Brooke

I need help on deciding on a hotel in Venice! I always value the Fodorites' opinions -- so your advice is much appreciated! <BR> <BR>My husband and I are going to Venice for 2 nights at the end of this month (I know, very late planning...) Anyway, we want to spend around $100 a night. Want to be near St Mark's Square. Would like our own bathroom. And would be a plus if we were overlooking some water. Have read about the following hotels on this site. What do you think of them? What would you recommend? <BR> <BR>HOTEL AMERICAN <BR>HOTEL CAMPIELLO <BR>LOCANDA ART DECO (know this is near st. mark's but don't know if it's on the water) <BR>Paginelli <BR>Antica Locanda Al Gambero <BR>Hotel Pellegrino&Commercio <BR>Hotel Riva <BR> <BR>I want to book within the next few days. Appreciate your help! Thank you!!!

Gary

We stayed at the Hotel American last year. Although the location was good, the hotel was just fair.

Riva

Stayed at the riva in '99. Thought uit was great. We had a room on the 3rd floor (i think) overlooking the canal. Great location; three canals intersect right next to the hotel, and gondolas are always going by. Great location to watch. Three min walk to San Marco. Venetian lamp and mirror in room. Room was small but sufficient. Bathroom was small but modern. Marble and nice wooden staircase in common area. Bottom line thought it was great.

Seamus

Stayed at the American and it was OK- rooms well appointed but small, location convenient. As I recall, the price was over $100, however, and that was 3 or 4 years ago.

janice

Dear Brooke, <BR>I just stayed at the American over New Years, and I think it was just about $100 - in the coldest of cold weather, but still a busy season. I like it pretty well - our room looked over a side canal, was well appointed, and huge for a European hotel. Breakfast was great, and I liked the location - a quick walk to everything, but on a quiet canal. Good luck making your choice!

Brooke

Thank you so much for your help and replies! The many canals by Hotel Riva sounds great. Any one else have any suggestions?

bb

My only suggestion is to make a reservation now! Actually, I stayed at the hotel American 2 years ago and adored the location...the price is a bit more than your budget though...that's their price for a single....but tried to make reservations for a week this October and they were booked...as were my next 4 choices! Everyone's going to Venice!

Maurice

We stayed in the Hotel Riva June 99 for our honeymoon. We got what normally must have been a triple (Room 27?) on the second floor (or, the floor above ground floor, whatever that is) at the end of the corridor. <BR>We're going back this Sept. Great place! Nicely rebuilt inside; terrazzo and marble, beam ceilings, etc. <BR>Search this site for Hotel Riva, Venice. There's the whole discussion on how they don't take credit cards. We mailed them signed travellers' cheques, but ended up Fed-Exing them because the mail is too slow and unreliable. It is a fantastic location - on the map, follow the canal under the Bridge of Sighs to the end, where it reaches a Tee with another canal. If it weren't for the little bend at the end, you could look from the hotel lobby down the canal to the bridge. <BR>Of course, nowhere in Venice is far from elsewhere, but this is a good location at a fantastic price. (They quoted us L200.000 for a double with bath this Sept. I think 2 years ago it was 140.000)

Dayle

Dear Brooke, <BR>I've stayed at the Paganelli twice. Six years ago & May 2000. It's a wonderful, creaky, true Venitian hotel with a great location. The two elderly brothers who own it are charming and their staff helpful. Last there I paid $110/night for a small single room w/ private bath. Their double rooms are fine too. Fodor's rates it a one star - no elevator. It's a little shabby, but comfortable and again the location is great for the price. The only thing I don 't like about the location is all the tacky tourist junk sellers right in front.

claire

I just got back from Italy yesterday. We stayed at the Hotel American in Venice last week and liked it very much. The room was small, but nicely appointed and the air conditioning worked well. An important consideration in 90+ degree weather! The breakfast was good and filling as well. The location is outstanding. Our rate for a double room, by paying cash, was L304,000. It would have been slightly higher if we'd used a credit card.

David

Hi Claire -- We will be staying at Hotel American next week... first trip to Venice. Have heard good things about it. With family of 4, I expect we will be in a larger room overlooking the canal. Anything else you can tell me about the hotel -- or good restaurants in the vicinity -- would be appreciated. <BR> <BR>Glad you enjoyed your trip! <BR> <BR>Thanks. <BR>David <BR>

Deb

Definitely go for the Locanda Art Deco if you can still get a room. The hotel is pretty new and only has limited rooms but the beds are very comfortable and each room has anything you could really want. It isn't on the Canal but being on the Canal can get very noisy in Venice and this hotel is just a short walk. You can't go wrong with this hotel !!

claire

Hi, David. Envy you your upcoming first trip to Venice. We've only just returned from Italy & I'm already really missing it! The Hotel American is a very pleasant hotel in a terrific section of Venice. Dorsoduro is close to San Marco and other busy areas, but is in a fairly quiet spot so that you feel you have a little oasis of your own in Venice. Easy to find. The Accademia is your vaporetto stop. I don't know how you are arriving in Venice. We came into the train station, Santa Lucia. You should consider immediately buying a multi trip vaporetto ticket/pass, even before you go to the hotel. How long a period depends on how long you will be there. You can get one day passes, three day passes, etc. Perhaps a family pass, though I didn't look into that. Just go to a ticket kiosk and see what's available. Even th9ugh much of the pleasure of Venice is walking its streets (especially in the evening and early morning when the day trippers are NOT thee), you will enjoy the vaporetto (water bus) rides. With a pass, it is easy to just get on and ride all around the lagoon at night when it isn't crowded. Magical! Every day but Sunday, the American Express office has various tours you might want to look into to get orientated. They include an economical gondola ride. Their office is just off San Marco square. From the basilica, walk the length of the square on the Cafe Florian side and keep going. (Be sure to visit the square at night when the Quadri and Florian musical ensembles are playing to the cafe crowds) You'll soon come to the Amex office on your right. Or, walk from the Accademia bridge & follow the signs to San Marco. It will then be on your left. You probably will have a larger room than we had at the Hotel American, but we liked our small room nevertheless. Beautifully decorated and spotless. The staff is friendly, but not effusive. Probably in part because they don't speak fluent English. There is a small trattoria you'll walk by on your way from the Accademia Bridge to the Hotel, Ai Cugnai, I think. Run by 2 or 3 sisters. Good basic food, though not fancy. Friendly place & families with kids welcome. We enjoyed it. Ada's recomendations were excellent, so trust her! For other suggestions, tea at Florian is a meal in itself, though costly. Try doing a search here on Venice restaurants. We were there all too briefly. As for sightseeing, whatever you do, don't miss the Basilica di Santi Giovanni e Paolo in the Castello section of Venice. Locally referred to as San Zanipolo. I'm babbling...Basta! Enjoy your trip!

brooke

Thank you so much everyone for your advice and info on Venice and hotels (my first trip too!) We ended up booking at the Riva -- most places are already booked -- and are Fed-exing our travelers checks today. Question, does anyone know if they have air conditioning?? And great idea about the AMEX tours...are they good?

claire

Brooke, I confess I never tried the AMEX tours, but if my schedule had been different, I was seriously considering the $30 (group, of course) gondola ride assembling outside the Gritti. People on this site had mentioned several of the AMEX tours, if my memory isn't totally off, and seemed to like them. Venice has so many interesting little corners to explore, a nice & fairly brief orientation tour might be great if one had the time to indulge....If you are really into more in depth architectural and artistic walking tours, I understand there is a woman doing this in Venice in much the same way as Scala Reale operates in Rome. Perhaps someone else here has the specific information on this.