need help with hotels in malta and venice

[mark&barbara]

We've booked a wind surf cruise from malta to venice this October, and have not yet booked pre-arrival and post departure hotel rooms. We'd really appreciate any recommendations from some experienced cruisers. thanks...

[goldendaze]

Mark & Barbara,

 

We are staying at Le Meridian in Valetta, Malta. We have never been to Malta before and I booked the hotel directly from their website - price was reasonable. Don't know what to expect but we will only be there one night so...

 

Venice was a tougher decision, too many choices. We have not been there either so I am still doing some research.

 

You will have a great time on this cruise! Dara

[jmetraveler]

We also booked the Le Meridian (not much around on local "smaller" nice hotels). In Venice, we are staying for the 3rd time at the Hotel Flora. Nice small hotel one block from St. Marks. I highly recommend it. John jme45@aol.com

[lisy]

We booked at the Hotel Juliani, a small hotel that got wonderful reviews in the St. Julians area. The price was extremely reasonable. In Venice, we booked at the Al Teatro B&B which also got great reviews and also very reasonably priced. Check out Trip Advisor, it has reviews of hotels and helped us make a decision.

 

Lisa

[jbailey]

I also recommend Hotel Flora. If you take a water taxi from train station (about 50 eurs) the driver can call the hotel ahead and a porter will meet you to help you with luggage and direct you to the hotel. (Take the phone number with you along with a map.)

 

Water taxi is also available from the airport at a higher rate.

Hotel Flora is at http://www.venice-hotel.hotelflora.it/bookonline.htm. Prices are reasonable for Venice and location is super!

[HowardB]

I stayed for a week at the Le Meridian in Malta and can recommend the hotel highly. The rooms are fine and the pool area is very nice. It's in a great location, just outside the city gate of Valletta, which I think is nicer than staying in hte more "resorty" St. Julian's area.

[yogagal47]

We will be staying post cruise at the Xara Palace Hotel in Malta. this hotel was recently featured in Architectural Digest-it looks quite beautiful. In Venice I recommend the Bauer because of location. The more affordable rooms do not have canal views but the terrace and restaurants are the perfect setting for breakfast, lunch or a drink overlooking the grand canal and you are also quite close to Piazza San Marco. The smaller hotels, although quite charming, do not have some of the services of the larger hotels like the Bauer.

[Riverroad]

Have you stayed at the Bauer? We've booked a smaller hotel near San Marco for pre-cruise on the Windsurf. The reviews for the Bauer on tripadvisor have been quite negative so I was hesitant to book it but I would consider staying there if you've had a good experience.

[yogagal47]

Last year we sailed out of Venice on the Radisson Diamond and spoke to other cruisers who were staying at the Bauer. They all liked it. We had lunch there then took the boat transfer with them to the ship. If you can get a good price I would recommend it . Remember, your stay in Venice is all about the incredible city. The location of the hotel and the price(and of course,cleanliness and convenience )are most important but the Bauer terrace wason of the best spots to sit and take in the atmosphere that we found. of course, you could go and have lunch there even if you are staying elsewhere.

[yogagal47]

Last year we sailed out of Venice on the Radisson Diamond and spoke to other cruisers who were staying at the Bauer. They all liked it. We had lunch there then took the boat transfer with them to the ship. If you can get a good price I would recommend it . Remember, your stay in Venice is all about the incredible city. The location of the hotel and the price(and of course,cleanliness and convenience )are most important but the Bauer terrace was one of the best spots to sit and take in the atmosphere that we found. of course, you could go and have lunch there even if you are staying elsewhere.

[Jackie Stanton]

Just returned from two weeks aboard Wind Surf from Rome to Venice and can highly recommend the Bauer...gorgeous, very luxurious hotel. We had a huge ocean-view room (the Campanile and St. Mark's domes as well), full breakfast included, for around 350 EU/night.....the terrace overlooking the Grand Canal was a great site for watching the morning hustle on the waterways as vaparettos, delivery boats and sleek water taxis milled about. Most wonderful of all was the service at the Bauer: we had a 7:30AM plane to catch, and the concierge arranged for wake up call at 4:15, complimentary continental room service breakfast at 4:30, and a water taxi waiting at the dock at 5 AM....very nice not to have to worry about airport transfers at that ungodly hour!

 

The Bauer is a true five-star hotel in every way....and its location is perfect....steps away from Piazza San Marco and amazing shopping....if you can afford the splurge, go for it!