The possibility of flooding isn't the main factor that would deter me from coming. I'm waiting to see if airfares drop on UA (I need the miles for requalification, so don't want to use an award ticket) in the next few weeks.

I'm glad Canarsie can now walk on water! He won't need to line up on the platforms like everyone in my photos! ;)

OK, I'm in. I just booked LH6525 out of LHR arriving VCE at 14:05 on the 20th. Back to London on LH6526 at 14:50 the next day.

Then I either pop back home for a couple of hours or hang around LHR to meet my SO off AA90 at 22:30. Hmm, six hours seems a long time...

One day and 45 minutes! You and Ralf are going to be in a close race for the shortest stay in Venice by a FTer not being hunted by the CIA. (Errr, neither one of you are being hunted by it, right?)

Chartreuse, no matter how short the visit you are very welcome -- and the important thing is that you will be there for the Main Dinner! (This is as opposed to the Last Supper, which was held in Jerusalem and is on display in Milan.)

When you get a hotel reservation, let me know and I will post it so other FTers will know where to contact you. In the meantime, keep an eye on posts number 1, 2, and 3 on this thread to be certain that you are up to date on any changes.

Venice photos
 

Thanks for posting the pictures. How do you do that? Is there a link somewhere on FT for the technologically challenged? I love to take pictures, but have no idea how to post them.

I hope you are able to come in Nov.

Do you have a film camera or digital? If film, you can get your film developed and have the pics put on the web. A number of companies will do this for you, including Photoworks (AKA Seattle Filmworks), whose website I use to store my photos. Or, if you have a digital camera, you can upload the pics yourself (from your computer's hard drive, for example).

Well Dovster, we could tell you, but then we'd have to ... ;)
Seriously, my SO & the youngster are flying in from the US for Thanksgiving, so I have to be back at LHR to meet them. And my leave days are almost exhausted, hence arriving on Saturday.

Thanks for the welcome. I got a reservation via Expedia at the Ai Mori for UKP 63.28 = E94.32 = $113.27, which seemed like a fair price.

I'll email the manager there as suggested in post #2.

I'm looking forward to this as I've never been to Italy before plus, of course, FT dos are always fun :)

That is, indeed, a very good price -- especially when you consider that you will be upgraded when you write to Marco.

Right now, we have 15 people staying at the Ai Mori, RalfKrippner staying at the Hotel Danieli and Vasantn who has not told us where he will be.

Hmm, I wonder if he is being hunted by the CIA!

I have both, but love using the digital for travel. Now all I have to do is find someone (young!) to show me how to do it.

I thought I was a genius when I learned to work the TIVO.... ;)

chartreuse....welcome and we look forward to meeting you! Long way to fly for a free t-shirt but you also said you hadn't yet been to Italy. That perhaps will also be a reason to attend.....;).
Dovster...at what point does Marco run out of upgraded rooms? I'm not sure how many rooms he has but if he's upgrading everybody from FT it seems he must run out at some point.
Just curious....

Mrs. Cholula is the TIVO queen and could, I believe, teach classes on it. She was an early adopter of TIVO technology and has stayed on the cutting edge over the years.
I very rarely watch TV and don't even know how to use the remote control....:(.

I don't know. The website actually gives very little information about the hotel. On Expedia it says that the hotel has 50 rooms but does not break them down into standard, superior, etc.

When I stayed there last November, Marco upgraded me and I found myself in a room which was slightly larger than Yankees Stadium and much better decorated. (Okay, I am exaggerating about the size, but not the decorations.)

It had just been refurbished -- in fact, the refurbishing wasn't complete -- and the good and the bad of it was as follows:

1. The hotel reception area is tiny, generally with only one or two people working there.

2. At the time, there was no internet access from the rooms but there was one public computer available at no charge. (Room access is now available.)

3. There were combination safes in the rooms, but nobody knew how to use them.

4. The bar is tiny.

5. The outside of the hotel is remarkably unimpressive.

6. The rooms were beautifully decorated, as I said earlier, and each few rooms had its own lounge (just some tables and chairs where friends could sit together and talk.)

Perhaps Obscure2K can fill us in more on the rooms and the question of how many are standard and how many superior.

Thanks for the recap. We'll have to see what we get when we get there and perhaps, as you suggest, O2K can shed a little more light on this.
One thing that causes me a little trepidation is the description of "beautifully decorated" is coming from a guy who thinks a Ramada with a Denny's is about as good as it gets.....;).

Okay, I admit it. The Ai Mori does not have a Denny's -- but you can't expect everything!

Fear not, Cholula , if o2k says they are O.K. we are in for a treat. She has great taste.......especially in shoes ^

How far is the Ai Mori from the Danieli and the Westin Europa.

How would you compare the Danieli and the Westin Europa? At which Starwood would we, as platinums, have the better chance of getting upgraded to a suite? Do either of these hotels have Concierge lounges? We are thinking we might pay for one night and get two award nights.

I am still looking for cost-effective UA tickets.