Hotels in Italy
 

My friend and I are planning our own trip to Italy in late November. Has anyone stayed at any of these hotels? OR have any suggestions for hotels in these cities? We are trying to stay close to the train stations to cut back on costs and not have to walk so far with all that luggage.
Milan -Starhotels Anderson; Rome -Best W. Hotel Canada;
Florence -Hotel Caravaggio; Venice -Hotel Abazzia.
I am also looking for a suggested place to stay in Siena- not too expensive, just nice and CLEAN! Thanks in advance...

I will kindly suggest that you pack less so you don't have "all that luggage".

Generally speaking, around train stations are not the nicest part of most cities. If each person travels with one small to medium rolling suitcase only you will have much more options and a smoother trip (not just for walking to your hotels, but for getting thru airports, on and off trains, etc.).

Cabs are a good use of (even limited) money in the cities in Italy you mention.

Bus is a better way to get to Siena than train. Train leaves you with an uphill climb of well over a mile. Bus takes you up the hill into the old walled city.

Whatever gets you the last (few) hundred yards to your hotel(s) - - whether feet, cab or sherpa... the advice is sound: if you cannot carry your principal suitcase OVER YOUR HEAD, for the equivalent of up one flight of stairs and down - - then you are over-packed!

Best wishes,

Rex

ooh Rex, you are so right! I'm a light packer and travelled with a friend who completely ignored my advice to do likewise on a trip to Venice. Damn near wrecked a my shoulder pulling her bag (biggest Cabin trunk you can imagine) up the steps at the railway station, and put more than a strain on the friendship, I can tell you ! Why was I pulling her bag ? It was too heavy for her !!!
And, when we reached the Pensionne, having just about sunk the vaporetto , there was barely room in the lift for it and 1 person. Lucky there WAS a lift! We still occasionally travel together but after that, the rule has been "you pack it, you cart it!".

Sorry guys, bit of a hobby-horse. ;) But, honestly, it can make such a difference - and a goodly % of those packed things never get worn anyway.

ttt

I don't know these hotels. Where are they, what made you choose them and what's your budget?

While I agree being by the train station is usually less than desirable, it wouldn't bother me in Venice. Wouldn't bother me that much in Florence, either, depending on the particular street.

A number of years ago (4?), I stayed at the Hotel Duomo in Siena. It wasn't very expensive then, but I'm not sure of their rates now.

If you give a better idea of your budget, I'm sure many people on this board can be of assistance.

Enjoy Italy!

I stayed in the Abazzia in Venice! I loved that hotel. It has solidy great reviews on TripAdvisor for a reason...its a great hotel on a quiet side street. The room was very nice, with a big, wonderful bathroom. The staff was very kind, they made reservations for me at various restaurants and helped me deal with the acqua alta. Breakfast was big and splendid.

Staying right by the train station in Venice means you never get lost - just follow the signs to Ferrovia! Plus, you are right at a major Vaporetto stop that takes you anywhere you want to be.

I didn't "stay" at the train station - I only slept there! So it didn't matter. I spent all day all over Venice. Canareggio is the best of the sestieri in Venice - the Jewish Gehtto is fabulous, and worth a long, wonderful wander. Plus, it only took me about 3 minutes to get to my hotel once I got off the train, then I was out the door and able to enjoy my time there immediately. On the opposite end, I could check out and zip over to catch the train out at the last minute, which allowed me a precious last morning in Venice.

So much for the virtues of staying near the train station in Venice.

As for Milan...go the Hotel Gritti or the Grand Duca di York; they are nearer to the Duomo and where you want to be and worth the €5 cab ride from the Central Station. The area of Milan right near the train station is unremarkable, remote, and far from anyplace you want to visit. Its one redeeming characteristic is that you are near the Metro, which is easy to use and excellent in Milan

In Florence, the San Lorenzo area near the train station is another good choice - there are some great restaurants there too! I have seen some good reviews for the Caravaggio, but there are others in that neighborhood. If you find something near the Duomo, it won't be that far of a walk either, with rolling luggage it is manageable.

In Siena - try Palazzo Masi
http://www.palazzomasi.it/

That's all I got.

I have bookings made for the Milan Starhotel Anderson for November too, 11-13. I`ll tell you when I come back :)

Clearly all train station surrounds are not created equal! Great input all, thanks for correcting/adding to my impressions. I still vote for smaller suitcases though -LOL.

If you go to the gym regularly, you can take a bigger suitcase.

VeaElMundo,
Well, you've gotten a ringing endorsement for your hotel in Venice. I looked up the Rome hotel. While it appears very nice, that wouldn't be my first choice in Rome b/c of its remote location (okay, now I'm ready for everyone to disagree), especially if you're just in Rome for a few days. If you have the luxury of a longer stay in Rome, then no problemn being up up up there. :)

Sounds like a great trip, by the way.

great insights from faredolce on staying in a seemingly charming place near the train station in Venice, especially the part about spending a few last hours in Venice and then needing just minutes to get to the train station for departure. Food for thought, as on my next visit to Venice I will only have 2 or 3 days. Perhaps worth giving up my usual preference for staying in San Marco.
Just when I thought I'd already settled on a hotel!

Just wanted to note, that not all train station districts are created equal, and Venice's, like Venice itself, is unique.

Well thank you! :)
The thing is, I am perfectly willing to admit I am lazy, so dragging luggage around Venice just isn't for me.

That being said, nothing is without its compromises. I had no view to speak of, other than out to the side street, which was quiet and pleasant but not picturesque, and it was trek to some of the restaurants I visited. That walk back to "Ferrovia" is hard when you are wobbly from a bit of wine. It all boils down to priorities, I guess.

One last note. If anyone does indeed stay near the train station in Venice, visit Pasticceria Dal Mas on the Strada Nuovo for a morning sweet pastry and cappuccino. I have to admit that the coffee at the Abbazia, along with the coffee at many hotels I have stayed in, was odd - milky and weak.

I've stayed at the Hotel Canada, probably a dozen times. Will be there again next week. It's a short distance from Termini and not in a generally touristy area which some might find a put off; however, the rooms are great, not huge but tastefully decorated, staff is friendly and they have a nice buffet breakfast. I cannot recommend it highly enough. The only negative is rooms on lower floors that overlook Castro Pretorio can be pretty noisy if you are a light sleeper.

A hotel of this quality in a more tourist oriented neighborhood would cost significantly more.

I stayed at Hotel Caravaggio in April and loved it. Not a bad walk from the train station. The hotel is in a nice neighborhood directly across from a park. It is very clean with a superb staff, internet access and a good breakfast. I would highly recommend it and I would definitely stay there again.

We liked staying near the train and bus station in Venice for convenience, both for arrival by train, and for catching the airport shuttle early in the morning. It sounds as if you have already found the perfect spot with the Hotel Abazzia.

In Siena I can recommend the Garden Hotel as a clean, moderately priced hotel. The only drawback is the 30 minute walk into the old city, but that's why the price is fairly reasonable. Our daughter's grad class spent a week there while studying history and it met with her approval, which is saying quite alot.

Check: www.tuscany.net/gardensiena
and see what you think.

I feel that the hotel location is very important.

My first time in Venice, I chose to stay near the train station. I enjoyed my stay thoroughly but it seemed to be somewhat inconvenient. I didn’t want to go all the way back to the hotel for a break during the day. I just felt that I was wasting precious time.

Whenever I go I always try to stay near the center of town. I may give up some comfort to get a better location. As long as the hotel is clean and safe, I feel that I get the most for my money.

You have all REALLY helped with your advice and hotel suggestions. We only plan on one rolling suitcase and one carry-on apiece... shouldn't be too much trouble. The Hotel Duomo in Siena is very reasonable for the area and looks nice; thank you Leely! A double room ranging from $125-$175/night is in our budget and ensures a fairly nice stay. Grand Duca di York in Milan looks perfect. Keep those tips coming!!

Has anyone stayed at any of these Milan hotels? Starhotel Anderson, Hotel Terminal, Hotel Gran Duca di York or Top Hotel Liberty Milan. The last one and the Gran Duca I am having a hard time finding reviews for. The Terminal seems nice, and the Starhotel is definitely a safe bet - it is just more costly than the others and I wonder if it is worth it. Any input would help!