Maire

I asked this elsewhere, but a few quick yes or no votes would be appreciated.

I found a hotel that sounds good at the price I want to pay; but I can get a canal view for 30 euros more per night. Is it worth it?

I know there are two points of view 1) it’s fabulous 2) you can get canal views everywhere and you’re just in your room to sleep anyway. Thanks.

P.S. Sorry if this posted twice; either my computer or Fodor's is misbehaving today.

chris1234

Marie,

i replied to you already under the other thread but i vote YES.

late at night, my wife and i leaned out over the small balcony at the Locanda Gambero and drank some wine while we watched the passersby. if you stay there, specify the room with the balcony. the other is a corner room and is a little bigger but you can only open the window.

sandi_travelnut

Our first visit there in 2000, we had a room on the grand canal at Locanda Leon Bianco. Although we weren't in the room much to enjoy it, we did spend breakfast in the room watching the delivery boats make their way thru the fog. I loved it. I say that if it's your first visit especially, you should do it.

LoveItaly

Hi Maire, if you budget can handle it I would say a definite YES!! But don't delay reserving the room..you don't want to lose it to someone else! Best wishes.

Traviata

Maire,

Think of it this way...when you return home, would you rather have E30 in your pocket or the memory of looking out over the canal at beautiful Venice????

Lesli

I've had a canal view room once, and gone without twice. Have had use of a garden or an altana in places without water views, and thought that more than made up for it. Certainly never felt unhappy with any of my rooms.

However, for a difference of 30E/night, (especially if you're only staying 2-3 nights and think you won't be back to Venice soon), it might be worth it to you.

annw

I vote yes, pay the 30 eu. & get the view. You can't go back and do it later.

pegg

For us it was probably not worth it. It really depends on the hotel - we liked our hotel a lot but the "canal view" was -open the window and stick your head way out and look straight down !

Neopolitan

Yea, I'm with pegg, there's a lot of difference between sitting out on a balcony overhanging a canal and having a room that if you stand at the window and look straight down you can sort of see some water. The later is NOT worth the 30 euro a night to me! I'd rather go out and sit at a cafe on the canal than hang out in my room in that case.

beanweb24

Not worth it to me...would rather spend the extra 30Euro a night having drinks along the canal.

Having a room on a canal also sounds really romantic until 5:30 a.m. comes and the commute starts. We were woken up every morning by a guy and his buckets ready to go to work! The boats also make noise.

GattoBaci

If you are the kind of person that enjoys looking at the view from your hotel, then yes.

Personally, we will always pay for a nice view, in Venice particularly. We spend hours on our balcony when there enjoying the sights and sounds....with coffee in the morning, tremezzi and prosecco late in the afternoon, listening to the midnight bells of the Campanile.

I wish the add'l $$ for the view we've become accustomed to was only 30/euro a night.

dina4

YES!!!!

xyz99

I would say yes, take the room with a view…but... Are you a light sleeper? Does the hotel have new/double windows? Rooms with a canal view tend to be noisier – especially in the early morning. If this does not matter to matter to you, go for it.

On the other hand, here is my story: I am a very light sleeper, we had a canal-view room and the windows were not great. Yes, gondoliers were passing in front of our window (singing) at 2 am and/or 5-6 am (but where else but Venice can you see that?), boats were loading/unloading early am, and we loved it. I wouldn’t do it any other way. Watching Venice waking up early in the morning (or just listening to it) is an experience not to be missed!

suzInOhio

YES!!!! We stayed in a corner room bordering two canals at La Calcina in Venice. One of the canals was Giudecca Canal. Beautiful to watch, not as crowded as Grand. Worth the 30E extra. A promenade was along the canal, but very quiet at night and early morning. Could have breakfast and dinner outside, canalside.

JES

Yes!! We stayed at an adorable, inexpensive place with a small walk out balcony overlooking the canal and to get up in the morning and hear the gondeliers singing opera outside your window is one of those rare incredible experiences.

Maire

Thank you everyone! Most of you vote for views; the experience described by xyz99 sounds great to me.

Chris, I'm considering the Gambero and will be sure to ask for balcony.

SuzInOhio -- I just posted another thread about La Calcina. I've heard good things about it, but they haven't answered my emails.

JES -- may I ask what hotel you stayed at.

Thanks.

JES

Maire,
I just looked it up...It was Hotel Lisbona: http://www.hotellisbona.com/Welcome%...escription.htm

We paid 160 Euros/ night--great for Venice. We were there in Sept though so the rates might have been reduced.

It's right in San Marco. I chose it for it's cenral location and the fact that it shares the same canal with the exclusive Hotel Bauer--I (correctly) figured they would have chosen a prime location and that it would attract the more lively gondaliers.
The hotel is modest, but I really loved it. We had a walk up to our room (no elevator), but it was decorated in beautiful Italian silks-- fabric walls & bedding. I absolutely loved our little balcony--it really made the stay so special.

Barbara_in_CT

Not worth it in my opinion. A room is to sleep in. Save the 30 towards your trip to Europe next year.

Maire

Thanks, Barbara and JES. JES, I emailed Hotel Lisbona.

JES

Let me know if you end up going there!