, it is close to the train station - I thought that was a plus...no?
@suec1 - thanks, I will check TA. I do however feel I trust this forum more. Sometimes there's such a huge disparity in the TA reviews, it makes me wonder if some of the reviewers are real.

<i><font color=#555555>"Is it too far from the main drag i.e. St. Mark's Sq"</font></i>

Is your vision impaired? Have you bothered to look at a map of Venice? I've met many tourists who walked (and got lost) for well over an hour trying to find their way to San Marco from the train station. For some, it's a piece of cake. For others, not so easy. All smart navigation begins with a good map and the ability to read it.

I have a particular fascination with renovated monasteries-turned-hotels. Hotel Abbazia is an interesting place. Their manager, Alvise Vianello, is quite a character. Given the number of tourists he needs to please on a daily basis, year in and year out, no wonder he questions whether his tone is too sarcastic. When customer service frustration intensifies, contempt can easily slip out and become the norm.

Hotel Abbazia is very convenient to the train station. Getting in and out of Venice will be easier and cheaper. Whenever a tourist chooses to stay near the train station, the trade-off in savings requires more walking or a budget for boat rides.

Every hotel in Venice has its share of awful rooms. The buildings are old and wet. Mold and mildew will be evident somewhere. In Venice, if your ground-floor room faces a street, you're bound to hear people talking or the sound of rolling luggage at all hours. Any tourist who complains about Church bells in Italy doesn't belong in Italy. At least the the Carmelite Monks, who own the Abbazia property, only ring their bells two times in the morning. By Venice standards, that's VERY conservative.

@NYCFoodSnob "Is your vision impaired? Have you bothered to look at a map of Venice?" What a condescending comment -uncalled for. I have looked at the map, I was asking the people from this forum who are kind and helpful without berating newbie travelers like me. Thank you very much.

We have stayed at Hotel Abbazia several times and really like the property. The rooms are nice, clean, comfortable, and the staff is excellent, especially Matteo and Mirko. The breakfast is in a comfortable dining area and is very generous. Our second time there Delta lost my wife's suitcase and Matteo was more than helpful in helping the bag to finally be delivered.

It takes about 20-25 minutes to walk to Piazza San Marco and very easy to find. As you near San Marco the area will become more crowded with tourists from all over the world. One day we were by the Rialto Bridge and we saw a couple and the man was wearing a t-shirt with the word Pittsburgh across the top and a pic of a pelican underneath the word. We are from Pittsburgh and we stopped the couple. The couple was from the Ukraine and the man in very broken English pointed to his t-shirt and started saying, "Pittsburgh Penguins-best team in world." I tried to explain that we are the Penguins and he had a pic of a pelican on his shirt. He kept telling me, "Penguin, Penguin" and I kept telling him, "No pelican." Anyway, we were all laughing and his wife, speaking better English, explained that he bought the tee in a market in Kiev. Whoever made the tee apparently did not know the difference between a penguin and a pelican. We still laugh about this event and this is one of those events that enrich the traveling experience.

In the past, Venice was much nicer after 7 pm, once the bulk of day trippers have departed and the Veneziani retook their city. Now, some of the cruise lines have built permanent docks and the ships can overnight there and it is much more crowded late into the night.

One suggestion is to wander off of the main drag and roam around the back streets. How lost can you get...you are on an island. You will also find restaurants with fewer tourists and more locals.

Buon viaggio,

Loved the pelican / penguin story. We were in Venice last Sept. - part of the cruise ship swarm, I'll admit (we have stayed in Venice in the past tho). And I'll agree, too many tourists coming off those ships! but we managed to wander away from the crowds, along the Guidecca and around the university and it was very pleasant. Enjoy!

@rbciao - Thanks for sharing your experience at Hotel Abbazia. I think I'll keep the reservation. Your pelican/penguin story is heart-warming!

<i><font color=#555555>"What a condescending comment"</font></i>

I thought my questions were legitimate. I didn't think they were condescending. Asking if a train station hotel is too far from St. Mark's is subjective. Since many millions of visitors book hotel rooms near the train station, with the primary intent to visit St. Mark's, how far is too far for those millions?

<i><font color=#555555>"I was asking the people from this forum who are kind and helpful"</font></i>

I offered numerous paragraphs of "kind and helpful" information, based on personal knowledge of the abbey's five-year upgrade. You chose to focus on two questions. You're welcome.

<i><font color=#555555>"newbie travelers like me"</font></i>

There is no evidence in your OP that you have no experience with travel or viewing a map. If you do not know that an inch on a map equals a certain measurement of distance, then I apologize.

Google states that Piazza San Marco is about one-and-a-half miles from the train station. It also states that the walk should take about 30 minutes. One-and-a-half miles and/or a 30-minute walk seems like a piece of cake. But this is Venice we're talking about. Even though the walk line on Google looks almost straight, visitors to Venice know straight walks don't exist.

Venice is a series of small islands connected by bridges. Each island offers its own chaotic street layout. Yes, some people get the hang of it almost immediately, and they figure out how to turn the labyrinthian streets into a straight line.

Millions of visitors get lost on their way to San Marco, and if you are visiting Venice for a short period of time, walking in circles for two hours can really mess up a day's schedule, not to mention, wear you out. There is a reason why millions of "newbies" visiting for a day or two spend the extra money for a hotel near San Marco.

If you are map challenged in any way, my advice is to choose your Venice hotel with great care. And that advice holds no matter how much travel experience you have.

rbciao: I once met a man in France whose asked me where I was from. When I told him "Pittsburgh" he said, "Ah, Mario Lemieux!"

Foodsnob, pulleaze! You know exactly your tone. You could have merely said, "Check a map." But of course, then you couldn't have come across as sarcastically as you wanted . Really, you amuse no one but yourself. Sarcasm: "the lowest form of wit." Last word to you, no matter what "What? ME? But I only meant..." nonsense you come up with.

Milaedg, the location near the RR is perfectly fine!! There is an area with a busy between the train station and the water surrounding Venice (sorry, can't recall its name) with lots of shops, and mostly local shoppers. Be sure to explore--getting lost is FUN and inevitable in Venice!

The street is Strada Nuova. Lots of fun, lots of crowds, IF you like shopping, and fee like being on that side of the island (instead of heading toward San Marco )for awhile.

Look for signs that say "per San Marco" and they will direct you to San Marco and the Piazza. You will see signs saying "per Ferrovia" directing you to the station. Not all that difficult, and a map does help.

<i><font color=#555555>"You could have merely said, "Check a map.""</font></i>

Subtlety is not my style. Subtle advice for a newbie traveler is never helpful, IMO.

<i><font color=#555555>"Sarcasm: "the lowest form of wit.""</font></i>

I completely disagree with that.

CaliNurse and Peter_S_Aus, thanks! Even with maps and travel books, it's great to draw from other people's personal experiences.

A bit of useless blah blah about Venice. Might be of interest ...

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...over-again.cfm

>>Subtlety is not my style. <<

"Check a map" is subtle?

Snobby is a **** but we love her anyway for her contrary opinions.

I am one to believe that there are no bad locations to stay in Venice because you can always hop on a vaporetto to see the city.

Some locations are more charming than others, however.

I would also suggest not booking a room situated next to a pub or a room that overlooks a busy thoroughfare.

There is more to Venice than Piazza San Marco.

I know Snobby hates Strada Nova, but there is a Billa Supermarket there and lots of ATMs.

I like being close to a Billa or Coop.

Abbazia is off of the Lista di Spagna which runs into Strada Nova. You can get the vaporetto at Ferrovia Stop.

We all can't shop at Venini, Miss Thing!


Thin