Venice before and after a cruise
 

I am planning a 2 night stay before and 2 night stay after a cruise out of Venice. Is a water taxi to/from the airport and cruise terminal my best bet? Also, I am looking for hotel choices overlooking a canal - any ideas?

For useful info on hotels you need to tell us how many of you there are, a specific budget per night in euros and your expectations (cheap and cheerful, moderate, upscale amenities ???).

What is your definition of "best bet"?

best bet = as seen in movies. By water taxi as inidicated
1. walk 600m = 1/3 of mile to the dock. Dock is near the terminal, not at the terminal.
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.5018...!3m1!1e3?hl=en
2. Take water taxi. at ~€110 per party
http://www.comune.venezia.it/flex/cm...IDPagina/19521 (either of the Tronchetto tariff. It is the same price)

best bet = cheaper water route. Alilaguna blue boat €15 per person, 90min trip. Departing from the dock requiring same amount of walk as water taxi. You buy tickets at the Terminal before walking to the dock.

best bet = with luggage. land taxi ~€40 par party. leaves from the front of terminal.

best bet = cheapest. land bus. leaves from the front of terminal.
1. take ATVO or ACTV bus to Piazzale Roma €6 per person
2. walk ~1 mile or take people mover ~1.30€ per person

see
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g1...Suitcases.html

There are two of us. We are looking for a romantic Italian hotel, not a chain. We enjoyed our Rome choice that was a boutique hotel with a private terrace. Interested in a little luxury, not a cheap stay, preferably under $350 eu/night. Will pay more for canal view, breakfast, etc. I'd like one hotel before cruising and another after, in different parts of the city.

To Greg: we will have luggage and don't want to walk. Are there land taxis? I heard not in Venice.

There are land taxis and buses from the airport, which is not in Venice. Once you get to Venice, you can take a water taxi from Piazzale Roma to your hotel.

There are hotels with private docks, which is a good idea if you're not interested in walking.

You could put your price range in booking.com and get a short list of places with docks and canal view rooms.

Here are some options in various price ranges.
At your price point I would look at Locanda Orseolo for one location and Pension Accademia for the other.

BOB’S FAVORITE HOTELS IN VENICE: 2014

BEST MID-RANGE 3 STAR HOTELS: Prices will vary from 150 to 300E

• www.locandaorseolo.com Rave reviews in San Marco area

• www.lacalcina.com Popular hotel in Dorsoduro on Zattere

• www.pensioneaccademia.it A Venice standard near Grand Canal

• www.locanda-sanbarnaba.com Good location in Dorsoduro

• www.cortegrimani.com Diverse family apts. in good location

SMALL B&Bs: PRICES VARY FROM 100E TO 250E AND BY SEASON

• www.corte1321.com Helpful hosts in San Polo area

• http://www.alpontemocenigo.com/ Nice place—off the path

• www.guesthouse.it Great value in a quiet neighborhood

NICER 4 STAR HOTELS: prices range from 250 to 500E—vary by season

• www.alponteantico.com/ Lovely place at Rialto on Grand Canal

• www.capisanihotel.it/ Boutique hotel near Accademia Bridge

• http://www.liassidipalacehotel.com/ Lovely amenities in Castello


WILD CARD OPTIONS: Hotel & apartment options worth consideration:

• http://www.palazzettodaschio.it/ Apts. in a real 16th century villa

• http://www.hotelflora.it/en/ Great location close to San Marco

• http://www.aitagliapietra.com/ Well priced B&B in Castello

I vote for the Locanda Orseolo, just lovely, especially if you arrive by water taxi from the cruise terminal and pop in through the water door. Magic!

Keep in mind that a canal is a street and thus may have a lot of noise. We had that happen to us one time in Venice and we couldn't sleep with our "canal view."

Good point HappyTrvlr, at Locanda Orseolo we had a room facing the inner courtyard, my brother and SIL had a canal view room. They said it was a bit noisy but they didn't mind as they enjoyed being able to watch all the activity.

Thank you all for your advice. I have heard about the noise on a canal, but why go to Venice without that view?! I always pack my earplugs and can catch up on sleep on the cruise.

We stayed in the Boscolo Venezia last year and loved it. Some rooms overlook a quiet canal and others overlook the lagoon (like ours did). The hotel is in a residential neighborhood and is very close to the Madonna del Orto vaporetto and Allilaguna stop, if you don't want to splurge on a water taxi from the airport. The hotel provides a scheduled water taxi to and from San Marco a few times a day.