Venice: Airport->Hotel->Dock???

[Netty]

We are sailing from Venice on the MS Rotterdam 14 Oct. Like many others we plan to spend two days touring Venice prior to sailing. Our questions are:

Where to stay (in Venice or on the mainland)?

How to get there from Marco Polo airport?

Where are the docks?

How to get there from the hotel?

 

One of the couples we are traveling with are in their seventies and I am concerned about their ability to use public transportation while managing their luggage. For the same reason I am wondering if we should choose a modern hotel or can we expect service from a quaint Venetian hotel that will take our bags to our rooms?

 

Any help will be appreciated.

Netty

[Aussie Gal]

Netty,

 

I am working backwards with your questions.

 

If you stay in a 4 star hotel in Venice your bags will be taken to your room. I am not sure about a 3 star. Do you want to stay on the lagoon and pay a premium or do you want to stay near the station? This is the main decision and tripadvisor can help you with recommendations regarding hotels.

 

If you stay on the lagoon or near a canal the best way to approach your hotel from the airport is by water taxi. It cost us 85Euros last year to catch the taxi from our hotel which was the Hotel Metropole to the airport. It was a lovely hotel with friendly staff and I can recommend it. The breakfast each day was wonderful.

 

If you stay near the station, you can catch a land taxi from the airport and a good hotel nearby is the Hotel Carlton which has been recommended on this Board.

 

The docks are about 1 mile or so from the station so if you stayed in the area near the station, you could again catch a land taxi to the docks. We caught a water taxi from the ship to our hotel on the day of disembarkation and this cost us 50Euros as we shared it with another couple. The easiest way to the ship from a hotel on the lagoon or near St. Marcos square is by water taxi. There is a special public water shuttle that goes to the pier but that involves moving cases which would be hard for your friends.

 

I love Venice so much that I could not stay on the mainland, as part of the charm of Venice is when the tourists have left for the day and peace and quiet come over this lovely city.

 

I hope this has answered some of your questions. I hope you and your friends enjoy and love Venice as much as I do.

 

Jennie

[Morgans]

We stayed at the Hotel Monte Carlo (a Best Western ) and they could have not been more helpful. They arranged for a water taxi to meet us at the airport and then to take us directly to the hotel which had its own private water taxi stop. No problems with luggage and all very easy. They are 2 minutes from St. Marks Square and so are very convenient. We took the Water Bus to the port as our luggage was on wheels but I am sure they could arrange for another water taxi to take you to the Marritima Port at the end of your stay, should you prefer.

[Snorkel Pup]

Hi AussieGal!

 

Browsing the post and I see that you seem to be knowledgeable about Venice. I was wondering if you give me some info. We are sailing on Celeb. Mill. out of Venice this July. I would like to know, if you know, if the public buses that leave the airport will allow our luggage on board? I understand that we would be dropped off at Piazzia Roma (sp?) and there we could take the ship shuttles to the pier. Also, is this correct? Or are we just better off taking a cab? There are 3 of us.

 

Your help is appreciated.:)

[Aussie Gal]

Marie-Elena,

 

I haven't actually used the Public Bus from the airport to Piazza Roma but I imagine they would be able to take luggage as so many travellers would use that particular bus.

 

The free bus that takes you from the airport to the water taxis is specially built so that there is tons of floor space for the luggage and there are just a few seats to sit on. The Public Bus could be similar type.

 

Actually I have just found this website and it has photos of where the luggage is put, which is underneath the bus. Here is the link:

 

http://www.cheapvenice.com/buses-marco-polo-airport-venice.htm

 

I am not sure what the price of land taxi from the airport to the Pier would be but sharing it with three may be nearly as cheap as you all paying for the bus and then having to get to the pier from Piazza Roma. I have just found this site and they are quoting 28Euros for a taxi.

 

http://www.eurocheapo.com/venice/features/gettinginto.asp

 

Hope this helps you.

 

Have a wonderful time in Venice and enjoy your cruise.

 

 

Jennie

[Riverroad]

I'm still confised. We are arriving in Venice 1 day before our cruise on the Windsurf. We will need to get from the airport to our hotel (not yet decided on one), then from hotel to pier the next day for cruise. Please explain the best way to do all of this.

 

Also, I'd like a hotel recommendation in the 4-star range.

[Aussie Gal]

Riverroad,

 

You first need to work out which hotel you are staying in and in which area of Venice. Once you have done that, you can then work out the logistics of getting there from the airport. We stayed at the Hotel Metropole which is right on the lagoon and loved our stay there. We have also stayed at Hotel Monaco and Grand Canal. Another beautiful hotel on the Grand Canal.

 

Trip Advisor is a great way to work out if a hotel would be suitable. Here is their site:

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/?GTESTho1.html

 

If you are staying on one of the canals, the easiest and the most expensive is to catch a water taxi from the airport. This is the same as if you were catching a taxi at home as they take you right to the door of your hotel.

 

If you do not want to spend the money on the water taxi, there is the public vapoureto which also leaves from the airport and drops people off at various areas around Venice. From where you are dropped, you then need to trundle your luggage to your hotel. Not as easy as catching the water taxi, but a lot cheaper.

 

Here is the site for the public water bus:

 

http://www.alilaguna.it/

 

If you stay near the station at a hotel like the Hotel Carlton, you would be able to take a land taxi as there is only one bridge to cross to the Carlton from the Station, so it is an easier exercise.

 

The next day when you need to go to the ship, either catch a water taxi, the public water bus or a land taxi depending where you are staying and how much you wish to pay. Remember if you take the public water bus, you will have to load your luggage on the bus yourself and it could be very crowded. Also it only runs at certain times of the day.

 

Hope this helps a little. :)

 

Jennie

[pvmkmyer]

Although Aussie Gal is correct in her information, there is one other bit of explanation. The water taxi can only take you all the way to your hotel if the hotel is on a canal. The Metropole, which I've also stayed at, has its own dock on a canal so the taxi pulls right up to the dock. If your hotel isn't on a canal, and many aren't, then you still have to get your luggage to the hotel once the taxi gets you as close as possible.

 

Fortunately, Venice has public porters who you can hire for this job, and they will be at the taxi landings. But they knock off in the late afternoon so if your flight gets in late you may still find yourself transporting your luggage part of the way.

 

Once you decide on a hotel I would speak with the front desk about luggage arrangements. They must have a solution for this since it must happen on a daily basis.

 

Venice isn't the easiest place to navigate, but it is easily worth the small hassle. My wife uses an electric cart to get around and we manage.

 

One word on the Metropole: While it is close to St. Marks, you have to cross 3 or 4 bridges to get there. They all have stairs you go up, cross over the canal, and go down the other side. You may want to take this into consideration for your friends, depending on how they do stairs. With my wife's cart, needless to say, this is a major consideration when we choose a hotel.

 

Have a great trip. You will love Venice.

 

Phil