Please comment on Hotel Riva, Venice
 

Has anyone stayed in this hotel before? Some guidebooks have good recommendation on it with very attractive room rate. Please give your comment.

Look at http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Bistro/6543/diary.html<BR><BR>It doesn't sound a good place

We looked at it when going to Venice last year - didn't stay as it was actually fully booked, but found these web links to it, if they're any help:<BR><BR>http://members.aol.com/tercreaders/Page707venice.html<BR><BR>http://www.journeywoman.com/gfc/european_hotels.html (She certainly seems to like it!)<BR><BR>Jenny

Stayed there six years ago and again two years ago. First time, charming, clean, great location right on convergence of two minor canals, friendly staff and great prices. A real find. Second time in very bad repair. Broken light fixtures actually held together with scotch tape. Was two star. Now, apparently not rated. Still great location, good prices and clean. But, no longer charming. However, the canal activity outside your window if you can get a canal-side room is fantastic: early morning deliveries, gondolas all day (with singing), water taxis, etc. (even garbage pickup). If price is important and you can get the right room (second or third floor, canal-side corner), I would go for it. The location, easy five minute walk to Piazza San Marco, enter the Piazza by the Cathedral, is great.

We stayed there last October, and by then it was neither charming nor very clean. That said, the manager and staff were unbelievably accomodating. We asked for a nicer room the first night, and they only had one other vacancy - - a room with no bath - - so we kept what we had. The next morning we planned to check out and find another place, but first asked again for a better room. The clerk checked with the manager, who arranged for us to stay in a room in a building on the Grand Canal - - a few doors from the Danieli. The management was renovating part of the building as a hotel, and at least the room we got was finished. It was amazing, a large clean room with bath and a balcony looking across at San Giogio Maggiore. We payed the same price as for the Riva. Unfortunately we only had one left, but I could have stayed there for a month. It gives me hope that the Riva itself may make a comeback.