Westin Europa & Regina, Venice, Italy, CLOSED for renovation Aug '18[Master Thread]
 

All - anyone have an experience staying in Venice at the Europa/Regina on an award stay...with a family? As discussed elsewhere, nailing an award room for a total of 4 isn't easy.

In the case of the Excelsior in Rome, I notified the concierge in advance that I was traveling with my wife, our 4 yr old, and our 2 yr old. As a Platinum, I was upgraded to a fabulous King suite, with two cribs. There was no extra charge for the cribs, though "technically" I believe there could have been.

Similarly at the Excelsior in Florence, I notifed the concierge in advance...upgraded to a spacious one bedroom that spilled on to the patio above the entrace to the hotel (2/3 of which belonged to our room - what a fabulous place for breakfast each am). Crib AND a rollaway (for the elder child) were supplied, again, no extra charge, fabulous stay, etc.

Rather than show up with two kids and tow and a slew of bags, I intend to notify the Europa/Regina as to the fact that we are four in total, not two (as the reservation officially reads).

Has anyone experienced an award stay at this property with kids? Tariff rules sound as if I can be charged 125 euro/night for my elder son, not the end of the world but an amount I'd rather spend on something else (drinks at the overpriced bar, perhaps?). Before suggesting the Lido, note my vacation overlaps by 2 days with the Film Festival, so Europa/Regina was the only 7-day stay we could book.

Ciao, and thanks in advance - Jamie Baker

Three of us stayed in that hotel on an award stay last year. (2 adults + a 16 yr old.) The reservation was made for an occupancy of 3 in the room. There was indeed a charge of € 125 per night for the rollaway.

Fab hotel though. Got a great Plat upgrade to a top-floor suite with balcony, overlooking the canal. There was a bottle of Prosecco in the room on the first day. And a bottle of some (delightful!) Italian dessert wine with some nibbles on the final evening.

A tip: Try and get a rate that includes breakfast. The cost of breakfast in the hotel restaurant is about €45 ish per person IIRC.

Yes, in November I had a very pleasant award stay with my husband and 16-year-old son. I've sent you a PM.

Just got this from our friends in Italy:

"Thank you for your interest in the Westin Europa & Regina. Although our rooms can accommodate three persons, we do make exceptions if the children are small. If you are planning to use StarPoints for an award stay, please make your reservations for two adults
and an infant (crib) via SPG and then contact the hotel via eMail with the details and ages of the children. If you are looking for normal availability and rates, please contact the hotel directly via eMail. Please direct your eMails with pertinent information to: Europa&[email protected].

Many thanks, The Management"

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

Best rate vs SPG.COM?
 

Hotel responded directly with 125e/night roll-away offer. So what we've decided to do is book a second room at 297e/night, as we had planned to put our sitter in a less expensive hotel but the net cost will be the same. This allows us to put a crib in our room (free) and our 4 yr old with our sitter. In any event, best SPG rate was 297e, better then Expedia & Orbitz. Can anyone recommend any other site that might offer economics superior to SPG.com?

Thanks, Jamie

La Cusina?
 

Has anyone tried the restaurant in the E&R, La Cusina? Frommer's gives it very high marks.

We're heading back to Venice next week and will definitely try Al Covo.
Recommendations on this site mean more to me than other sources.


A quick note about ordering seafood in Venice. The fresh fish market is closed on Sundays and Mondays (that's why Alle Testiere is closed those days) so if you're dining on those days you know the fish is at least a day old. Best to wait and order seafood later.

We had breakfast for two for points ...
 

We were there in 2004 and got breakfast for two for either 2k or 3k, I cannot remember, but I think it was 2k. In any case, the price of breakfast was 50 Euros per person, so given the exchange rate of the day, it was a $125 breakfast. Basically, the food was good, but nothing worth that amount of money - the price is for the canalside table.

All in all, we enjoyed our stay there. It is a nice place and its location could not be much better.

We usually stay at the Danieli but decided to try the Europa & Regina for 2 nights in March, mostly bc of positive comments we read here on FT.

We were very pleased-- They upgraded us to a nice room (106)
right in the front with wonderful views of the lagoon and Chiesa di Santa Maria della Salute --

It was an interesting change from the Danieli where I'm used to the bustle of the Riva degli Schiavoni. The Danieli is (imo) more romantic, but I would definitely visit the E&R again.

It's a great location-- right by Harry's Bar (the food is excellent -though pricey) and an easy walk (once you figure out the route) to our favorite restaurant-- Alle Testiere.

We stayed there in June of 2001. I was Platinum at the time and they upgraded us to the penthouse suite with a rooftop patio!! Excellent views of St. Marks, etc.

See if they will upgrade you to that one!

We stayed there 2 years ago and had a lovely
 

two bedroom suite (upgrade from 1 paid room and 1 award room). A fun and unusual thing to do is to ask the concierge to ask the Locanda Cipriani on the island of Torcello to send a boat over and bring you out for lunch. The Locanda Cipriani (not to be confused with the Cipriani Hotel) is a lovely little inn with great food. There is a very old and interesting church next door to visit after lunch and then their boat will take you back.

Not close to the hotel but a wondeful way to spend a day.

Have fun.

Stayed there in January with my family. Upgraded to 106, really nice suite with canal and Santa Maria della Salute church view.
Great Service in a Great Location, the only thing you have to do is to have fun!!

We didn't know that Locanda Cipriani would send a boat, but our trip there for lunch was definitely worth it-- even though we happened to go on one of the worst Aqua Alta days Venice has ever seen. It was funny watching the well-dressed guests roll up their suit-pants and wade barefoot across the puddle in front of the restaurant. It was the end of October so we didn't sit in the lovely garden, but our lunch there was one of the best meals I've ever had in Italy.

Just returned from a 3 night award stay at the Westin Europa and Regina in Venice. I'm just Gold but had a room facing the canal and a partial view. Turn down service was good and the concierge service was good as well. Breakfast is expensive but good. Great location IMHO.

Agree with all posted so far. Nice hotel that will upgrade according to the rules. I think breakfast - even on an offer - is overpriced.

Amazing cool funky restaurant not far away, just round the corner. Centrale..

http://www.centrale-lounge.com/

Great food and an awesome blend of contemporary meets classic. Great place!

Also, for cheaper and great food check out Bancogiro. The link below is from the Guardian in the UK, and I see the review also lists Centrale. I would trust the list!! :)

http://travel.guardian.co.uk/cities/...202458,00.html