Venice

We are thinking of booking the Oct 8 2017 Venice to Rome cruise and going a few days early, I have a couple of questions. Is it difficult to get from airport to hotels in Venice and from hotels to cruise port. Does anyone have a hotel recommendation?

I do realize that Venice is an expensive city so budget factors into this idea.

Just landed this morning in Venice in anticipation of our Explorer cruise in a couple of days so I can help with transportation questions.

Getting from the airport to the hotel isn't that difficult. If you have a larger party or many suitcases you can get a private water taxi to take you directly to your hotels dock, usually about 110 Euro. If you can manage your suitcases and are willing to spend some time cruising, I suggest the Alilaguna. It is the water bus and has a few stops on its route. That is 15 Euro if booked at the airport to go to Piazza San Marco, or you can book online and save 1-2 Euro. We took the water bus today, and it took about 1 hour to get to Piazza San Marco from the airport.

As you exit the airport there is a long covered walkway with plenty of signs directing you to the 10-15 minute walk to the water dock.

If mobility is an issue, you can ask the hotels concierge for a car/van to drive you to the water dock from the airport and then get a private water taxi, but the downside is the cost.

Amen to the response above. Venice hotels are expensive. Be prepared for that. Book a hotel in a prime location with a dock. Pack reasonably. It is an easy walk from baggage claim to the water taxi dock. (DON'T try to change money at baggage claim. They rip you off!!!!!) Grab a taxi. You'll have a magnificent ride directly to your hotel. You'll be touring even before you check in. I can't imagine a more memorable way to start a vacation.

Our last two stays in Venice we stayed in the Regent provided hotels - last year was the JW Marriott on Isole delle Rose and our water taxi from the airport to the hotel took us through the canal in Murano; it was great to see the places we'd visited the year before. Like Island Cruiser said, it's a tour before the vacation starts. Very scenic, very relaxing.

The year before we stayed at the Hotel Bauer on the Grand Canal. Fabulous location, good hotel, and I'm sure it's pricey if you do it on your own.

I'm afraid I can't help you beyond those two (probably expensive) hotels.

Bill, Please comment on the JW Marriott. We have a large inventory of Marriott points and could combine them with the Regent free night. We are concerned with the location and its accessibility. Also are there good views and a decent restaurant.

It might be easier to e-mail (wsloandotnl@gmail.com) Dot is the point not the word.

Bill, Please comment on the JW Marriott. We have a large inventory of Marriott points and could combine them with the Regent free night. We are concerned with the location and its accessibility. Also are there good views and a decent restaurant.

It might be easier to e-mail (wsloandotnl@gmail.com) Dot is the point not the word.

I liked the hotel, but you're correct about the accessibility. There's a free water shuttle that takes you directly to Piazza San Marco but it's like a 25 minute ride. Pleasant, but not something you'd want to do multiple times a day. The hotel itself is nice, but we were there just a month or two after it opened so there were still some issues with construction, etc. The on-site restaurants are pricey, even by Venetian standards. I'm sorry I can't remember exact prices, but I do remember doing one of these: :eek: Still, it was less than dining at The Florian!

The island itself is nice, there are gardens to stroll in and there's a nice, albeit distant view of Venice. I guess the best way to put it is I'd stay there again, but if something else downtown opened up I wouldn't be too upset. Make sense?

Oh, if you DO stay there, treat yourself to the blood orange sorbet on the rooftop restaurant - my wife and I STILL talk about that...good LORD, it was good.

Thanks Bill, 25 min seems excessive and I didn't like your comment "distant view" I think the Bauer or Londra Palace suit us better.

Bill

we stayed on the Lido. got there by using the water bus..much cheaper than the water taxi. hotel a lot cheaper than in Venice proper. we lucked out and got a room overlooking the canal. about a 10 minute water bus ride to St Marks. you can get passes for 24 or 72 hours (at least you could check website)

from cruise critic lots of suggestions to stay near port by train station. you can get there by land taxi or airport bus. there is a people mover from the square to the port.

recommend the secret tour of the Doge's palace. Includes secret floor in the palace and the cell where they kept Cassanova.

We just stayed at the Marriott - lovely, modern, hotel, apart from the wasps! My wife was stung on the foot just prior to us departing to join the ship. This occurred at the rooftop pool which is spectacular and has incredible views, but is simply infested by wasps. They have "traps" to catch them but the as the island was "reclaimed" to build the hotel, the wasps were there first!

There is also a pol in the extensive gardens, that was quieter and seemed to have fewer airborne issues.

The location, facilities and rooms/suites are all terrific and the frequent 25 min shuttle to St Marks Sq is a great way to enjoy the lagoon & the views.

In my opinion, the hotel in the best location & with good facilities is the Cipriani which is also in the lagoon but closer to St Marks. Not sure of the prices these days but it isn't cheap. The Danieli is also pretty good and well located, quirky but impressive.

We ended our cruise Venice in August, it was our first time there and really did like it but everything is expensive but i did a lot of research before hand so we ready the the sticker shock. We stayed two extra nights after our cruise then flew out of Venice to JFK, Getting to the airport was not only easy but a really fun boat ride. So much nicer than sitting in traffic in a car. The key is pre planning your transportation needs. It is odd to spend two and a half days in a big city and not see a car.

Greetings from South Beach, newlondon. DH and I have been to Venice at least eight times. The last three times at Hotel Flora, S. Marco, 30124, Venezia, Italy. This is not a luxury hotel, three star. However, it is extremely charming. It is within a very short walk to the Piazza, and close to some charming restaurants. It doesn't have a private water entrnce, but it is within a tiny walk to a dock where we embarked and disembarked our water taxi. Breakfast in the garden is a treat.

Mary

I second Hotel Flora. We stayed there last year pre-cruise. Breakfast was simple but excellent. Air-con was good as temperatures were low 30s (centigrade) and very humid. A good quiet location, but no lift.

We took a bus from the airport to Piazzale Roma, end of the line for traffic and. We pre-purchased the ticket included our vaporeto pass for the duration of our stay plus the secret rooms tour (highly recommended, too) all on the one ticket.

OP doesn't mention what price range or hauling luggage capability.

Important to know that to get to Hotel Flora, a little bridge must be crossed. I'm not sure if the bridge is accessed by steps or a ramp; if steps, we wouldn't be able to manage with luggage. I know, though, that many people could.

Do you have points with any of the hotel chains? We've stayed at the Westin Europa several times and enjoy it. Feels nothing like being in a "chain" hotel. Wonderful location-- absolutely wonderful!-- handsome public spaces. Very "Venetian" feeling throughout. I'm not in love with the rooms (shower small, etc.), but I like the whole ambience. Nice to be able to use points for hotel stay, as everything is so expensive in Venice.

Actually, if walking from Piazzale Roma you need to cross two bridges. The first has a ramp, but the second smaller one has steps. But if you can't manage those or take a water taxi almost to the front door, the lack of a lift in the hotel may be the deal breaker. Most of the major chains are more 'central' in Venice, but these areas are much busier and, therefore, noisier as there are restrictions on the 'improvements' which can be done to these wonderful old buildings, eg double glazing.

If you don't need all your luggage, you can leave it in the left luggage office in the Piazzale Roma and either collect it en route to the airport or your cruise.

We too stayed at the Westin Europa prior to moving to the JW Marriott the night before our Venice to Istanbul cruise on Voyager last October. We loved the location of the Westin; not so in love with the JW Marriott. The Marriott seemed remote, and as it was our first visit to Venice, there were lots of places we wanted to visit. We did splurge and took a private water taxi from the airport to the Westin; lovely way to begin our stay!

Unfortunately points are Marriott and the location of JWM just doesn't suit.

newlondon: Marriott and Starwood have joined awards programs. If you'd like, you could use your Marriott points in one of Venice's good Starwood properties. I'm pretty sure I'm correct about this.

Thank you everyone for the replies, we are definitely going to Venice and I feel very confident that with all the information provided we will mange well. Have a hotel recommended to me called Hotel Campiello which is very close to the San Zachariah stop on the Alilgunia. Would be interested to know if anyone has stayed there.

Thank you again for all the transportation information.

Pat

You are correct Poss. I haven't researched it yet because we don't know what day we will be flying in. I want to use my AA miles to buy FC and you sometimes have to be flexible as to date.

Bill, Please comment on the JW Marriott. We have a large inventory of Marriott points and could combine them with the Regent free night. We are concerned with the location and its accessibility. Also are there good views and a decent restaurant.

It might be easier to e-mail (wsloandotnl@gmail.com) Dot is the point not the word.

Just found this article that may be helpful: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-3884674/Seeing-new-Venice-Avoid-throng-unrivalled-view-trendy-island-resorts.html

Thanks, Bill. Does look a long way from town. If you stay please post a review.

Golfer 21: Looks like we'll be joining you on the cruise. Never been to Greece, so looking forward to it.

Couple years ago we stayed at the Hilton just across the canal from San Marco. Hotel provides a constant boat transfer every 10 min. Wonderful rooms and views. I would recommend.

I believe Regent used this hotel before switching to the Marriott.

Hi Lyndihop,

We are booked now too looking forward to all the new places we will see. Opted to do own air so going to Venice a few days early and may stay in Rome on way home. We are celebrating 50 yrs of marriage next year and I can't think of a better way to do it especially seeing Venice and the Greek islands. Posters on this thread have given us the confidence to navigate Venice by ourselves.

Pat

A note about Hotel Flora. It has an elevator. It does not have its own dock, but there is one right around the corner. Very convenient.