Originally Posted by
iapetus
......If we were to select a place in Castello, how difficult would it be to get our bags (
mrs. iapetus promised to scale back this year, but I'm skeptical
) from Santa Lucia into town and then back out again for a Saturday morning flight (11:00am) at Marco Polo? That might be my principal concern about staying so far from the train station.
Here's an option to consider, depending on budget. The part of Canareggio near he train station is horrible. It is full of immigrants fleeing their countries. As soon as you walk out of the door you will be mobbed by them asking if they can help you. Don't do it. They are going to demand a tip, and can get quite aggressive. There's no tipping in Italy It's just down 2-3 flights of stairs, or you can take a ramp down to the Grand Canal waterside, where there are several vaporetto and water taxi stops (motoscafi).
Depending on the day and time, the vaporetti at Santa Lucia can be packed. It's not at all pleasant when they shove you down to the lower level where you have to stand for 45 minutes to get to the nicer parts of Venice. Your kids are old enough to have to pay, and it's 7.50 euros per person, or $30 euros. The nearest vaporetto stop might not be that close to your hotel, so you might have a 10-15 minute walk, in heat, carrying luggage over 12-15 crowded bridges. It's exhausting and not pleasant. The Motoscafi, or private Motors boat like you probably at George Clooney's wedding, run from 50-70 euros, depending on day, time, other factors from Santa Lucia to your hotel, and many hotels have their own private landing so you step from the boat, straight into the lobby of hotel. Plus, a ride in a private boat up the Grand Canal is an unforgettably beautiful experience.
Coming back, with an 11 AM departure, assuming you'll want to be there by 9:30 AM, choices are to take the Alilaguna vaporetto (not to be confused with the ATV vaporetto). It's about an hour and a half ride, you are forced into a downstairs area with dirty window, so you can't see much. All 4 of you will have to pay. It's about 15 euros each, so that would be 60 euros. Private motorboat gets you there in 20 minutes from most places in Castello, It's an open thrilling ride that none of you will soon forget. It runs between, 100-140 euros, usually the latter, so you can generally get to sleep an extra hour. You have to decide if he extra sleep and thrill of flying across the lagoon is worth it to you.