Urgent - would you go to Italy Aug/sep?

Old Apr 30th, 2006, 10:30 AM
  #21  
 
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PS: I don't think there are any bad locations in Venice proper, unless you have the misfortune of a particularly smelly canal out your window or a restaurant underneath your window that kicks up smoke or something. But that is seldom the case. One of my fave neighborhoods in Venezia is the Arsenale, just because it is so very quiet.

One of my least favorite is directly on the Grand Canal.

But anywhere is walkable.
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Old Apr 30th, 2006, 12:25 PM
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Hello Kavey, the hotel star system in Italy is predicated upon the services offered and has nothing to do with the decor of a hotel room etc. I learned this from a friend in Italy who was a manager of a hotel in the region of Veneto for several years.

He also said that the higher the star a hotel has the higher the percentage of tax the hotel pays the government so some hotels do not wish to provide services that would give them say a 3 star versus a 2 star and so forth.
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Old Apr 30th, 2006, 01:26 PM
  #23  
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LoveItaly, I've heard the same thing so I'm not so concerned about star rating... but I do want some kind of independent review of the hotel - something by which to judge it other than it's own website or it's listing on veniceby.com...

NessunDorma, whilst I agree there are no really bad locations, there are some that are just a little too far out towards the edges for my tastes... as I have arthritis I'm not up to walking lots and lots and lots everyday so would prefer if hotel is in a reasonably central location... not near St Mark's as much as near a vaporetto stop and so forth...

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Old Apr 30th, 2006, 02:29 PM
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Yes, Kavey, you are right. I was in Venice once with a bum knee that has since gotten completely better, but minimizing climbing stairs and over bridges became a priority.
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Old Apr 30th, 2006, 02:41 PM
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Yeah I bet!!!

I'm definitely finding a few places that are looking like contendors and are at or below 150 a night.

Some of the apartments look great but it's so hard to know as reviews aren't available for most of them...

Some have their own website but others don't.

Has anyone booked through venere.com or veniceby.com?
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Old May 1st, 2006, 07:32 AM
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I've used Venere several times, never for Venice, but for Rome, Milano and other places. No problems whatsoever and really liked their search capabilities and ways to narrow down the search, depending upon location, size, etc.
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Old May 1st, 2006, 08:04 AM
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I narrowed it down to about 50 yesterday and contacted most for availability and prices.

Having heard back from nearly all of them now, several are full, many are too expensive, others have been ruled out for various reasons and DH has declared that he's not really keen on an apartment after all.

I have written back to every place we're not booking with to let them know - I don't want them to hold a room off for me because I am too rude to write back.

I have narrowed it down to two and am dithering like only a Kavey-planning-a-trip can dither.
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Old May 1st, 2006, 08:16 AM
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My DH loves apartments. He likes the space. He wakes up early, so he goes out into the living room and reads or watches TV while I slumber on. We don't do a lot of cooking in an apartment, just breakfast (light for me, more for him) and snacks, but he gets his coffee first thing in the morning.
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Old May 1st, 2006, 08:28 AM
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My main reason to suggest an apartment is the living room space and additional luggage space. It would be nice to have space for our luggage away from the main bedroom and to be able to easily find power outlets to recharge camera gear, tables to leave guide books and maps on and so on.
Having a kitchenette would just be for drinks/ snacks.
We did enjoy it a lot in Bordeaux in 2004 but we stayed for 2 weeks back then. He doesn't feel it's worthwhile for 5 nights only.
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