Stay in Venice
 

We would be in Venice for 3 days in the first week of June. Any stay recommendations would be appreciated.
My research yielded 2 good but pricey hotels: Westin Europa & Regina and Hotel Danieli.
Other options, a bit away from the crowds -
Hotel Ai Reali
Ca' Pisani

Anyone has had a personal experience here?

I'd stay next door to the E+R at the Gritti which I think is an overall nicer hotel. What I would NOT do is spend money for any Grand Canal view rooms (last time I was at the Gritti I was upgraded to the Guggenheim Suite which has such a view and I looked out exactly once).

In terms of those "crowds"...what difference does that really make in terms of the hotel location? You aren't going to hear anyone INSIDE the hotel and unless you go to places such as San Marco very early in the morning or after dark you are liable to see lots of other people.

Danieli is our favorite hotel in Venice -and love the roof restaurant. But they aren;t giving anything away.

As for crowds - yes, the area around San Marco is crowded all day.

Ca' Pisani is a great hotel in a quiet but still central area. I recommend it.

You didn't get many replies :( We really like LaCalcina which is in the Dosoduro part of the city so not at tourist ground zero. Great to watch the water traffic on the Guidecca. Many people like the Stuckey Molino - something like that. I believe it has it's own transportation for guests over to the main part of Venice - that might also be a good option. I would not choose to stay near St. Mark's but that's just my opinion.

We stayed at Casa in Laguna Bed and Breakfast and we loved this family run little place off the beaten track. But we like staying in bed/breakfasts instead of hotels - more of the cultural flavour. It is not in the tourist centre, but is about a 15 minute walk from Piazza San Marco - in general, I found Venice to be very walkable. We had 3 days there, and we covered a lot of territory mostly just walking. This B&B is very easy to get to and from airport via water taxi, and also handy for getting water taxi's to Murano and Burano(my fav). Try for the room on the canal (it was booked when we were there), our room was very clean and well-looked after and there was a little patio out behind. We enjoyed walking back to this little place at the end of the day, through the cobbled walkways. Very reasonable priced accommodation - we would definitely stay here again! Read reviews on tripadviser...

Marco runs the B&B (he is simply lovely), but his non-English speaking parents seem to help out (I believe it was his mother who received us on arrival - very kind lady) and we saw his father a couple of times(also very kind) - there were a few oil paintings sitting out on a table in the main area that were painted by the father (Franco) and I had the privilege of buying an original Franco which is now framed in my home - to remind me of my wonderful visit to Venice and this very gentle mannered family...

We stayed at Le Isole. Loved it. Great hotel in a great area with a
fabulous breakfast

Bookmarking

<<This B&B is very easy to get to and from airport via water taxi, and also handy for getting water taxi's to Murano and Burano(my fav).>>

raz - did you mean the water taxi? [very pricey!] or the vaporetto.

would you care to post a link?

We enjoyed three nights at the Locando Ca' le Vele, two blocks in from the Ca' d'Oro vaporetto stop. We loved it. There is a small canal at the back and some rooms overlook it with a small balcony. It's small and very Venetian, run by two Venetian brothers. You can easily walk everywhere. In shoulder season I think we paid 150€. I see today they have a couple of rooms left during the first week.

annhig, you are correct, transport to/from airport was Alilaguna and the vaporetto to the islands.
Do you mean a link for the accommodation? Try:
www.casalaguna.it/info-ing.htm (their own website) or
http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Hotel_Revi...ce_Veneto.html
The superior room is larger (but a bit bare) with a lovely balcony on the canal. We were quite happy in our smaller standard room with no balcony. As you can see, the rooms are simple, basic and clean with modernized bathrooms. In retrospect, we liked our room as it seemed cozier than the larger superior room.

I would stay at Boscolo Venezia near Madonna dell'Orto (you can walk over from Orange Line Alilaguna Stop Orto).

#2 choice: Hotel Scandinavia in Campo Santa Maria Formosa.

Both are away from the Tourist Tsunami.


Thin

Thank you kind people for all your responses. The decision was taken out of my hands. My husband booked Westin E& R on starwood points. Danieli wasnt available on points.

And we can now use the cash saved on the off-the-charts pricey amalfi coast :-)

The West in is WAY too close to Piazza San Marco for my taste!

I am not exaggerating when I write that P. San Marco gets as crowded by noon as Rockefeller Center the evening the Christmas tree is lit.

You are facing a tsunami of tourists and tour groups who resemble a funeral cortège.

I can remember something written by Jan Morris in the Guardian about not even being able to see the quadriga on the face of the Basilica because of the "nightmarish jam" of tourists.

Good luck.


Thin

thanks for the link, raz. I didn't want it for myself but it is one of my pet peeves that people post about places here, and don't post the link. It's particularly irritating when they ask for advice about choosing between a number of establishments and expect us to know them or do the work ourselves. I know that this doesn't apply to you in this particular case but now you know why I asked!

annhig, that said, people don't have to contribute to the person's posting if they are "irritated" by their mode of asking for travel help. And, as far as I know, it is not a responders "obligation" to post a link with their advice...
Maybe one's pet peeves and irritants are for a different kind of forum...
I for one, have always appreciated any and all advice and tips received from fellow fodorites in any way, shape or form - and "almost" always given in a friendly and informative manner...

Hi shwets, Since your hotel decision has been made, do ask for a quiet room. It has been my experience that most hotels try to honor that request.

Wow, ann. You pressed a button without even knowing you pressed it.

Hello Chouette
(nice name)
If you're with a family, I recommend you stay at the Flora close to San Marco at the end of a small alley - very quiet.
They have a family chamber under the roof which is very agreable and less expesnive than 2 rooms in a less desirable hotel.
Breakfast is great - we went there twice and twice they had small birds coming in, which was nice.