Venice Hotels - One Night Only

[High C's]

I am having a hard time finding a hotel in Venice that will allow a booking for one night only. Has anyone ever stayed over for one night (pre-cruise)? If so, would you kindly advise me where you stayed.

 

Thank you so much!

[itsanita]

We are also looking for a hotel...for 1 night pre cruise in Venice. We have been reading about how difficult it is to get luggage from the airport to the hotel, and then from the hotel to the ship.

 

Any suggestions as to which hotels we should look into? We don't want to be too far from the grand canal, but at the same time, we would like it to be somewhat affordable!!!!

[cberge]

Check out hotels on this link..you may have to stay near the train station instead of "in" Venice,but it would be affordable and you can then use a land taxi re the luggage.You can then catch a vaporetto to the Grand Canal and walk around.

Hotel reservations - Venere.com

[Bruin Steve]

...Has anyone ever stayed over for one night (pre-cruise)? If so' date=' would you kindly advise me where you stayed.[/quote']

I've stayed at the Hotel Capri for one night:

http://www.hotelcapri.net/

But that was a few years back...

I suspect most hotels with this sort of policy change from time to time and it depends on the time of year, day of the week and a variety of other factors...When you have no trouble filling your rooms, you can be more demanding...and most of these hotels don't want to turn down multi-night visitors to give a one-night visitor the choice Friday or Saturday night for fear they don't fill up on Wednesday or Thursday...Of course, if the one night you wanted was a low-demand night, that policy would be different...

 

The easy way to do it, of course, would be through the cruise line...The prices MAY seem steep to you, but remember, they include transfers and luggage handling...and in Venice, those are expensive and difficult propositions...

 

We are now looking at Oceania's Istanbul to Venice route next July and their charge for one night at the Gritti Palace is $449 PER PERSON!! That's CONSIDERABLY MORE than the $359 per person Celebrity charged me for TWO nights at the Carlton in 2003...

 

Good luck...

[High C's]

I've stayed at the Hotel Capri for one night:

http://www.hotelcapri.net/

But that was a few years back...

I suspect most hotels with this sort of policy change from time to time and it depends on the time of year, day of the week and a variety of other factors...When you have no trouble filling your rooms, you can be more demanding...and most of these hotels don't want to turn down multi-night visitors to give a one-night visitor the choice Friday or Saturday night for fear they don't fill up on Wednesday or Thursday...Of course, if the one night you wanted was a low-demand night, that policy would be different...

 

The easy way to do it, of course, would be through the cruise line...The prices MAY seem steep to you, but remember, they include transfers and luggage handling...and in Venice, those are expensive and difficult propositions...

 

 

We are now looking at Oceania's Istanbul to Venice route next July and their charge for one night at the Gritti Palace is $499 PER PERSON!! That's CONSIDERABLY MORE than the $359 per person Celebrity charged me for TWO nights at the Carlton in 2003...

 

Good luck...

 

Thanks Bruin Steve. I had thought of the cruise lines, too, but Princess only seem to offer two or three night stays (at least according to the brochure). I will have my TA check into it. I'm looking for next Sept, and I thought I was silly checking into it now, only to be told twice that hotels are full for the night I want - it is a TUESDAY for crying out loud!!!

 

But I will look into the Hotel Capri as you suggest.

[Bruin Steve]

...you may have to stay near the train station instead of "in" Venice

Karen, the train station IS "in Venice"...and the Grand Canal goes right by the train station and there are Vaporetti stops right in front...It is also convenient to walk all over Venice from there...the Ghetto (well worth a visit) is close, there is a great selection of more reasonably priced restaurants nearby...and the convenience in getting to and from hotels in the area is far greater...

There is absolutely nothing wrong with staying in the area...and, as for me, I actually prefer it, having stayed at both the Carlton and the Capri (the Sofitel would be a third excellent choice in the area...and there are others as well)...

[High C's]

Bruin Steve:

 

In your humble opinion then, which would you recommend for one night of the 3 hotels you mention? As I will only be there one night pre-cruise, I do want a central location as I won't have much time to look around, but we are there for the start of our trip to celebrate our 25th Anniversary, so while I don't want to "break the bank", I do want to stay somewhere "special" if you know what I mean. Elegant and truly Venetian. When you look on line, they ALL look beautiful! But as you have been in them all, I would really like your opinion as to which is the "best".

 

By the way, are the 3 you mention (Capri, Carlton and Soffitel) all in the train station area?

 

Thanks

Jackie

[Bruin Steve]

Jackie,

All three of those are across the Grand Canal from the train station, all within a stone's throw of each other...

Carlton and Capri are under the same ownership, I believe and the Carlton is the "nicer" of the two with a location right on the Grand Canal...The Sofitel is part of an international chain and I'd say just a touch better...But, you wouldn't go wrong with any of the three...

 

If you are on your own for transfers, all are a short walk from the RR Station or from the bus and taxi terminal at Piazza Roma...If your luggage is manageable and on wheels, you can even get it there yourself...

 

As to that "truly Venetian" experience, it is the town itself, not the hotel, that makes it...Any hotel in Venice proper will get you off to a good start because just about all will have to be walked to or arrived at by water taxi...there are no cars, no parking lots...and the architecture, though sometimes more modern than others, will always have a sort of Venetian feel...But the adventure truly begins AFTER you've checked in...when you first walk out onto the "streets" of Venice, wandering narrow streets, alongside small canals, over bridges...it's when you first sit down at an outdoor cafe on a small piazza or along a canal and order a pizza and a glass of wine or a Moretti Beer and watch the people passing by...

[High C's]

Thank you so much for your advice, Bruin Steve. They sound wonderful. I will e-mail all three and go from there.

 

Now I just have to be patient over the next 12 months!!!!

 

Jackie

[suekay]

I've had the same problem for the end of September 2006. After reading reports on this board, I tried to book rooms at the Hotel Abbazia and Hotel Santa Chiara, only to be told they are fully booked. I suspect that they don't want "Sat night only" bookings in high season.

 

I tried www.hotelclub.net and found quite a few willing to book single nights (it's good because it also gives user reviews of each hotel)

 

Plan A involved booking a hotel near Piazzale Roma so that we could get the airport bus, then walk to the hotel.

 

Plan B involves airport bus to Piazzale Roma, where we'll leave the big bags in the left luggage office, taking small overnight bags on the waterbus to whichever hotel we choose - this gives us a much wider choice of location. We'll collect the big bags from the left luggage office before catching the free bus to the port the following day.

 

Now all that remains is to research the hotels again

[Susan-M]

I booked the Sofitel for our trip next month (we disembark in Venice) - they were one of the few hotels that would allow a one night stay on a w/e. The other deciding factor was being in Piazzale Roma where it will be easy and inexpensive to get to from the ship. From P. Roma we can take the airport bus for 3E each to the airport. I booked online directly through the Sofitel website as rates were the same as on other sites.

 

If you want to check reviews on these hotels, have a look at http://www.tripadvisor.com (I never book a hotel without checking there first.) This is a direct link to reviews on the Sofitel: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187870-d202684-Reviews-Sofitel_Venezia-Venice_Veneto.html

[Janice621]

We stayed at the Duodo Palace this past June for one night pre-cruise. It is around the corner from La Fenice (the opera). We took a water taxi from the airport to the hotel for 90 euros. It was expensive but there were three couples to splt the cost. The next day we took a water taxi from the hotel to the ship for 70 euros. As soon as you approached the ship, there was a conveyor that nearly extended into the water. The taxi driver just put the luggage on the conveyor and we stepped off the taxi. The hotel cost $252 including taxes and continental breakfast per room. Yes, I mean dollars. It was also prepaid so we did not have to worry about the fluctuation in the exchange rate of the euro.

 

The rooms were fine, the location central and the staff very friendly and accommodating.:)

 

Janice

[MLAW]

My family of four was able to book one night at the Hotel Abbazia for next June. It is also near the train station and gets good reviews on trip advisor. Obviously we have not stayed yet so I can't vouch for it personally. My biggest challenge was finding a quad room. Good luck in your hunt.

[High C's]

I e-mailed Hotel Capri today and got a quote of 175 Euros for a single night next Sept. Doesn't seem too bad when I compare to the other quotes I had received.

[cberge]

Karen, the train station IS "in Venice"...and the Grand Canal goes right by the train station and there are Vaporetti stops right in front...It is also convenient to walk all over Venice from there...the Ghetto (well worth a visit) is close, there is a great selection of more reasonably priced restaurants nearby...and the convenience in getting to and from hotels in the area is far greater...

There is absolutely nothing wrong with staying in the area...and, as for me, I actually prefer it, having stayed at both the Carlton and the Capri (the Sofitel would be a third excellent choice in the area...and there are others as well)...

 

I know the train station is in Venice..I guess I am just to broad in my replies,but I always think of across the canal as "IN" Venice itself.There is of course nothing wrong staying in the area of train station either(again to broad a reply I think).I have never cruised in or out of Venice as I travel there by train.The hotel prices in Venice have skyrocketed in the past couple of years,and the hotels can pretty much get there price with the cruise ships coming in and the interest in Italy,and they fill up faster than ever before.

[High C's]

Having never been to Venice, I have a couple of questions for you "veterans" of the area:

 

- is Piazzale Roma within walking distance to St. Marks? Approximately how long of a walk (I only ask because I read on a review of hotels in the area that it was about 45 minutes???)

 

- posts above refer to the free bus that leaves from P. Roma to the cruise docks. Is that for every line? (we're on Princess) How do I find out that type of info?

 

You guys are the best - thanks!

Jackie

[Bruin Steve]

- is Piazzale Roma within walking distance to St. Marks? Approximately how long of a walk (I only ask because I read on a review of hotels in the area that it was about 45 minutes???)

Everything in Venice is "walking distance"...of course it depends on your capacity to walk...Piazza Roma and Piazza San Marco are, basically, on opposite ends of the city...the walk between the two takes many twists and turns...and actually can be done by an infinite number of routes...it's all a giant maze...45 minutes may be conservative--if you know where you are going...

 

It is easier to get from one to the other by "Vaporetti"...the Vaporetti are, basically, Venice's public bus system (of course, they're boats, not buses) ...It is cheap and efficient...

 

I strongly recommend buying a copy of the AAA Spiral Guide - Venice...It has all of the maps, suggested walking tours and a Vaporetti map...

[High C's]

Bruin Steve - how long of a walk is it from Hotel Capri area to St. Marks? Is the hotel near P. Roma, or closer to St. Marks?

[Sandy R]

I can't believe no one has mentioned the Locanda Orseolo in Venice. Read the reviews on tripadisor where the hotel is rated #1 in Venice. Each review is better than the other and it's all true. I'm fairly sure they will book for one night. A group of us stayed there this past June before embarking on a cruise. The Locanda is wonderful, the owners and staff are wonderful, the made-to-order breakfasts are wonderful and the location is wonderful, just behind San Marco Square. Most of us opted for a water taxi from the airport as the Locanda has a water door. A few took the vaporetto to San Marco and paid a porter to take their luggage to the hotel. The locanda has a website... locandaorseolodotcom.

[High C's]

I can't believe no one has mentioned the Locanda Orseolo in Venice. Read the reviews on tripadisor where the hotel is rated #1 in Venice. Each review is better than the other and it's all true. I'm fairly sure they will book for one night. A group of us stayed there this past June before embarking on a cruise. The Locanda is wonderful, the owners and staff are wonderful, the made-to-order breakfasts are wonderful and the location is wonderful, just behind San Marco Square. Most of us opted for a water taxi from the airport as the Locanda has a water door. A few took the vaporetto to San Marco and paid a porter to take their luggage to the hotel. The locanda has a website... locandaorseolodotcom.

 

Sandy - believe me, that was my first try! But I should have known - there was no availability for Sep 12, 2006!!!!!

[frogandtoad]

I had a one-night reservation (before I changed it to 2 nights) for May 2006 at La Calcina. From what I've read it's about a 15-20 minute walk from San Marco Square. It's close to the airport's Alilaguna water bus stop. Rated #3 of B&B's/inns in Tripadvisor. The website is www.lacalcina.com.

[ijkh]

We stayed there last summer and gratefully return for three more nights in just a month's time. It is truely the spot in Venice. Book early they fill up fast. It is worth more than you pay. They do ask for a check to hold your room. You can just send them a check on a US or British or Canadian bank. That is just how they do. No credit cards for deposit. I think they do take them for the balance of your stay but I am not sure.

[Bruin Steve]

Bruin Steve - how long of a walk is it from Hotel Capri area to St. Marks? Is the hotel near P. Roma' date=' or closer to St. Marks?[/quote']

 

Go here and find a map of Venice:

 

http://www.doge.it/mappa_venezia/framemap.htm

 

Note how it looks like a large fish approaching from the right side of the page biting the head of a smaller fish approaching from the left? The Grand Canal snakes through between the mouths of the two fishes...That "white" area at the tail of the smaller fish, along the left side of the page, is the cruise port...

 

You will note the rail lines and lone car/nbus street approaching from the top left corner of the page...Follow the rail lines straight onto the island to where they hit the Grand Canal--that's where the RR Station is...sort of at the front teeth of the upper fish...

Follow the road onto the island, a couple of blocks past the entry to the cruise port...That white area on the map is Piazza Roma...

 

The Sofitel is just to the right (east) of there...The Carlton and the Capri are across the canal from the RR Station on the bottom side of the Canal, just before that first bridge...

 

You'll note there ar three bridges across the Grand Canal...That one near the RR Station, the middle one, the Rialto...and the final one, toward the bottom of the map--the Academy Bridge...To walk from the Capri to San Marco, you navigate across the head of that smaller fish to the Rialto (central) bridge, cross the bridge and continue straight down to San Marco (that big inverted "L" looking white area along the belly of the larger fish...Can you do it in 45 minutes? Probably...But, you can also pick up a Vaporetti right near the RR Bridge and take it the length of the Grand Canal, passing all three bridges and taking you to San Marco...

[lwnbwlr]

Bruin Steve:

 

I certainly appreciate your knowledgeable replies to the queries regarding Venice. I need help on the following situation.

 

Next Spring I'm going to disembark in Venice after a HAL cruise. The ship gets in at 8:00AM and I have a flight out at 11:15 AM. Initially I was going to hang out in Venice for the day, book a room at an airport hotel, and fly out the next morning. The problems posed by the previous posters suggest that this may not be a good plan (lack of one night bookings; luggage storage; expense etc.)

 

Q1: Would it be possible to get to the airport for a 11:15 AM flight after landing at 8:00AM?

 

Q2: If not, where could I store the luggage for the day before sightseeing and how would I get to the storage place after landing?

 

Thanks for your help.

[High C's]

Bruin Steve: thank you so much for your wonderful help and information. It has proven invaluable to us. My concern of distance from St. Marks is not so much the ability to walk, but at first blush I thought I didn't want to "waste time" travelling to/from there, because we will only have the one day before we board the ship. But upon further thought I realized the journey there and back will only add to our experience in Venice! I have to wait, however, because neither hotel will provide 2006 prices yet (Capri thought I wanted 2005). No problem. The Sofitel has a slight edge at the moment.

 

Now a couple of more questions if I can impose upon you once again:

 

1. from the airport, what is the best way to arrive at the Sofitel? I assume a land taxi to P. Roma and walk the short distance?

 

2. what is the best way to arrive at the cruise dock - land taxi once again?

 

Thank you so much once again!

Jackie