Venice Hotel Choice Overwhelming. Advice requested...
 

Hello!<BR><BR>I will soon be booking a hotel for Venice over Easter (6 nights) and have a lot of choices which I would really appreciate your help with in narrowing down.<BR><BR>These are the available hotels and a rough idea of how much it will cost me per night for a room (for 2 adults). Prices are in UK pounds and have my work concessionary discounts applied. (I can use this discount twice a year and have saved one use up for Venice).<BR><BR>Can you give me any input on these hotels?<BR><BR>Around &pound;55UK per room per night:<BR><BR>Lisbona In San Marco area, 3*<BR>Ca' Del Campo Nr St Mark's Sq, 3*<BR>Santa Marina NE of St Mark's Sq, 3*<BR>Ai Due Fanali Halfway between station and Rialto bridge, 3*<BR><BR>Around &pound;70UK per room per night:<BR><BR>Ca' D'Oro 5 mins Rialto bridge, 3*<BR>Violino D'Oro In San Marco area, 3*<BR><BR>Around &pound;90UK per room per night:<BR><BR>Kette In San Marco area, 4* (new rating)<BR>Principe near station, 4*<BR>Splendid Suisse near Rialto bridge, 4*<BR><BR>Around &pound;110UK per room per night:<BR><BR>Locanda Vivaldi past Bridge of Sighs, 4*<BR>Sofitel In Santa Croce, 4*<BR><BR><BR>Luna Baglioni near St Mark's Sq, 4* &pound;150<BR>Europa and Regina 5 mins St Mark's Sq, 4* &pound;200<BR>Danieli St Mark's Sq, 5*DL &pound;175<BR><BR>I have read good things on Fodors about the Kette, Ai Due Fanali, Splendid Suisse (though not sure anyone has stayed there, just looked in), Luna Baglioni and of course the Danieli and Europa/ Regina.<BR><BR>Does anyone have comments on these and the others?<BR><BR>Many thanks<BR><BR>Kavey<BR>

Kavey, The pension La Calcina is still hard to beat for value, but it is a bit off the main path. If you want closer to San Marco then the Bisanzio is my choice. Good luck--good to see you back

Kavey<BR>You've got quite a range there!<BR>Between the Europa and the Danieli based on not having stayed at either, I vote for the Europa's location. It is less hectic than the Danieli's where in order to get to San Marco you have to fight the crowds. Just ignore the following if you don't want it, but<BR>I vote for two that are not on your list:<BR>The Flora, same street as the Europa-Regina, an absolutely charming hotel with all amenities, great location, nice staff. They book many months in advance. <BR>On my recent trip I stopped in at the Colombina, was completely renovated about a year ago. Tucked beside a small canal behind San Marco. About a 7 minute walk from the San Zacccaria vap. stop. Very pleasant staff (they showed me some rooms.)<BR>Rooms medium to large-ish, bathrooms very nice, overall decor is traditional but new, light and airy. No detectable noise from the rooms, even though the area nearby is busy. THey have doubles and triples-the extra bed is a built-in twin-sized daybed, not a rollaway.<BR>I think there were recent inquiries here about the Violino and the Ca' d'Oro; maybe you can find them with a search.

Just got back from Venice on the 14th. Stayed at the Bisanzio, was very pleased. Only a 5 minute walk from St Mark's Square.

Bob, I have been posting here on and off for the last few days. Trying to ignore the nastiness which is mostly back to normal level and also the random deletions!<BR><BR>Bob, Elaine and dc, thanks for your advice...<BR><BR>The reason I am sticking to these choices is that I can only get discounted rates as shown for the hotels we carry in our own brochures...<BR>So although everyone raves about the Flora it is not on the list.<BR>I have been searching for old comments and am interested in any new ones, together with any recommendations re prices e.g. If those two are same price then that one wins etc...<BR>Thanks for all your help,<BR><BR>Kavey<BR>

Ok I searched in my trusty<BR>"Cheap Sleeps in Italy" book, 1996 unfortunately.<BR>Santa Marina<BR>"smartly refurbished...management accommodating...bedrooms are...tastefully done..."a/c, phones hair dryers, minibars, tvs, office safe"<BR><BR>Ai Due Fanali<BR>"Beautifully restored rooms...quiet square in Santa Croce...handsome lobby...friendly staff...best rooms in the house are on the top floor...some have Grand Canal views...bathrooms exceptional...generous breakfast<BR>a/c, hair dryers, minibars, tvs, in-room safes"<BR><BR>Kette (A great location, I think, so close to San Marco but just enough removed)"luxury for less...intimate atmosphere...friendly and efficient service...private water landing...lobby comfortable...rooms vary in size and style...a few of the rooms along hte back...can be dark and gloomy. They are quiet though." a/c, elevator, in-room safes, hair dryers"

Hello, Kavey - in Venice, you must eat at Da Fiore ... do reserve in advance. And yes, Flora is my favorite too. And thanks for your help on Mombo Camp in Botswana ... we're reserved there for next October - four nights, flying in from Maun. Thanks.

Hi JC You are welcome.<BR>You'll love it...<BR>And Mombo is identical to little mombo so I know my comments will be accurate...<BR><BR>Will be sure to look out for that restaurant...<BR><BR>Elaine thanks for the guide book check too <BR><BR>:)<BR><BR>Kavey

We stayed at the Splendid Suisse about 3 years ago.(I got a deal on a web site as I recall). Great location, nice rooms (smallish), helpful staff, good breakfast... I'd definitely recommend it. However, if I were in your shoes and could sample the Europa....-:) -:)

Thanks Grandma!!!<BR>Have of course pulled previous threads up in Search and Kette is consistently rated well, and so is Splendid Suisse...<BR><BR>Choices choices!!!<BR><BR>I do feel I should take advantage of the concession and stay somewhere special but then again. <BR><BR>6 nights at the Europa would be &pound;1200 whereas 6 nights at the Kette or Splendid Suisse would be less than half, and that &pound;600+ difference would probably cover most of our food for the whole stay, and more...<BR><BR>It's a hard one...<BR><BR>So all this input is great.<BR><BR>What would be good would be help choosing the best choice in each price band. <BR><BR>IE If you are spending &pound;90 per night then XYZ in your selection is best...<BR><BR>Kavey<BR>THANKS

I stayed at the Principe last year, and can give it a good recommendation. However, you'll probably like it more if you can get a room with a view of the canal.<BR><BR>The breakfast there is quite good, and the staff is helpful. The rooms are a bit small, by American standards, but they're nicely decorated and, all in all, very decent.<BR><BR>The location is good and bad. It's good because you can walk to the hotel from the train station, but you're not near any of the major attractions, such as San Marco. But Venice is so small, that location isn't a big deal.

Kavey, Elaine has a wonderful file on Venice ... it's sitting on my desk, close by for references. And for Da Fiore, whatever fresh seafood they offer, and the best white wine from that area ... charming people, and helpful. Enjoy, and what a wonderful city.

Elaine<BR>Would I be able to get your Venice file.<BR>I believe I may have had it once a year or two ago when we were thinking of going to Venice originally, and I cant find anything on my new PC, but I did lose a whole lot of files. Of course it could have been someone else's Venice file I lost, I dont recall.<BR><BR>But would be very grateful to share yours.<BR><BR>THanks<BR>Kavey<BR><BR>(above email real)