We'll be in Venice for 4 days in May. Any hotel suggestions? Hotel Colombina looks interesting. Anyone stayed there? Also, any must-see ideas, good restaurants? Any comments would be helpful.

Thanks

We stayed at the Hotel Accadamia - which is on the canal about a ten minute walk from St. Marco's Square so not as noisy as other areas. Great little wine bar around the corner. Nice garden out front.
Must do - take a water taxi to Murano (takes about 15 minutes)and visit a glass studio - wonderful jewerly and other glass items to purchase.

Hi carolebrock,

We loved Locanda Orseolo so very much. (www.locandaorseolo.com) It is widely recommended here.

Here are two of our favorite restaurants in Venice:

Tavernetta San Maurizio (San Marco 2619 – phone 041 5285240)

Ristorante Masaniello (Campo San Stefano, 2801 – phone 041 5209003 website: www.venicemasaniello.it )

Have a glorious vacation!

Hi

My wife and I went to Venice a couple of years back and I have posted a trip report with some pictures on my homepage http://gardkarlsen.com/italy_venice.htm . Maybe you can find some useful info there. Have a great trip

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

We didn't stay at the Hotel Colombina, but it was around the corner from our hotel and we needed to use their wi-fi in the lobby one afternoon. We had a very positive experience there. Here's what I wrote about it in my trip report, and also a couple of other hotels that looked nice in Venice:

"We needed to use the internet one afternoon with my daughter’s laptop, and found a hotel just up the canal from the Hotel Riva, the Hotel Colombina, which offers wi-fi in its lobby at a price more reasonable than the internet shops around. It was also a more pleasant place to sit for an hour, while we finished some internet business.

The Hotel Colombina is a four-star hotel, located at Calle del Remedio, Castello 4416. It looked like a very classy and pleasant hotel, in true “Venetian” style of design. The front desk personnel were very helpful in setting us up on the wi-fi, even though they knew we were not patrons of the hotel itself.

Other appealing hotels we noticed (besides the Pension Calcina mentioned above) include:

Dona Palace Hotel, four-stars, San Marco 391. www.donapalace.it. It overlooks the Rio of Palazzo Ducale, the Bridge of Sighs canal.

Hotel American, three-stars, San Vio, 628 Accademia, www.hotelamerica.com. An “antique palace”, it also faces a nice little canal, the San Vio, in the Dorsuduro area, with a pleasant first floor terrace café.

Hotel Bruno, three-stars, Castello, Salizzada S. Lio 5726/A, www.hoteldabruno.com."

Have fun planning. >-

Hi! We are booked to stay at the Hotel Colombina for 5 nights, arriving on January 29 (my birthday). I shall post a report of our stay after we return. I selected the hotel on the basis of the high ratings that it received on this and other chatrooms, including Trip Advisor. If anyone reading this has any suggestions re: concerts that my wife & I might attend Jan 30 thru Feb 2 I would appreciate it. I have already post a Secret Itineraries tour at the Doges Palace. P.S. Also interested in restaurant recommendations.

Hi - a good restaurant recommendation is "Da Ivo", but you must make a reservation. You can even arrive by gondola.

Hi All,

Thanks so much to all who replied. I shall be busy this weekend checking out all the info.

TTFN

Add the Hotel Antiche Figure to your list. We just loved it!

We stayed at the Corte Grimani in July and it was an exceptional hotel. Moderately priced and a great location -- close to San Marco but far enough away to avoid the piazza crowds. Everything in Venice is close...you can walk from one end to another in 60 - 90 minutes. We enjoyed walking around the San Polo area pleny of small shops, this was my wifes favorite wandering and shopping area.

Here's restaurant suggestion, Taverna San Trovaso in Dorsoduro. The main restaurant is on a canal, they also have an outdoor restaurant 1/4 mile away. They told us about it after the main restaurant was booked for dinner. The outdoor restaurant was excellent...best meal we had in Venice
and lowest cost. When we were there in July appeared those around us were locals or other Italiens vacationing in Venice. Nothing fancy, nice outdoor eating area under a canopy. Had indoor eating area as well.

Hi Carole - For concerts, events etc check out:

www.aguestinvenice.com

Hope this helps ...

Steve

My family of four (hubby, me, our 2 grown daughters) spent two glorious nights (wish it had been more) at Locanda Orseolo. I think it is the best place we've ever stayed in terms of kindness, hospitality, and charm. The propietors treated us like old friends, always greeted each of us by name from the very first meeting. They recommended restaurants that were excellent (sorry I don't have the names handy right now), and were available for any and all questions. The rooms are beautiful, breakfast excellent, just a short walk from San Marco, quiet, easy to find. I wouldn't even consider staying anywhere else in Venice. Venice is a magical city. I hope you love it!

We loved the Corte Grimani, but why do I even open these threads? I'm here at work on a rainy day, and now all I can think about is strolling from one end of Venice to another.......

I stayed at the Colombina last October. Location is fantastic. Just a couple of minutes from San Marco and yet worlds away. Very quiet and picturesque location. Very nice rooms, too. Highly recommend.