damon88

Thanks for posting this article-- We'll try the "conto" trick next time.

Venice is our favorite city in the world-- so I say this lovingly, but part of La Serenissima's charm is her scoundrel-nature. Theft and trickery have always played a great role in her story.

It's been that way for centuries. Even her most famous icons-- the bronze horses-- the bones of San Marco, her patron saint-- were originally stolen and smuggled into the city. And Venice has always attracted charlatans, fraudsters and mountebanks.

But we have found that if you treat Venetians fairly they return the favor--
at heart they are generous people.

Forstbetrieb

Where to go for dinner with typic cusine and resonable prices. No tourist traps please!

Per la cena: Allora dove si mangia bene? Cucina tipica a prezzi giusti? Niente rapina per favore!

Time / Tempo: May / Maggio

Thanks / Grazie!

Life_Platinum

We followed Mark Bittman's suggestions as detailed in the following NY Times article: http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/07/01...l?pagewanted=2

Of his recommendations, we favored Al Covo and Osteria Vechi Fritolin as outstanding, and non-tourist traps. :-:

Forstbetrieb

Thank you. I'm taking note about these restaurants.

Sam P. Goodman

Just completed a two night award stay at Danieli last week. We arrived in the late evening and were upgraded to a lagoon view room on the top floor of the newer building. Service was excellent as the front desk agent upgraded us and wisked us away to our room. Within minutes, our luggage was delivered, the maids came to do turndown, and a bottle of wine was delivered. The location and views are excellent as is the lobby, but as many have stated, the rooms can be a bit underwhelming. Ours looked as though it had last been updated 20 or so years ago. They also appeear to be on the same AC or Heat system that the Excelsior in Rome has, which meant heat or nothing for us. The room was extremely warm and was only bearable if the window was always open. Not that anyone goes to Venice to watch TV, but it's hard to see how a room with a 1,500 Euro rack rate can have an old 20" TV that looks like it came from a garage sale.

To sum it up:
+ great location, beautiful lobby, excellent service and gold treatment.
- old and tired room, way too hot

On a side note, we had a wonderful dinner at Corte Sconta which is only a 5 minute walk from the hotel.

SingaporeDon

We stayed at the Danieli in Venice in January 2008 with two young kids. We booked two adjoining rooms, and it was fine. You will find it difficult to fit four of you in most hotel rooms in Italy.

By the way, SPG has a Famstastic Family promotionwhiich gives you the second room for kids under 17 at 50% off. If you are paying for the rooms you may want to try that. Also the Italy package from Luxury Collections (minimum 7 days stay) is great value, as it is priced in the ever depreciating USD and includes breakfast and all taxes.

JNelson113

Hi everyone,
I think I've read all the threads pertaining to Venice hotels and haven't seen my own situation, so would appreciate any and all advice.

In a month I will be traveling to Italy for two weeks with my husband, parents, and aunt and uncle. The second week of our trip my best friend and her new husband (just married last month) will be joining us.

This trip is a big deal because I'm the only one who's ever been to Italy, and it's the fulfillment of my mother's lifelong dream to go (everyone else is extremely excited too). We'll be celebrating my mom's birthday, my aunt and uncle's 19th anniversary, my own 2nd anniversary, and my best friend is looking at this trip as her honeymoon.

I think we're squared away well with Rome and Florence hotels, but Venice is perplexing me. I'd like to use points for three of the rooms (I'll pay for my own), and can do the Westin Regina and Europa for 25K/night, or the Gritti or Danieli for 30K. We'll be there for three nights, Tuesday to Friday, which is October 7-10.

Because this trip is such a "trip of a lifetime", plus the special occasions we'll be celebrating, I don't want anyone to be stuck in a really basic very small room with a dinky bathroom. I have enough points to upgrade all the rooms to the next room category so I'll probably do that for three of them (and hope for a platinum upgrade for myself). A room with a canal view or that's very "Venetian" would be a huge plus.

Any advice? I'm not sure what to think about the Danieli. The Westin seems to give the most consistent upgrades (and has the most canal view rooms) but I've also recently become intrigued by the Gritti. I need a property where I can count on receiving nice rooms by upgrading with points. Thanks so much!

TooMuchTravel73

Been to Venice several times. Done the Hilton, Gritti, and the Westin.

The best hotel IMHO there is the Westin Europa. The Upside is that each time i've done an award stay at the Westin - I've received a canal view room.

Downside:
Some of the rooms are partial canal view (which means you can see water but you may not have any good view of it) Upside I've been upgraded to the front of the hotel, and had two balconies overlooking the canal - truly an amazing room.

However whether or not you receive a canal view room, the city is amazing, the food wonderful, the walking easy, the location of the Westin Europa is great and Venice is one of my favorite cities in Europe to spend time in.

JNelson113

Thanks TooMuchTravel. It's been ten years since I've been to Venice, so I'm looking forward to going back.

If I were just going with my husband, I'd take my chances at any property, but just want to make this trip extra special because of the others in my traveling party. This is our last stop in Italy so I want the hotel and rooms to be a "wow".

JNelson113

Well, now after reading this thread and many others again, I'm leaning toward the Danieli. Would appreciate any advice or suggestions on staying there with three rooms on points, one paid, as far as upgrades.

I think I'll call SPG and see what rooms are available using points.

Okay, just called and here's what is available:
Danieli
30K standard room
31.5K premium room
32.5K junior suite (side view)

Gritti Palace
30K standard room
31.5K Venetian 700 room
32.5K grand deluxe room (476 sf)

Westin & Europa
25K standard room
26.75K executive room (described as 257 sf)
27.75 partial canal view room

I booked the junior suite at the Danieli just to have something--but still have to try to book two more nice rooms using points, then one paid reservation for myself.

Opinions please, thanks so much!

STARFLEET

Just a thought from left field...
We stayed at the Danieli in July and we all thought it was particularly tired!
The upgrade was not worth the points, and all-in-all while we had always wanted to stay there, we might better have left it on the bucket list.
We did go and look at both the Gritti and the E&R and thought both seemed like they had promise (and the locale was much less crowded).
The best part of our stay was the 4 days we spent at he Excelsior Lido!
My wife and I promised ourselves that we would look no farther when we return to Venezia. The free launch service which leaves on the half hour to/from either the Danieli or the Gritti/E&R would be reason enough to stay on the Lido, were it not for the awesome rooms in the hotel! They are larger and nicer than any of the places we stayed on our trip, which also included the Eden, Rome and the Excelsior, Florence, both of which were awesome!
I might add also that the upgrades were particularly good along with fruit, waters & wine baskets waiting in the room (Gold not Plat).
Did I mention the staff is particularly deferential and accommodating? They couldn't offer us late checkout so they gave us each a temporary room to shower and change and keep our bags until we left. Nice.
We took the launch to Venice 2x each day -- once to sightsee and again for dinner -- very special and no more hassle or room disappointment. The views of the Adriatic at the Excelsior make for a great relaxing backdrop inbetween.
This is where they have the parties for the Venice Film Festival, and while we were there they were having private preview showings of the new Ferrari California...couldn't use C&P on that though.

Can you tell this is a positive review?
Hmmm...I'm ready to go back.

JNelson113

Thanks STARFLEET!

Oh this is so hard--once I think I've made a decision, I then get another piece of data contradicting my decision, such as your post.

I've stayed on the Lido before and really enjoyed it. The only problem is that of the eight of us, I'm the only one who's ever been to Venice before and we have three nights--thus I feel I need a more centralized location in Venice proper where everyone can easily roam about.

Since I'm doing three rooms on points and one paid, I feel I can only hope for an upgrade on the paid room. At the Danieli I can obtain one junior suite and two premium rooms for my guests--should I go with that? Or try for the grand deluxe rooms at the Gritti?

I've mostly ruled out the E&R at this time, for two reasons: 1) we're staying at Westins at the other two cities, and I'd like to have variety, and 2) I don't want to put anyone in a 257 sf room. Just seems too small, and that's the upgraded room.

Thanks everyone for helping me with this decision. This trip is a really big deal to my parents, aunt and uncle, and friend and her husband, and they are especially looking forward to Venice.

JNelson113

Bump . . . any thoughts on the Danieli award room categories? Thanks so much!

kh105000

I just returned from 2 nights at the Gritti Palace and altho nice, it is in no way worth 30,000 points. We were given a smoking room, altho non-smoking was requested, with a view of a wall. The cash price for the room was 190 Euros, which I paid and had my points redeposited. (However, the Frankfurt Airport Sheraton was a bargain at 10,000 points when the Euro price was 245.)

X3Skier

My wife and I spent 5 Days at the Westin Europa/Regina on Cash and Points. Got an upgrade to a top floor room with a very large balcony overlooking the plaza with the land side entrance. Very good view of parts of Venice and a partial canal view. I had mentioned it was our anniversary and we got a bottle of wine, a huge vase of roses and several other minor items. Excellent service and I recommend it highly.

Well worth the price.

Cheers