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Old Oct 3, 2016, 11:28 pm
  #2296  
 
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Originally Posted by Pausanias
Be careful driving in Venice. The streets are often flooded.
Chortle ... Touche
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Old Oct 4, 2016, 10:48 am
  #2297  
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Originally Posted by Pausanias
Very enslaved to Monsieur Michelin if you don't mind my saying so. Yet I must say the worst meal I was served last year was at the Club del Doge in the Gritti Palace. Every course was awful, the service arrogant, the atmosphere funereal. There are much better places in Venice to waste your money!
I pick our restaurants based on a combo of factors, only one of which is Michelin. The Pellegrino ranking matters more to me than Michelin, but any rankings used alone without other considerations are for sheep. Still, most Michelin restaurants are wonderful.

That being said, trying to critique me for including the Michelin stars in THIS forum is the height of hypocrisy if you don't mind me saying so. Especially as we are traveling in Europe.

Our final dinner last night at the Club del Doge was delightful--great food, great service, great setting. As was our lunch at the Aman Grand Canal the day before.
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Old Oct 4, 2016, 10:55 am
  #2298  
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Originally Posted by vuittonsofstyle
Totally agree about the Gritti. Awful food and beyond arrogant service.
My TR will come after I'm back home...but I must say this may be the first time I've completely disagreed with you. We had very good food and amazing, friendly service at the Gritti...that equaled some of our best moments with Aman. Our stay at the Gritti was incredible.

We also thought the Aman Grand Canal is spectacularly beautiful, and even far more impressive than photos suggest. Our lunch was fantastic. But though we thought the Alcova Tiepolo Suite was a work of art, we'd never want to stay in that suite. But the Aman Venice still is the most amazing property in the city.
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Old Oct 4, 2016, 1:12 pm
  #2299  
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Originally Posted by Pausanias
Be careful driving in Venice. The streets are often flooded.
Piazzale Roma and nearby Tronchetto island are the only places in Venice's insular urban core accessible to ground motor vehicles, such as automobiles and buses.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Pi...1!4d12.3182233

bhrubin, how crowded was Club del Doge? wonder if Pausanias was there during peak last year. not sure when vuittonsofstyle was last there. chef seems same, but change is a constant at restaurants.

Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Oct 5, 2016 at 7:59 am
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Old Oct 4, 2016, 1:48 pm
  #2300  
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Originally Posted by bhrubin
My TR will come after I'm back home...but I must say this may be the first time I've completely disagreed with you. We had very good food and amazing, friendly service at the Gritti...that equaled some of our best moments with Aman. Our stay at the Gritti was incredible.
I'm so glad to read that. We've been treated extraordinarily well there and look forward to returning some day.
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Old Oct 4, 2016, 1:58 pm
  #2301  
 
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Originally Posted by bhrubin
I pick our restaurants based on a combo of factors, only one of which is Michelin. The Pellegrino ranking matters more to me than Michelin, but any rankings used alone without other considerations are for sheep. Still, most Michelin restaurants are wonderful.

That being said, trying to critique me for including the Michelin stars in THIS forum is the height of hypocrisy if you don't mind me saying so. Especially as we are traveling in Europe.

Our final dinner last night at the Club del Doge was delightful--great food, great service, great setting. As was our lunch at the Aman Grand Canal the day before.
I'm pleased you enjoyed your dinner at the Gritti.

Personally, I don't pay any attention at all to the Pellegrino thing at all. It's just a marketing ploy. This makes interesting reading -

http://www.andyhayler.com/blog/post/...legrino-forgot

I think most serious food people think Michelin is at its weakest in Italy. I was in Venice in January last year with stunning weather and relatively few tourists.

Venice, Italy by UltraPanavision, on Flickr

Our best meals were in local restaurants not even in the Michelin guide. The best was near our hotel and was called Vini da Gigio, a small trattoria-style place packed with locals and a few tourists. I had the freshest, sweetest razor clams, strewn on a plate with the nonchalance of an Andy Murray backhand slice. Then the classic Fegato alla Veneziana, served with polenta and heavy with sage and marsala. Finally, a tiramisu, served in a tumbler. Just perfect.

I take Michelin fairly seriously in France, Germany and Switzerland. Anywhere else I'm highly sceptical, including the UK.

Last edited by Pausanias; Oct 4, 2016 at 11:39 pm
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Old Oct 5, 2016, 6:37 am
  #2302  
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Originally Posted by bhrubin
My TR will come after I'm back home...but I must say this may be the first time I've completely disagreed with you. We had very good food and amazing, friendly service at the Gritti...that equaled some of our best moments with Aman. Our stay at the Gritti was incredible.

We also thought the Aman Grand Canal is spectacularly beautiful, and even far more impressive than photos suggest. Our lunch was fantastic. But though we thought the Alcova Tiepolo Suite was a work of art, we'd never want to stay in that suite. But the Aman Venice still is the most amazing property in the city.
Gosh, that is good to hear, as every time I have stayed at The Gritti, both before and after its refurbishment, I have been horrified by the food and service. The same applies to the Cipriani, both during the Biennale and out of season.

I totally agree about Aman Canal Grande - it is by far the best in Venice, both in accommodation, food and service. The suites are not all too historic for comfort. Some are relatively minimal.
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Old Oct 5, 2016, 7:24 am
  #2303  
 
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I just wonder if Claudia is so hands on that she is able to fill Olivia's shoes at Aman GC. That hotel needs a really gracious host, otherwise a palazzo of this size feels really cold and soulless. You're really on top of the world, so to speak, if everything is well taken care of but a hotel of this nature on autopilot gives a bad impression. Some here had this experience to a certain extent. I may be able to give an update soon...
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Old Oct 5, 2016, 7:37 am
  #2304  
 
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Originally Posted by vuittonsofstyle
Gosh, that is good to hear, as every time I have stayed at The Gritti, both before and after its refurbishment, I have been horrified by the food and service. The same applies to the Cipriani, both during the Biennale and out of season.
Just curious but if Gritti was so horrifying, why did you even bother to return, if I may ask?

I also had a bad experience every now and then at certain hotels, but usually that means that I will not even finish my stay as initially planned, let alone would ever consider to return.
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Old Oct 5, 2016, 7:43 am
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Epicura, I'm one of those who tends to give second chances after a few years because management changes, staff tends to change (although low turnover is a sign of excellence), hotels improve. Pourquoi pas. There are some exceptions, where a certain attitude is very well in the hotel's DNA (ahem... Le Ritz).
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Old Oct 5, 2016, 7:43 am
  #2306  
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perhaps shoulder season can be ideal for some ('touristy') places
and perhaps gritti pays attention to SPG Plat/100/Ambassador

olivia received mixed reviews here, as did several others

Originally Posted by Epicura
I will not even finish my stay as initially planned
do some properties not handle well ? and at what point does one not pay ?

Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Oct 5, 2016 at 8:34 am
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Old Oct 6, 2016, 5:47 am
  #2307  
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Originally Posted by Epicura
Just curious but if Gritti was so horrifying, why did you even bother to return, if I may ask?

I also had a bad experience every now and then at certain hotels, but usually that means that I will not even finish my stay as initially planned, let alone would ever consider to return.
As scented pointed out, I, too, like to give hotels second chances, unless they are irretrievably bad. The Gritti, originally, was managed by Ciga, which was its heyday, along with the Danieli, The Excelsior and Hotel des Bains. As with all four of these hotels, the Gritti changed dramatically over the years, both in management and pre-post refurbishment.
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Old Oct 6, 2016, 5:59 am
  #2308  
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Originally Posted by Pausanias
Our best meals were in local restaurants not even in the Michelin guide. The best was near our hotel and was called Vini da Gigio, a small trattoria-style place packed with locals and a few tourists. I had the freshest, sweetest razor clams, strewn on a plate with the nonchalance of an Andy Murray backhand slice. Then the classic Fegato alla Veneziana, served with polenta and heavy with sage and marsala. Finally, a tiramisu, served in a tumbler. Just perfect.
I agree. In Venice I simply avoid the tourist traps and invariably find excellent restaurants.

I take Michelin fairly seriously in France, Germany and Switzerland. Anywhere else I'm highly sceptical, including the UK.
Don't forget Belgium! Southern Belgium (wallon) has a high concentration of some of the finest Michelin restaurants in the world. Most of them are out in the woods though.
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Old Oct 6, 2016, 6:00 am
  #2309  
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Heading to Grand-Htel du Cap-Ferrat early November for a four night stay.
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Old Oct 6, 2016, 6:38 am
  #2310  
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Originally Posted by hannisen
Heading to Grand-Htel du Cap-Ferrat early November for a four night stay.
Relative good rates at this time. Please report back regarding weather.
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