Babymule

Yep - Sept 9 - 3th. Thanks for the information. Maybe it will be less annoying if we have some good people watching.

I have a second reservation for dollars that I haven't canceled yet with a great rate, (friend just told me he can't make it).
Anyone that wants to stay, let me know and I can change the reservation to your name. Rooms are going for 600 Euro and up right now. I have it less than 300 (plus breakfast for 2 adults and 2 kids).

SkiAdcock

That's probably the reason.

Raffles

I am here now and it is massively, massively frustrating. As soon as you find something to admire, they screw up something else.

It started at check in where I was refused an upgrade as a Marriott Gold but told I could pay Euro 150 per night for a bigger suite which would technically be a 2 level upgrade (we already have a suite). After much discussion, we agreed to it. The guy is then told that he can't give us the bigger the suite because it is out of action for maintenance work. Complete waste of time.

Our Studio Suite is possibly the most uninspiring luxury hotel room I have had in a long time. As well as oddments - there are two sinks but an EXTRA sink in the toilet! - little things grate. Only 25 TV channels (not many when split across many languages), only 2 tiny milk capsules per day for the coffee machine.

For our kids, they left specific Aromatherapy Associates toiletries. What?! Normally a hotel leaves some kid focussed brand for the children! We get Cavalli but for some reason our 4 year old needs Aromatherapy Associates.

Then, today, the kids play room is stripped out completely. Apparently there is a group coming in so they want the rooms for extra break out space. Tough sxxt to the huge number of kids that are here this weekend (it is a holiday weekend in the UK amongst other places).

The family swimming pool is laughably small. They have a whole island they could dig up if necessary but they have built something unbelievably small, given the size of the property.

Don't get me started on the kids playground either, which is the most pathetic I have ever seen, at a hotel or anywhere.

Finally, there are 40 sun loungers across the whole hotel and grounds. I counted. The hotel probably has over 250 guests when full. You would need to be up at the crack of dawn to grab one which is not what I expect from a luxury hotel. Based on my trip to the rooftop pool last night, loungers are never cleared by staff when guests leave.

There is some good stuff here - the breakfast, the rooftop pool (which is impressively heated), the impressive boat dock if you arrive by water taxi, the huge amount of public space. There are, though, some ludicrously obvious errors both in design and operation which should have been stopped.

I can't see us coming here again, which is a shame. That said, you can stay for peanuts at the moment. We are paying Euro 495 per night for a SUITE with breakfast.

FlyerTalker683455

We stayed here last month on points and there was no charge for breakfast. From what I can tell they don't have it as a platinum amenity but they offer it as part of the room rate.

Breakfast is lovely and high quality. Easily "worth" 30-50 Eur per person. A cappuccino alone is charged at 7 eur but not during Bfst.

Raffles

..... but only Euro 5 if you buy it in the deli!

Babymule

We will be arriving by train, but I can not see any information on cost from train station to hotel. But on their website, they say that taxi to the airport will be approximately 120Euro. (That seems pretty excessive). Private transfers arranged by the hotel are double that.

Anyone have experience / advice on getting from the train station to hotel for any better fair? I'm thinking getting on the "taxi bus" to St Marco, and then waiting there on the free hotel shuttle.

FlyerTalker683455

ADuring normal hours and if you don't carry too much luggage the taxi bus to San Marco is fine. Then look for the JW shuttle pier at the far (east) end of the plaza


At night the taxi boat is best. They give you a nice ride through Venice and the arrival at JW is an experience in itself when on a taxi boat.

I never thought it would be worth the 120EUR but it was. The "arranged" service does little or nothing. Just buy your taxi ticket upon arrival at the airport counter.

If you continue travelling by train or car you can return directly to the train station from JW but only once per day in the morning for free.

Raffles

Worth noting that Euro 120 is the official rate. The hotel makes no money on that. If you walk to the water taxi booth at the airport you also pay Euro 120.

I really recommend it, though - especially if you don't do in speed boats often but would like to! My kids LOVED it.

Stumblefoot

I'm curious as well.

FlyerTalker683455

JW runs one morning shuttle to and from the train station. Contact the hotel for the exact time. If you have never been there it might be a challenge making sure you wait at the correct location. Need to ask around

Otherwise you can take a water shuttle to San Marco square and continue the free JW shuttle from there.

If you have no luggage it's a nice stroll to San Marco square through Venice also!

Raffles

I assume there is also a water taxi rank at the station. Rates are Euro 8.90 plus Euro 1.80 per minute so you are looking at Euro 50 at a guess.

Easiest way is Euro 7.50 for the vaporetto and then the free shuttle boat which runs every 15-30 minutes from a clearly marked pier.

chongl

I'm here now and Audi is having an event here so the main hotel is booked. Nice thing is it probably contributed to our 2-story suite upgrade on top of being Platinum and mentioning our honeymoon in the booking.

SkiAdcock

Great pics. Thanks for sharing. Congrats on your marriage & enjoy your honeymoon!

Cheers.

Westin

What are my upgrade chances as a Plat here? Going here this up coming week and the hotel doesn't seemed too booked. Just wondering if its worth the 110 euro a night uncharge for the junior suite or If I could possibly get one without it?

Raffles

They tried to upsell us at check in so I suggest you wait, see what you get, and offer to pay if you don't like it.