Response from Pensione La Calcina in Venice??
 

I've read several rave reviews from other threads about the Pensione La Calcina in Venice and have tried emailing them for availability but I've not heard anything back. Can anyone tell me what the hotel's response time normally is? Can anyone vouch for their service?

Thanks!!

I love the hotel and have stayed there twice. I did my reservations via fax (this was a few years back now). There service generally was excellent.

Like suze, I had excellent response from them, although I did it all by e-mail.

When are you trying to book? They may already be full.

Hi cwoolner, although enzian had good luck with emailing most Italians take a fax message more serious than an email so perhaps you should fax them, or phone them. Best wishes.

I've only emailed them so far. My stay will be in mid June (roughly 12, 13, 14). I'll try to find somewhere I can send international faxes and see if I can get a response that way.

Enzian - what was the turnaround time via email?

Thanks all!

You might want to check your spam mailbox, I've had e-mails from hotels treated as spam.

My most recent experience was like yours - a hotel that is highly regarded. I sent an e-mail from a different account and I was able to get the replies. Or, as suggested above, the fax would probably take care of the problem.

I have no experience with this particular hotel.

Why not call? People at the front desk speak English.

They are closed at the moment for vacation, per one of my contacts that works with them often.

Good point, LoveItaly. I e-mail whenever possible because of the cost of faxing, and it works well for Switzerland.

cwoolner, as I recall I heard back from them in a day or so. I was e-mailing in October to reserve a room the following April, and even then they only had a few left. If it has been a few days since you sent your message, you probably should go ahead and fax to be sure. Kinko's will do it, for a fee.

Great tips! And good to know they are on holiday. Maybe I'll give it a few more days.
If this place doesn't work out, do you have any other suggestions for a reasonable b&b or hotel, double room, prefer around 100e? I'm willing to pay a bit more if it's a fantastic place in a great location? Also - do you know if the prices quoted are normally for per person or per room?
Cheers!!

on the La Calcina website it is for the room (they will specify single room or double room in the pricing)

It would seem to me that now we need to know when they will be BACK "from vacation" and I would bite the bullet and CALL them; isn't the cost of that phone call worth it to you? And couldn't you use one of those el cheapo telephonic prefixes to do so?

Otherwise you are going to save a little money and perhaps be hugely disappointed.

We have a room booked at La Calcina in May and I heard back from them by email within a day or two. This place books up early, though, so it may already be too late for a room in June (we booked for May back in August!)

Don't be shocked when they ask you to send a personal check up front for most, if not all, of your stay. That's their policy in high season. They will refund with 30 days notice of cancellation but want the personal check immediately to hold the room (and they cash the check immediately too!)We thought it was worth it after reading all the rave reviews and hearing from so many people who sent the check and had no problems.

Dukey - I'm not familiar with the telephonic prefixes. Can you give me more info on them?

Plafield - Those are great little tips and better to know up front!

Thanks!

Cindy

I have booked a single room at La Calcina arriving May 6 for 3 nights. I did send them a check for $250 which they have cashed and then confirmed my room. I had excellent response back in July from them. I just emailed them yesterday asking them about possible difficulties arriving on May 6 due to the feast of Ascension (the marriage of Venice to the canal) given that there are boat parades but have not heard back from them. Perhaps they are still on vacation?

cwoolner - I have tried twice to get a room at La Calcina. I started months ago. They emailed me within 2 days and both times said there wasn't anything available. I will be in Venice the last week in April. Who knows you just may luck out. The best of luck to you. I was definitely disappointed that it didn't work out for me.

I did hear back from the hotel. I tried a few times using the reservations request form you fill out and those kept getting returned to me. So I tried just sending an email to the address and that went through fine with a response within a day. Not sure if something is wrong with that particular link?
Deputter - maybe you should try emailing direct to see if that works?

If you don't get an email response, pick up the phone or fax them.