Venice: Hotel Flora or Pensione Accademia
 

I mentioned this on my other post about Tuscany, but thought I might do better with a new subject line for this part of the trip....

I have to decide on a hotel (soon-like today!) for our visit this summer. We've stayed at the Flora 3 times, and like it. It's close to San Marco, but away from the traffic because it's down a short alley from the main thoroughfare. The rooms can be a bit stale, but they are charming and we're not that fussy.

One of the main reasons we like it is for the proximity to San Marco. We like to sit and listen to the quartets at night, then have a short walk back to the hotel.

The rate is 150E/nt, which is fairly expensive for us, so it would be nice to find a deal somewhere else.

Many fodorites seem to visit the Pensione, and it looks great. They have availability at 130E/nt. My question is: how safe is it to get back to the Dorsoduro at night, and is there a well-lit route? Also, is there any odor from the canal if we get a room on the canal?

We always feel totally safe walking back to the Flora, as the road is wide for the most part and fairly well lit and busy.

Does anyone have any advice on this, or know of a third alternative? Thank you for any help!

I just posted this on your other thread:

We also stayed at the Relais Cavalcanti in Florence, and love its charm.

In Venice, we stayed at a simple one-star hotel called the Hotel Riva, at the confluence of two small canals. It's a good value and very clean and charming. We had room #1, which is on the corner, with the two canals directly below (note there's no elevator). It was perfect. Not too close to the madding crowd! http://www.hotelriva.it/

Also, we considered the Casa Rezzonico, Dorsoduro, Fondamenta Gherardini 2813, www.casarezzonico.it. It is in a quiet, out-of-the-way location, near a small campo, close to the Accademia. It has an attractive garden area in the center, which some rooms overlook, and where breakfast buffet is served. A good budget choice, also.
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See my post on your Tuscany string.

Thanks Mambo for the great tips---I wasn't too sure about starting a new thread. I appreciate your posting twice!

Did you notice any odor from the canals at the Riva? When we took a gondola ride through the small canals last time, I could hardly stand the odor! It was August then, too, so the heat may have something to do with it...

I will check out both of your suggestions!

We stayed in Dorsoduro and never felt unsafe walking back from Piazza San Marco. Other than pickpockets haven't heard about Venice being particularly dangerous. It's just atmospherically spooky, I think.

That rate seems cheap for Pensione Accademia - might check and make sure you aren't getting their tiniest darkest little room. I've never stayed there myself but it sounds like a great place.

Aee my post on your other string. To summarise, I would give Accademia a try.

LAwoman,

I was surprised at the rate for the Pensione, too! They quoted it for a "small double canal view" at 130E (120E if I wanted non-refundable).

Has anyone stayed in one of those rooms?

I agree, it is atmospherically spooky at night in some of those narrow streets, and for a long walk back that might not be what we want.

The hotel gets consistently good reviews. I personally wouldn't mind the walk back. But there are a lot of great choices in Venice, as you know!

CyberT,

No smells at all noticed at the Riva, or on any of the canals, when we visited in mid-May 2006. We had warm dry weather, maybe in the high 70s/low 80s. And I'm very sensitive to bad smells. I would have noticed for sure.

P.S. Ask your Italian hotels about a discount for paying cash when you checkout, if you haven't already set it up that way.

I saved 5% or so at the Cavalcanti in 2006, and also at the Riva I saved some. You have to make your reservation directly with the hotel, via their own website, not a booking consolidator's site, like venere.com.

Also, the Riva used to have their name in Rick Steve's book. They guaranteed the rate he published in the current book. Check that out for any hotel you're considering.
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I have stayed at Pensione Accademia in 3 different rooms, a standard double, superior double and a single, all on the canal side, nice view with even a glimpse of Grand Canal if you lean out of the window. No problem with smell or noise. Std Dbl was quite small with TINY shower only bathroom (still I loved it), Sup DBL was of course larger with a larger bathroom/tub. Single was a narrow one. I liked all. Room decor is not too flashy, sober and the sort I like. If you are not too fussy you will like even STD DBL. Cannot compare with Flora as I have never stayed there, just took a glimpse at the entrance but I suspect P.Accademia is better (ok, I'm biased). I can compare it to much-praised La Calicina where I have stayed also. Although la Calcina may have its own advantage (I liked my Giudecca Canal view room), breakfast was better at P.A., better food, breakfast room nicer, room decor more luxurious vs la Calcina's plainer and rustic. Also not many Venetian hotels have gardens like P.A.

Oh, and as other have said, no safety issue coming back from the Accademia Bridge or from Giudecca/Zattere side even late at night. Also across the canal from the hotel (on the way to Accademia Bridge), Trattoria San Trovaso is a very good budget choice to dine.

Hey

the Hotel Flora quoted me 260 euros
a night for a double in May. How
do you get that lower rate????

Summer is considered middle season in Venice so rates should be lower than May that is high season.

3 bugs,

I emailed the Flora, maybe we got a deal because we'd stayed there before. That, and that it's a different season might explain the differnt rate. One thing people should know is that they have a Dollar Friendly offer, where they give you a 1.45 exchange; however, you have to prepay for the stay.

Mambo, thanks for the info on smells and discounts. I emailed the Cavalcanti for our reservation and I think they gave us a deal because we were returning visitors. It's a nice and much appreciated perk.

Kappa,Thanks for all the information and the advice on the walk from San Marco to Pensione. I've still got a little time to do more research before I need to confirm.

Is it still Francesca who does the business of reserving rooms via e-mail? She is very helpful making museum reservations, too.
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Anna and Francesca are the sisters who run the Cavalcanti. I have been emailing with Anna.

You're right, they booked our Uffizi reservation for us last trip, and everything went beautifully.

I am staying at the Flora in May and they are charging me 240 euros

I second kappa's recommendation of San Trovaso. We had a good meal there a couple of years ago. It's well run and popular.

hi c't,

if you are visiting Venice in May walking around at night shouldn't be too much of a problem unless you are real night owls as it won't get dark til most Venetians are in bed!

it is one of the safest places in europe, especially at night as there's nowhere for miscreants to go. the biggest danger is of missing your footing and falling in a canal.

if you've stayed in san marco 3 times, this sounds like an ideal opportunity to try somewhere new - just staying in a different part of time can make the experience very different - new bars to explore, shops to browse in, views to enjoy, etc.etc.

have fun whatever you choose,

regards, ann

We stayed at the Academia and really liked it. They were booked solid so we had a smaller room but we didn't mind. No problem getting back late at night and no smell.

I strongly suggest taking bug spray. They now make a "wet-wipe" version of it which is individually wrapped and convenient.