Getting from VCE to my hotel
Oct 9, 2015, 2:55 pm
#1
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Getting from VCE to my hotel
I will be going from VCE to the Hotel Principe with two other people (three suitcases plus carry ons) and was wondering what would be the best way to get there.
The Principe is near the train station, so should we take a bus to Mestre and then take the train into Venice? Would we be better off taking a bus to Piazzale Roma and then getting on a vaporetto? (I believe it would only take us to the train station and we would have to walk the rest of the way, but I may be wrong.)
It seems that a water taxi would cost quite a bit and a shuttle boat would not only be more than land transportation but is also a long ride.
I have been in Venice many times but never arrived by air so I would appreciate any advice.
The Principe is near the train station, so should we take a bus to Mestre and then take the train into Venice? Would we be better off taking a bus to Piazzale Roma and then getting on a vaporetto? (I believe it would only take us to the train station and we would have to walk the rest of the way, but I may be wrong.)
It seems that a water taxi would cost quite a bit and a shuttle boat would not only be more than land transportation but is also a long ride.
I have been in Venice many times but never arrived by air so I would appreciate any advice.
Oct 9, 2015, 6:49 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SFO, VCE
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Posts: 2,881
I will be going from VCE to the Hotel Principe with two other people (three suitcases plus carry ons) and was wondering what would be the best way to get there.
The Principe is near the train station, so should we take a bus to Mestre and then take the train into Venice? Would we be better off taking a bus to Piazzale Roma and then getting on a vaporetto? (I believe it would only take us to the train station and we would have to walk the rest of the way, but I may be wrong.)
It seems that a water taxi would cost quite a bit and a shuttle boat would not only be more than land transportation but is also a long ride.
I have been in Venice many times but never arrived by air so I would appreciate any advice.
The Principe is near the train station, so should we take a bus to Mestre and then take the train into Venice? Would we be better off taking a bus to Piazzale Roma and then getting on a vaporetto? (I believe it would only take us to the train station and we would have to walk the rest of the way, but I may be wrong.)
It seems that a water taxi would cost quite a bit and a shuttle boat would not only be more than land transportation but is also a long ride.
I have been in Venice many times but never arrived by air so I would appreciate any advice.
That said, for transportation from the airport to (gulp) Hotel Principe, a water taxi will cost about 100 euros each way for all 3 of you, and will get you there in half an hour. Remember, no tipping.
If you buy tickets for the Alilaguna vaporetto (its not a shuttle boat) it's 15 euros each way per person at the dock, 14 each in advance, 12.50 each way in advance if you buy a round trip ticket. You can take the orange line and get off Guglie, and it's a 5-10 minute walk, with one bridge to walk over to your hotel. The boat ride takes about 40 minutes.
I would never take the bus because it takes you through a very ugly area, and drops you off right near your hotel, the ugliest area in Venice, but it's about 8 euros each way. It would leave you off at Piazzale Roma, probably the ugliest single square in Venice. and it's a 8-10 minute or so walk to your hotel, over one trans-canal bridge.
It wouldn't be a good idea to take a bus to Mestre and then wait half an hour and spend extra money to wait for a train from Mestre to the Santa Lucia train station in Venice, because Piazzale Roma and Santa Lucia station are just a stone's throw from each other, and are both just a few blocks from your hotel, in the worst part of town.
Oct 9, 2015, 8:31 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2011
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Hotel Principe lists itself as, "Hotel Principe 4 star." Besides the neighborhood it is in, that constant 4 star thing is in itself a tip-off. One should not choose hotels in Italy based on the number of stars. The star system is different from most other countries, including those in the EU. It has only a vague semblance with how good the hotel is. There are 2 star hotels that are better than 5 star hotels.
The system simplified, is run by government checklist. You get one star if you have a lobby. You get two stars if you also have an elevator. You get three stars if the lobby is also manned 24 hours a day, meaning someone sleeping behind a desk, or in the vicinity of the desk. You become a 4 star hotel if, voila, your room has its own bathroom, instead of having to share a bathroom and shower down the hall with the whole floor! That's the star system, in a nutshell.
Some 2 star hotels are glorious, but since they are only 2 floors tall they don't have an elevator, and the owner goes to sleep at night, but they are better than a 5 star.
You can be in a absolutely gorgeous 2 star hotel on the Amalfi Coast with no lobby and no elevator, and where the owner goes to sleep at night but has given you the keys to the place. They cook you breakfast, and either serve it to you in bed, on your balcony overlooking the sea of Capri if you rented an ocean front room, or on the common hotel patio overlooking the sea if you don't have an ocean front room. And that would be a 2 star hotel.
That beats the pants off of some tired old 4 star place next to the train station where there is noise, constant chatter, and nothing but tourists coming and going 24 hours a day, funky restaurants in the area, at a hotel that just because it has a lobby, a sometimes functional elevator, a bathroom in your room, and you can awaken the guy to come to the front desk at night, is considered 4 star.
The system simplified, is run by government checklist. You get one star if you have a lobby. You get two stars if you also have an elevator. You get three stars if the lobby is also manned 24 hours a day, meaning someone sleeping behind a desk, or in the vicinity of the desk. You become a 4 star hotel if, voila, your room has its own bathroom, instead of having to share a bathroom and shower down the hall with the whole floor! That's the star system, in a nutshell.
Some 2 star hotels are glorious, but since they are only 2 floors tall they don't have an elevator, and the owner goes to sleep at night, but they are better than a 5 star.
You can be in a absolutely gorgeous 2 star hotel on the Amalfi Coast with no lobby and no elevator, and where the owner goes to sleep at night but has given you the keys to the place. They cook you breakfast, and either serve it to you in bed, on your balcony overlooking the sea of Capri if you rented an ocean front room, or on the common hotel patio overlooking the sea if you don't have an ocean front room. And that would be a 2 star hotel.
That beats the pants off of some tired old 4 star place next to the train station where there is noise, constant chatter, and nothing but tourists coming and going 24 hours a day, funky restaurants in the area, at a hotel that just because it has a lobby, a sometimes functional elevator, a bathroom in your room, and you can awaken the guy to come to the front desk at night, is considered 4 star.
Last edited by Perche; Oct 9, 2015 at 8:42 pm
Oct 9, 2015, 10:53 pm
#4
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I'm not concerned about the area that the Principe is in -- it is far enough from the train station that I won't hear any noise. It is also convenient to the ghetto (which will be very interesting to the other two people in my group) and the casino (which is very important to me).
Moreover, Venice can be an easy city to get lost in -- not a problem for me, but it would be for the two traveling with me. If we stay in the Principe, no matter where in the city they wind up all they have to do is look for signs saying "per ferrovia" and if they can get there they can get back to the hotel with no problem.
No, I'm not staying on points (is the Principe a member of any program?) but I did get an excellent price. A seven-night stay in two rooms (a single for me and a double for the other two) is costing me $1029 with full breakfast. That comes to $73.50 per room, per night.
Yes, I know it is old -- I had drinks there over 50 years ago and it was old even then -- but if I wanted a modern hotel I would have taken one in Mestre. I prefer going to a hotel from Venice's belle époque and the Principe certainly qualifies for that.
Moreover, Venice can be an easy city to get lost in -- not a problem for me, but it would be for the two traveling with me. If we stay in the Principe, no matter where in the city they wind up all they have to do is look for signs saying "per ferrovia" and if they can get there they can get back to the hotel with no problem.
No, I'm not staying on points (is the Principe a member of any program?) but I did get an excellent price. A seven-night stay in two rooms (a single for me and a double for the other two) is costing me $1029 with full breakfast. That comes to $73.50 per room, per night.
Yes, I know it is old -- I had drinks there over 50 years ago and it was old even then -- but if I wanted a modern hotel I would have taken one in Mestre. I prefer going to a hotel from Venice's belle époque and the Principe certainly qualifies for that.
Oct 11, 2015, 7:27 am
#5
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I will be going from VCE to the Hotel Principe with two other people (three suitcases plus carry ons) and was wondering what would be the best way to get there.
The Principe is near the train station, so should we take a bus to Mestre and then take the train into Venice? Would we be better off taking a bus to Piazzale Roma and then getting on a vaporetto? (I believe it would only take us to the train station and we would have to walk the rest of the way, but I may be wrong.)
It seems that a water taxi would cost quite a bit and a shuttle boat would not only be more than land transportation but is also a long ride.
I have been in Venice many times but never arrived by air so I would appreciate any advice.
The Principe is near the train station, so should we take a bus to Mestre and then take the train into Venice? Would we be better off taking a bus to Piazzale Roma and then getting on a vaporetto? (I believe it would only take us to the train station and we would have to walk the rest of the way, but I may be wrong.)
It seems that a water taxi would cost quite a bit and a shuttle boat would not only be more than land transportation but is also a long ride.
I have been in Venice many times but never arrived by air so I would appreciate any advice.
Oct 11, 2015, 7:35 am
#6
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the least expensive way would be to take the bus vce to p.roma, walk across the bridge, and up the street a couple hundred meters. if you take a vapporetto, you will walk further getting to and from the vaporetto stop than walking directly.
the only advantage of using the vaporetto, one avoids the bridge.
the only advantage of using the vaporetto, one avoids the bridge.
Oct 11, 2015, 8:05 am
#7
Join Date: Mar 2011
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the least expensive way would be to take the bus vce to p.roma, walk across the bridge, and up the street a couple hundred meters. if you take a vapporetto, you will walk further getting to and from the vaporetto stop than walking directly.
the only advantage of using the vaporetto, one avoids the bridge.
the only advantage of using the vaporetto, one avoids the bridge.
Oct 11, 2015, 12:23 pm
#8
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I'm leaning strongly towards taking a water taxi with the main reason being the bridge from Piazzale Roma. I will be one month short of my 70th birthday and have no desire to drag my wheeled suitcase up and down that bridge -- especially as it does not seem to have a ramp but only stairs.
I know that I can go on line and order my ticket but was wondering if I can show up at the airport and pay there. If so, where (in the terminal or only at the pier)? Also, if I don't have a pre-paid ticket, am I apt to be ripped off by them demanding more than the 100 Euros the airport website states?
I know that I can go on line and order my ticket but was wondering if I can show up at the airport and pay there. If so, where (in the terminal or only at the pier)? Also, if I don't have a pre-paid ticket, am I apt to be ripped off by them demanding more than the 100 Euros the airport website states?
Oct 11, 2015, 2:52 pm
#9
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There's nothing wrong with taking the water taxi for three people. The Calatrava Bridge you'd have to get over from Piazzale Roma is a scandal, specifically because it is hard for elderly people with luggage to cross over it because it is steeply stepped. There were many protests. Calatrava said that he doesn't care, his point of view is limited, "to the aesthetic." It's actually ugly because it doesn't fit in with Venice, and sticks out like a sore thumb. They built a mobility car, sort of like a little rail on the side, with a mini-car that goes back and forth, to help people with limited mobility, at huge cost, but it didn't work.
You can get over the bridge by vaporetto, a short ride, but it will get you to the side your hotel is on. But, it's just one stop, and at 7.5 euros per person, when you add that up, it's not going to be much more expensive to go in style, in a motoscafi, or taxi.
You can buy the ticket online, you will get a voucher by email. You print it, show it to the driver, and you're done. I think you get a 5% discount, so instead of 100 euro, it will be 95, but I'm not sure. It isn't necessary. You can just pay the driver. They are not going to rip you off. It's a very reputable thing. They depend on tourism. They will not tolerate someone putting it under a cloud. It would have to be some real rogue, and nothing can prevent that. But it's very rare in Venice. Just make sure there is no misunderstanding. It's going to be about 100 euros to your hotel. You have to pay 5 euros for every bag over the 5th bag. You pay 10 euros extra between 10PM and 7AM as a night fee. Tipping is not expected anywhere in Italy, including on the water taxi. The driver might help you a little bit with your luggage, but don't expect to much because it's illegal for them to get out of the boat. All they can do is hand your stuff up to you. How difficult this is depends on whether your hotel has its own landing dock, or if you have to get off at a dock. If the tide is right, you just step out. If the tide is low, it can be a tall step up to the dock. But it's usually not a problem.
You can get over the bridge by vaporetto, a short ride, but it will get you to the side your hotel is on. But, it's just one stop, and at 7.5 euros per person, when you add that up, it's not going to be much more expensive to go in style, in a motoscafi, or taxi.
You can buy the ticket online, you will get a voucher by email. You print it, show it to the driver, and you're done. I think you get a 5% discount, so instead of 100 euro, it will be 95, but I'm not sure. It isn't necessary. You can just pay the driver. They are not going to rip you off. It's a very reputable thing. They depend on tourism. They will not tolerate someone putting it under a cloud. It would have to be some real rogue, and nothing can prevent that. But it's very rare in Venice. Just make sure there is no misunderstanding. It's going to be about 100 euros to your hotel. You have to pay 5 euros for every bag over the 5th bag. You pay 10 euros extra between 10PM and 7AM as a night fee. Tipping is not expected anywhere in Italy, including on the water taxi. The driver might help you a little bit with your luggage, but don't expect to much because it's illegal for them to get out of the boat. All they can do is hand your stuff up to you. How difficult this is depends on whether your hotel has its own landing dock, or if you have to get off at a dock. If the tide is right, you just step out. If the tide is low, it can be a tall step up to the dock. But it's usually not a problem.
Oct 11, 2015, 3:42 pm
#10
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That makes it 216 Euros with unlimited vaporetto travel in Venice as opposed to 200 Euros just for the water taxi.
I will have no problem in walking from the train station to the Principe, even with my luggage.
Oct 11, 2015, 11:48 pm
#11
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 2
Principe Was A Very Good Base for Us
We have stayed at the Principe two times. If you can swing it, it would be great fun to take the water taxi and pull right up to the Principe's little dock on the grand canal. I wish that we had done that. We climbed the bridge and used a porter.
We like the hotel's location. If you don't like the rooms they give you, ask for a change. We got great rooms, but I know that, even at the same rate, some rooms are quite a bit more spacious than others. The rooms are not cookie-cutter. The hotel is worn and quirky, but we would go back in a minute. Transportation is easy from their location. We are your age and we went all over the area with no difficulty.
Breakfast is very good, and includes a canal view if you get a window. The trick is to time your eating around the time that the groups leave for the day. Their group iteniaries are posted by the elevator, so you can calculate about what time the grouos will have to clear out of the breakfast room.
I wish that we were there right now. Our screensaver is a night time picture of the canal taken from our balcony. Have a great time!
We like the hotel's location. If you don't like the rooms they give you, ask for a change. We got great rooms, but I know that, even at the same rate, some rooms are quite a bit more spacious than others. The rooms are not cookie-cutter. The hotel is worn and quirky, but we would go back in a minute. Transportation is easy from their location. We are your age and we went all over the area with no difficulty.
Breakfast is very good, and includes a canal view if you get a window. The trick is to time your eating around the time that the groups leave for the day. Their group iteniaries are posted by the elevator, so you can calculate about what time the grouos will have to clear out of the breakfast room.
I wish that we were there right now. Our screensaver is a night time picture of the canal taken from our balcony. Have a great time!
Oct 12, 2015, 8:39 am
#12
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the cost of porters in venice is by the bag, and very high. i have not used one in 15 years, when the cost was in lira.
Oct 12, 2015, 10:04 am
#13
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: SEA
Posts: 3,951
Great thread. Lots of good info on transportation options. I will say that when traveling with 3+, the cost per person on the water taxi comes down to the point where I'll opt for the convenience - especially when coming off of an overnight journey from the US. It's a nice somewhat scenic ride, and getting off right at the hotel's dock is a cool experience.
As far as the hotel goes, I hope you'll post a trip report. I'd love to hear about the place.
As far as the hotel goes, I hope you'll post a trip report. I'd love to hear about the place.
Oct 21, 2015, 5:47 am
#14
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 12
Hotel Principe lists itself as, "Hotel Principe 4 star." Besides the neighborhood it is in, that constant 4 star thing is in itself a tip-off. One should not choose hotels in Italy based on the number of stars. The star system is different from most other countries, including those in the EU. It has only a vague semblance with how good the hotel is. There are 2 star hotels that are better than 5 star hotels.
The system simplified, is run by government checklist. You get one star if you have a lobby. You get two stars if you also have an elevator. You get three stars if the lobby is also manned 24 hours a day, meaning someone sleeping behind a desk, or in the vicinity of the desk. You become a 4 star hotel if, voila, your room has its own bathroom, instead of having to share a bathroom and shower down the hall with the whole floor! That's the star system, in a nutshell.
Some 2 star hotels are glorious, but since they are only 2 floors tall they don't have an elevator, and the owner goes to sleep at night, but they are better than a 5 star.
You can be in a absolutely gorgeous 2 star hotel on the Amalfi Coast with no lobby and no elevator, and where the owner goes to sleep at night but has given you the keys to the place. They cook you breakfast, and either serve it to you in bed, on your balcony overlooking the sea of Capri if you rented an ocean front room, or on the common hotel patio overlooking the sea if you don't have an ocean front room. And that would be a 2 star hotel.
That beats the pants off of some tired old 4 star place next to the train station where there is noise, constant chatter, and nothing but tourists coming and going 24 hours a day, funky restaurants in the area, at a hotel that just because it has a lobby, a sometimes functional elevator, a bathroom in your room, and you can awaken the guy to come to the front desk at night, is considered 4 star.
The system simplified, is run by government checklist. You get one star if you have a lobby. You get two stars if you also have an elevator. You get three stars if the lobby is also manned 24 hours a day, meaning someone sleeping behind a desk, or in the vicinity of the desk. You become a 4 star hotel if, voila, your room has its own bathroom, instead of having to share a bathroom and shower down the hall with the whole floor! That's the star system, in a nutshell.
Some 2 star hotels are glorious, but since they are only 2 floors tall they don't have an elevator, and the owner goes to sleep at night, but they are better than a 5 star.
You can be in a absolutely gorgeous 2 star hotel on the Amalfi Coast with no lobby and no elevator, and where the owner goes to sleep at night but has given you the keys to the place. They cook you breakfast, and either serve it to you in bed, on your balcony overlooking the sea of Capri if you rented an ocean front room, or on the common hotel patio overlooking the sea if you don't have an ocean front room. And that would be a 2 star hotel.
That beats the pants off of some tired old 4 star place next to the train station where there is noise, constant chatter, and nothing but tourists coming and going 24 hours a day, funky restaurants in the area, at a hotel that just because it has a lobby, a sometimes functional elevator, a bathroom in your room, and you can awaken the guy to come to the front desk at night, is considered 4 star.
Nov 22, 2015, 10:23 pm
#15
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Posts: 256
You can be in a absolutely gorgeous 2 star hotel on the Amalfi Coast with no lobby and no elevator, and where the owner goes to sleep at night but has given you the keys to the place. They cook you breakfast, and either serve it to you in bed, on your balcony overlooking the sea of Capri if you rented an ocean front room, or on the common hotel patio overlooking the sea if you don't have an ocean front room. And that would be a 2 star hotel.
