sc flier

The proper way to do it would have been to call SPG to ask if specialty awards are available for upgraded rooms. They are capacity controlled, and hotels don't even have to provide them at all. So now if you call, they'll see if any are available. If they are, then I think that they'd cancel your existing reservation and rebook you with a different award code.

Yes, specialty awards are also eligible for 5th Night Free. The 5th night would be upgraded and would cost you nothing additional for that night.

stevens397

We will be at the Danieli in two weeks. Used points and paid the extra 2500 points for a Junior Suite - which is actually two rooms with a separate living room. We'll hope for an additional upgrade but even is we don't get it, we'll be happy. It's a bargain!

stevens397

What's the best way for four travellers with a decent amount of luggage to get to the Danieli?

sc flier

By boat. @:-)

Which one depends on how you are arriving to the area. Airport? Car? Train?

Is a decent amount of luggage the same as an indecent amount of luggage?

damon88

Even if you are not a "splurger" there is nothing to compare to the experience of flying across the canal in a water taxi on the way to the Danieli.

Just make sure to instruct your driver to take you the "good way" down the Grand Canal- don't let him take back routes.

It's worth it. Really.

stevens397

Just back from our trip. One night at the Danieli and it was very unimpressive.

Check-in a nightmare. Someone at the desk would check someone in and then take them to their room. That means they were gone for at least five minutes. There were times there was no one there. There is certainly no Platinum line. Took almost 25 minutes to get my key.

Did get upgraded to a suite but it's a weird place. To get to the room, had to climb one set of stairs, walk two minutes to an elevator, take it up a flight and walk to the room. I don't know what someone with limited mobility would do here.

The front desk situation also meant that at times you would call the front desk and there was no one there to answer. It was maddening.

Would try another hotel if we ever returned here.

yaromac

Which one depends on how you are arriving to the area. Airport? Car? Train?

Similar question - different flyertalker - we are arriving into Treviso (from the UK, Ryanair). Happy to splurge on water taxi - but which one, from where? Many thanks for the tip about going the good way not the back way.

SanDiego1K

I didn't write a summary of my one night stay here in early August, but I did write a comparative summary of the three Starwood hotels in Venice.

kgkg

Just booked a room with 22,500 points. What is the view of this junior suite? Is this the suite that Stevens297 talked about?

Here is the room description:
Junior Suite, Inner View, Separate Living Area, Historic Wing, Murano Glass Chandeliers, Small Suite Located In The Historical Palace Overlooking Thenarrow Canal Beside The Hotel. Antique Furnishings

SanDiego1K

I think the room description is quite descriptive of the view. There is a small canal that runs between two of the Danieli buildings. The water taxis come up this canal to the hotel's private dock. That dock is quite busy with people coming and going from the hotel, generally with their baggage. You'd have to look down along the building to see the canal. Likely, your predominant view is of the adjacent hotel building.

stevens397 might have received a full suite. I was offered one with a similar approach, up and down stairs. I took a water view room instead, as the view was of paramount importance to me in Venice.

guest909

We stayed at the Danielli last summer for three nights. I was SPG Platinum at the time (I'm now gold, in part because of the parsimonious allocation of suite upgrades at many of the hotels), but they could not put us in a suite (junior or otherwise). They did show us three rooms, all overlooking the lagoon. Ultimately, we went for the better room with a balcony, buy it was in the newer wing. The service was good (though far from the best of SPG), the prices were outrageous (enjoy your $20 Negroni), and--apart from the beautiful lobby that always graces the website, the grande dame needs a facelift.

SanDiego1K

See THE TOURIST with Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp if you want to see the Doge's suite. Just don't count on it for an accurate view out the window. The movie shows them checking in at the concierge's desk, rather than the check in desk further on by the stairs. It then shows them going up the stairs with the gorgeous view of the palace interior. It also has a fair bit of filming in the suite. However, it seems to have the hotel located somewhere near the Rialto Bridge. They used the Palazzo Pisani-Moretta for the facade.

There's a remark that someone is sure to be found at the Gritti, Danieli, or Regina (the three Starwood properties).

FlyingDoctorwu

I saw the Tourist. It was actually quite a nice movie. We were in Venice while they filmed it (staying at the Europa and Regina), and in fact the building that they were using was located across from the Rialto market. I got really excited when saw the Danieli sign, but pointed out to my wife that that couldn't possibly be the view out of the suite (plus I've never seen the suite before). She wasn't terribly interested.

FDW

alanslegal

can someone give me an idea on much will a water taxi roughly cost from VCE? thanks

Moomba

Thought it looked familiar.

My FA didn't seem too impressed when I said I stayed in that room after watching the movie on an AA flight.