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Venice hotel or apt---time to choose.
We'll be in Venice in October for 3 days/2 nights. 2 ladies, first -timers so helpful on-site staff is desirable. We depart VCE at 19:30 on the 3rd day, so must keep in mind storing our bags , return to the hotel to get them, then get to the airport. Prefer a canal view, but price is also a factor. Here are the offers we have. Please help us decide.
<u>CA' SATRIANO</u>--120eu Far side of S. Marco district near Accademia Bridge. Their smallest room (Mask) overlooks the canal and music conservatory. It looks beautiful and gets exc reviews. They offered a much larger room (Mermaid)for 140, but it overlooks the garden. http://www.ca-satriano.com/ <u>LOCANDA LEON BIANCO</u>--140eu Near Ca' d'Oro. Double room "on the side canal". Gets exc reviews, but most reviewers were in the larger, grand canal rooms. Some said the side-canal rooms can be dark and undesirable. Too iffy? <u>PALAZZO FOSCARINI (apt)</u>--120EU Unsoliticited email thru Veniceby. The few reviews are good. In Dorsoduro, across the Rio di S. Margherita from the Accademia...vaporreto Cà Rezzonico. Garden view. 2nd floor. Lots of space. Separate sleeping areas...that's nice. The apt looks lovely. I've written to confirm it's the same apt shown on the website. Don't know about this locale. http://veniceby.com/palazzofoscarini/pages/profile.htm ----------------------------------------------- We're leaning toward the small room at Ca' Satriano, just for the canal view. (Too bad their larger room is garden view!) Anyone have any input re: 2 ladies walking that area at night? |
JeanneB
The apartment Palazzo Foscarini is priced per person......I'm looking for an apartment in Venice so I checked the web-site & found that info in the "FAQ" section. I have found Venice to be very safe for "two ladies"......my sister & I have been to Venice several times....have felt comfortable in all of the sestiere's. |
That seems very misleading. My email says: "120 EUR <u>Per Accommodation</u> Per Day, which sums 240,00 EUR (Approx. 283.70 USD) for the whole stay, all taxes included".
I guess "per accommodation" means per person...that wouldn't have been my first guess. Thank you sooooo much for pointing that out. It could've been disastrous. |
I find it hard to believe that "per accomodation" means "per person". Are you telling me that since they say 5 people can stay there, that they would charge 600 euro per day for 5?? Please tell me that isn't true!
Although I see by clicking on FAQ as you did, that it is INDEED true. I think posting rates as per accomodation meaning "per person" at such outrageous rates would make me never use the firm Veniceby.com! Don't pull the language barrier excuse on me. If they wanted to be clear they would say "per person". If I am looking for an "accomodation" to me that means an apartment or a hotel room. I see nothing wrong with listing prices per person, but there is something misleading about the way they do it, and totally crazy to charge 5 times as much for the same apartment when 5 people are staying there as when only 1 is -- although I suppose they would never let one person have it for 120 euro. |
Patrick:
From a post you put up last September, I thought you had stayed at the Foscarini. It had a link to something like the world-world travel site...no longer working. I guess I could write them...again. But I'm fairly put off by just the confusion of using that word "accommodation". At this point, the Satriano is looking better and better. Anyone have any comments on the Leon Bianco's "side canal" doubles? |
One more warning:
The offer from Foscarini was <i>unsolicited</i>, as often happens with the "_____.by" sites. When you write to Hotel X for info, there's a box you can check to say do NOT send this to other properties. If you forget to check it, apparently your info goes to other unkown properties and you will get offers from some you didn't inquire about. So beware. |
1. Too bad about the Foscarini flat. Purest coincidence: I discovered it this morning while checking out accomodation for a possible winter holiday and thought it looked like a real "keeper" for us 2.
2. Re canal view: Canals are the traffic arteries of Venice. Canal view -- especially of the Grand Canal -- can be a very mixed blessing, as we discovered in February 2004, when garbage collection started at 6:30 am outside our ground-floor canal-fronting flat. Vaporetti, motoscafi, garbage scows all ply the canals. No matter where you stay, you will be falling over, though I hope not into, canals. WRT the Grand Canal in particular: Can you imagine any other city in the world of which people said "We insisted on a room overlooking the city's busiest thoroughfare -- the bus traffic was an especially welcome addition"? (LOL) Venice's hidden gardens, by contrast, are a largely unsung treasure...... |
Hmmm. Jeanne, no, that Foscarini apartment doesn't even look familiar to me. I did stay at a place that was on a website like that, independently owned, so maybe that link used to work to it? In fact I can't seem to locate a link to the apartment we did rent!
And maybe the mixup happened because our favorite and daily breakfast spot, as well as for great pizza is the little "Bar Foscarini" next to the Accademia Bridge! We had breakfast there almost every morning. |
I believe this is the apartment Patrick last stayed in while in Venice:
http://www.world-world.com/site/user...&ad_id=516 |
Another apartment, right around the corner from the Taverna San Trovaso, is:
http://www.jesolo-venice.com/venezia1.htm Beware: the website makes the apartment look just a little bit lovelier and larger than it really is. No washer, though. |
Holly, that's it. I couldn't get the world-world.com website to work before, but your link brings it right in.
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I wrote them back asking whether the Foscarini rate is per person or the total. May as well resolve this. If "per accommodation" means per person, I'll post a separate thread to let people know to watch for it. I've never encountered that before. It's only fair to the establishment that I try to straighten it out on this thread.
========================================= Meanwhile, I'm really torn between the small room/canal view or the much larger room overlooking the Satriano's courtyard. The larger room also has a lovely bath with jacuzzi tub. The canal view is on Rio del Santissimo between Cpo S. Maurizio and Cpo S. Stefano. The B&B is across from the music conservatory. Does anyone know if this is a small dark canal or would the view be worth giving up the larger room? |
From the hotel's own map, it seems as though:
1. the canal is a little "pencil" leading, at some small distance, to the Grand Canal 2. there is no fondamenta -- i.e. no canal-side sidewalk to permit access, though there is an opening to the canal near the hotel It thus looks to be a smallish canal, without larger views and, perhaps, apt to be dark because the space is not enlarged with a fondamenta. Central, convenient location though. |
JeanneB, I emailed them also to ask. We'll see if they answer us both and the same.
I went back to that site and saw other apartments that also stated "price per accomodation" and then when you go to their FAQ, it states "per apartment" so there is a clear lack of consistency on that website. I still can't believe that the price of 120 euro per night would be "per person" for 5 people or 600 euro per night for the apartment! |
<i>I still can't believe that the price of 120 euro per night would be "per person" for 5 people or 600 euro per night for the apartment! </i>
When I enquired, I told them it was for 2 persons. If it IS a per person rate, then maybe it goes down as the number of persons goes up. Now I'm really curious. |
Patrick:
It seems we misjudged the Foscarini! They've replied that the 120 euro quote is for the apartment, NOT per person. They also confirmed that the apartment has 1 double bed in the bedroom, 1 double sofa bed, and one single bed in a mezzanine. Though I can't tell much about the bath from the website, this looks like quite a good deal. I also don't know about the neighborhood, but I haven't read anything bad about that part of the Dorsoduro. Now I feel bad. If someone were to do a search on this apartment, they would come across this long thread about their "outrageous pricing practices" and might not get this far down. Do you think I should post a separate thread? |
No, I wouldn't do that. And anybody who reads this in the future, SHOULD read to the end. I hope they change their clearly stated phrase on FAQ that the Foscarini price is "per person". I just knew that couldn't be right!
By the way, I'm no expert, but I wouldn't actually call that part of Venice the Dososduro -- sort of removed from what I thought the boundaries were. I'd think that is part of San Croce. It's not terribly convenient, but on the other hand not bad either. It does look like a nice value at the "per apartment" prices. The easiest traghetto stop to get to would probably be San Basilio on the Giudecca. Or you can wind around and eventually get out to the Grand Canal at either San Toma or San Samuele. That is the area I never fail to get hopelessly lost in. |
What readers SHOULD do and what they WILL do ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. Nobody can control behavior which is why it's best to accrue many facts before ever jumping to negative conclusions.
Unfortunately, many readers won't get to the "bottom" of this thread. So few have time or the inclination to read that far. Oh well, not everyone has access to the holy grail of knowledge and this sure ain't a perfect world. |
The website says the nearest vaporetto is San Toma.
I think we'll stay at the Satriano since it's closer in and this is our first visit. But I will keep this apartment in my favorites for future reference. |
I went ahead and posted a short thread clarifying the term "per accommodation". I think it's only fair to the apartment owner.
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Just for the record, I think looking at a website, seeing the prices listed "per accomodation" and then going to the same websites FAQ and seeing it clearly defined as "prices are per person" is hardly "jumping to negative conclusions". The website is clearly at fault and it would not be illogical to assume that their facts are straight. In this case they weren't and hopefully they will correct the incorrect "facts" on their website soon.
I'll agree that many people would not continue reading clear throught this thread, but then I have no reason to believe those same people will happen to also click on to a separate thread that clarifies this mistake on a website. But it was nice of you to try anyway, JeanneB. |
JeanneB: Re location: The location of the hotel you like may be exactly what you want BUT as for needing sthg "closer in" than the Foscarini:
I stayed right opposite in Feb. 2004 -- i.e. Foscarini is just a step from the north side of Rio dei Carmini and we were on the south side of the same stretch of that canal. In other words: we were 1 minute from the Foscarini. We found the location ideal!! Quiet, not isolated. We walked (yes, with our luggage) to the train station -- though the bridges were a bit of a drag. We walked everywhere else in Venice, too -- and were glad that we were not in the thickest of the thick of things near San Marco, where the crowds are sometimes oppressive. The hotel may win on other points or attributes. But on the question of location, it would be a question of splitting hairs. And BTW: The Foscarini location is ideal for the Frari church, for the Scuola di San Rocco etc. |
Thanks, tedgale, for the information.
What is the area like? Restaurants? Shopping? Will we have a hard time not speaking Italian? |
English is no problem at all. Getting people to speak Italian with me was more of a problem, LOL.
You will get many recommendations for restaurants on these threads. My favourite was just south of there: I think it was Avogaria but will have to check and get back to you tonight -- |
I'm sorry, Tedgale, I was referring to the neighborhood around the apartments...what is it like?
The extra space is really tempting me, but there's one other factor. Being our first time, we'll benefit from having someone on premises to advise us. That's less likely in an apt. |
Re the neighbourhood: I checked out the website for Avogaria, which is www.avogaria.com.
Chic, not overly pricey, international clientele but not touristy. Looks like nothing from outside but the tiny entry opens up into a smart inner room and a covered courtyard/ garden. Very very nice food and service. On the tiny Calle dell'Avogaria. Pugliese cuisine, apparently -- who knew? But the neighbourhood: It is quiet and picturesque. Just WEST of there is a very neutral area with some modern buildings. But this area is redolent of the "real" Venice. And just across the canal -- i.e. 60 seconds walk -- is Campo S.ta Margherita, a large, famous, lively square with about 5 restaurants/ bars. There is not much retail of the "luxury goods"/ designer clothing type -- that is primarily found just west of P.za San Marco. For food we went to the trusty Billa, a chain supermarket about 5-10 minutes south, on the fondamenta facing out to the lagoon and the Giudecca. (I can find you the address if you need it.) As Bkfst was supplied in our apartment rental (delivered daily by the maid) and we ate out every evening, I have scant recollection of local bakers, butchers etc. FYI: I once knew Venice well and I do speak Italian. But prior to our Feb. 2004 trip, I had not been in Venice since 1977. Getting settled and making our way around was NOT hard. A pleasure, in fact. Venice is TINY though dense. Everything is pedestrian-oriented, naturally. It is, of course, easy to get lost. Very easy. But a concierge cannot help you with that. |
Tedgale,
I can't thank you enough for all the information you've provided. I've decided to take the "diplomatic" way out. Having planned the entire trip, I gave this one to my friend for her to decide. I feel so unburdened! I'll definitely do a trip report whichever way we go. Thanks, everyone. Jeanne |
Try www.oikos-venice.com
I've just spent 6 days in a fabuluous apartment literally one minute from Piazza St Marco right behind the Correr Museum, They have around 40 apartments on their books, from ones that sleep 2 up to palazzos sleeping 12! I paid around 900euros for the 6 days for an apartment that slept 6-7. Bruno & Lucia were very helpful at all times. Have a look at their website. Also another time I stayed in a palazzo on a canal, on a bed and breakfast, but with our own key (just on Calle dei Fabbri)and as a hotel organises the bookings we left our luggage there. www.palazzoduodo.com. Good luck and have fun! |
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sorry, there's no hyphen. it's www.oikosvenice.com
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Final note:
Ca' Satriano made the choice easy. They wrote back and offered us the Conservatory Room. Their larges room. Canal and plaza view, with the music conservatory across the way to serenade us! Rate 140 euro. Done! |
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