Just returned from Venice. Loved it but very disappointed with Hotel Noemi. Reserved in advance the highest paid room because I wanted not only a sink but restroom. When we arrived we were told our restroom was down the hall but no one else would be able to use it. Other rooms in the hotel have restrooms in the rooms but I was told that I didn't specify that the bath be in the room. When I checked in in the evening I was told they would take care of my bill in the morning. In the morning the manager basically said too bad.<BR>Rooms were very small which is typical of Italy but very noisy. Lots of street noise till approx 4 am then the morning noise starts at 6am. NO View brick wall across small path.

Well, did you or did you not specify that the toilet be "ensuite" or in other words, part of the room? If there is one thing we learn by traveling, it is that we must be very clear and very specific when making reservations, especially at the lower cost hotels.

I guess I just figured you get what you pay for. If you pay the highest price the hotel charges you should get the nicer rooms not the lower rated.

Cheer up, Lynette. Enjoy future trips to Venice.

By the way, isn't Noemi one of the recommendations from Rick Steves? Maybe I'm wrong, because I never go to the places he recommends. But I have looked at a few and have read a lot of reports about many of the hotels he suggests, and the majority of opinions is always rather negative. Personally, if this was a Rick Steves recommendation, I'd suggest you don't listen to him any more. If it wasn't, then I apologize, Rick.

Gee!!! not happy with your hotel - and here I thought I had actually found someone else who was just a tad dissappointed in Venice. My wife and I enjoyed the sites in Italy but found the people working in the tourist areas quite rude and not at all helpful - maybe they just see so many tourists that they can't deal with it, if so perhaps they should change professions. Anyway...Just returned from a fantastic 20 days in Turkey and must say it ranks way above Italy in all respects. Of course no country can touch Italy when it comes to ruins and art but Turkey IMHO offers so much more.

Lynette, may I ask how much you paid for your hotel room?? Venice is one of the most expensive cities in the world because there is so little land in the city. The majority of those who work in Venice can't even afford to live there. Therefore, hotel rooms with bathrooms, even in dumps, can be as much as $150 a night (in high season).<BR><BR>You get what you pay for, so if you paid less than $150 a night, you shouldn't complain.<BR><BR>Just to let you know, whenever I am in Venice, I stay at Cipriani. It costs me (my company, actually) $1000 a night for the priveledge. Yes, I can say I had a beautiful view, wonderful service, an "ensuite" bathroom, but, I have to pay for it.<BR><BR>Hopefully, you just slept in your room, and spent most of your time viewing the great Venice.<BR><BR>Ciao, John G

[email protected]

Sorry to hear about that, Lynette, but hope it didn't spoil your experience in Venice. <BR><BR>Wayne, for what it's worth, we stayed in a locanda in Siena that was mentioned in Steves' Italy book and we absolutely loved it. I also found my favorite hotel in Nice (have stayed there five times since 1994) courtesy of Rick Steves.

Another thank you Rick Steves for suggesting the Europa in Madrid. For price and location it couldn't be beat.<BR><BR>This obviously won't help Lynette and is off the subject, but just wanted to mention that poor old Rick (who takes lots of guff on this forum) isn't always be wrong.<BR><BR>j

I can relate with "Been There." My husband and I recently came back from our 1st trip to Italy. We went to Venice for four days and our opinion is that we won't go out of our way to go back. It wasn't horrible but to us, it is about the same as going to Disneyland. Now, Disneyland is not bad, but we sure don't want to fly all the way to Italy to go to "Disneyland." We live in California so Disneyland is nothing new to us.<BR><BR>We know we are in the minority, but just thought I'd put in my two cents about our Venice disappointment. I must add that we did go to some great restaurants there! And that is almost the most important thing for us.<BR><BR>Also, we stayed at some Rick Steves recommended hotels and they were fine. Rick's book was actually very helpful to us all over Italy and we would not travel Italy without it.

Interesting comparison, Venice as Disneyland. A beautiful and historic city in a lagoon that was once very powerful vs. an amusement park built in former orange groves in Southern California in the 1950s. A city where vaporettos ply the Grand Canal past gorgeous palazzi vs. an amusement park where boats ply a fake jungle river past fake hippos. A city with the stunning Basilica of San Marco vs. an amusement park with a Haunted Mansion ride. A city with Santa Maria della Salute vs. an amusement park with Space Mountain. A city with the expansive and impressive Piazza San Marco vs. an amusement park with the cutesy Main Street U.S.A. A city with gondoliers vs. an amusement park with people walking around in mouse costumes. <BR><BR>Yes, I can understand the comparison. <BR><BR>

Capo, that's brilliant. You rock.

We have friends who once went to Rome and didn't like it because all the buildings were old. They preferred New York. Now we have someone who is comparing Venice to Disneyland. What next!

Capo:<BR><BR>Thank goodness for you! And to my fellow Californian--you don't have to like Venice, but to compare it to Disneyland is beyond comprehension. Maybe your next trip should be a gondola ride in Las Vegas.<BR><BR>I'm sorry, I know everyone doesn't like the same things, but this is incredulous.<BR><BR>j

message: Capo<BR><BR>My Mom and I are going to venice, florence and rome in Sept. You seem to have alot of knowlege about Italy. Wondered if you could steer us to a hotel or 2 that aren't the Cipriani, but nice....around$400. Probaby will only splurge like that in Venice. Need others around $200-300. Thanks

Cut her some slack, would you please? Maybe she spent the entire time sitting on a bridge watching those dancing mickies and got disoriented!

Since she lives in California, maybe she should have saved her money and gone to Venice Beach.

I thought Venice was quite charming. However, I have to say, as I was sitting in a cafe watching it rain and the thunder and the clouds moving earily across the sky I DID think of Disneyland. It all felt somehow not real. I had the same feeling one summer night in Vieux Lyon. And I realized that Disneyland is trying to simulate all of these places. But because it's what we experience first, it's what comes to mind when we are in the middle of the real thing!

Well I've heard the Venice/Disneyland comparison before and it always leaves me -- in the title of a Connells song -- slackjawed. <BR><BR>I mean, I understand the basic concept behind the comparison, that Venice is some kind of a "historic theme park" which exists only for tourists, but I think that does a great disservice to the people who live and work there, the incredible architecture, and the rich history. <BR><BR>Sondra, I'd like to be able to help you but I'm afraid I can't steer *anyone* to hotels in that price range as it's far beyond the kind of places I choose to stay in. When we were in Venice this April, for example, we stayed in a locanda that was full of character but cost a mere $100/night. For $400/night, I'm sure you could have your pick of hotels in Venice...good luck!