Venice: In Bound & Out Bound Advice Requested

[Westcoastsbz]

I will be coming into Venice 1 day before the embarkation on our cruise and will be staying two days after debarkation. Can anyone suggest the best places to stay on the first day in Venice to make the transition from hotel to the cruise port an easy one and where to stay and do on the day of debarkation at the heart of Venice? I have an early 7 am flight and wanted to know which hotels would you recommend and if they provide an early shuttle (from your experience). I want to thank you in advance for sharing your knowledge and experience.

[euro cruiser]

I don't know of any hotel in Venice that provides a shuttle to the airport, other than those located right at the airport (eight land miles from Venice proper).

 

The closest place to the cruise port is Piazzale Roma, I'd look for a hotel there. Actually, in order to facilitate your departure I'd probably stay in the same place upon return, as Piazzale Roma is the last drivable point in Venice. If you stay near there you can get a land cab to the airport for departure.

 

You can also travel to and from the airport by water, either on a public water bus (Alilaguna) or a private water taxi (about €120). It takes more than twice as long to travel by water, however, and in the dark (your early morning departure) you lose a lot of the reason to do it since you can't see much.

[roothy123]

I have heard several people on here recommend Hotel Arlecchino, although I may have spelled that incorrectly. It's near Piazzale Roma. The best info I've found on Venice hotels is "europe for visitors" because they tell you how many bridges you need to cross to get to various hotels. That's an important thing to remember in Venice.

 

Tomsportguides.com is also good. He has quite a bit about hotels in Venice, plus the suburban area of Mestre, which is closer to the airport but not exactly Venice.

[mapleleaves]

Can you easily manage your luggage ?

Cruisers find the Piazzale Roma is a convenient place to stay. It's where buses and taxis drop off passengers from the airport (a 20 minute drive away.) Plus it's a block away from the Grand Canal, and only a block from the entrance to the People Mover (the monorail to the pier).

 

If you can't manage your luggage the Ca Doge and Santa Chiara are right on Piazzalev Roma so the taxi can drop you at the door or walk a short block from the bus stop.

If you can manage a small bridge, there are 3-4 other hotels closeby.

Use this link for info:

 

http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/bridges/piazzale-roma.htm

 

Lots of other useful info in that site ... transportation, tours, things to see, etc

http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/articles/vi-index.htm

[Westcoastsbz]

Thank you all for sharing your expertise and experience.

I do not know the area well, so I will do more research on the layout of Venice.

Thank you for your suggestions.

[ritraveler]

We've stayed at Hotel Arlecchino for a night pre-cruise and found it to be very convenient and reasonably priced. We took a bus from Marco Polo airport to Piazale Roma and walked to the hotel. We may stay there again next year when we cruise out of Venice again. Good luck and enjoy your cruise!

[jkeller527]

You can try hotel ANTONY they are on the outskirts and have a shuttle from the airport and then to the cruise port package.

[Hlitner]

We also prefer to stay in the Piazale Roma (our home away from home is Ca Doge) where you have 3 choices (Ca Doge (a small inn), Santa Chiara, and Best Western Olimpia). The big advantage of these hotels is convenience. From the airport you can go outside (from the luggage area) and just take the express ATVO bus that is a nice coach type bus with unlimited luggage storage underneath. That bus is relatively inexpensive and will take you non-stop to the Piazale Roma from where you simply walk to one of those hotels. When it comes time to go to your ship you can simply use the People Mover that will take you from the P. Roma to the port for less than 2 Euros. The P. Roma is also a main Vaporetto base where you can easily access the vaporetto system to go anywhere in Venice or the other islands.

 

Hank

[grandmacani]

I have stayed at the Santa Chiara and loved it. Got right off the bus from the airport and walked across the parking lot and there it was. We loved that there was a post office and a grocery store within walking distance from the hotel. Its small and quaint and had a great breakfast to get us started. We liked that there was a vaporetta stop near. Getting to the ship we just hailed a cab to take us and it was much easier than walking to the people mover and juggling luggage. Have a super great time. Taking the last cruise on the Carnival Vista prior to the transatlantic and miss not returning to Venice.

[RMLincoln]

If the hotels mentioned in previous posts are in your budget they are good for location and convenience.

 

But to save money we stay in Mestre, 5 minutes out of Venice by bus (or train). We arrive by train and leave by air (this next trip... last trip we arrived by train and left by ship).

 

We use Hotel Montepiana, 2 blocks from the Mestra (last stop before Venice) train station and bus stop for the bus into Venice (Piaz. Roma). Mestre also has a bus direct to the airport. We pay roughly $100/night for a double with bath. Very friendly and helpful, family-owned and run hotel, good breakfast with pastries, cereals, cheese, fruit, coffee, juice, other beverages too.

 

For us the saving is worth the extra few minutes for the bus to cross the causeway to Piaz. Roma where we pick up the vaporettos or for the People Mover to the cruise ship. A vaporetto pass is good for the bus to Mestre too.

Edited March 29, 2015 by RMLincoln

[Hlitner]

Lets be a bit more honest about Mestre :). It is about a 20 minute train ride (plus the time you spend getting to the Mestre station and waiting for the next train) and even a longer bus ride. Here is my take on Mestre. This is an area on the mainland (across the lagoon from Venice) used by many lower cost land tours. Mestre does offer some excellent value hotels/motels and is a desired location for those on a budget trip. However, Mestre is not Venice in any way, shape, or form! Staying in Mestre would be somewhat akin to visiting New York City and staying over in New Jersey.

 

So, we do think Mestre is fine if on a tight budget, but it is just not the same as staying in Venice. We walk out of the front door of our hotel and we are in Venice. Late at night we can just stroll back (after a late dinner) to our hotel enjoying the atmosphere.

 

Hank

Edited March 29, 2015 by Hlitner

[Ashland]

Lets be a bit more honest about Mestre :). It is about a 20 minute train ride (plus the time you spend getting to the Mestre station and waiting for the next train) and even a longer bus ride. Here is my take on Mestre. This is an area on the mainland (across the lagoon from Venice) used by many lower cost land tours. Mestre does offer some excellent value hotels/motels and is a desired location for those on a budget trip. However, Mestre is not Venice in any way, shape, or form! Staying in Mestre would be somewhat akin to visiting New York City and staying over in New Jersey.

 

So, we do think Mestre is fine if on a tight budget, but it is just not the same as staying in Venice. We walk out of the front door of our hotel and we are in Venice. Late at night we can just stroll back (after a late dinner) to our hotel enjoying the atmosphere.

 

Hank

What hotel did or have you used ?

[roothy123]

I'm not Hank, but last year after much consideration I booked a fairly new hotel very close to San Marco that looked nice and wasn't too expensive. I haven't stayed yet, so can't say what it's like, however. The rooms look to be more modern than most (though small), it's close to one of the slightly less-traveled vaporetto stops without going over a bridge, at the time they offered a res that could be canceled, and the staff was very responsive by email, so those things made it attractive. They've also assured me they can give me a room only one floor up from reception, as we will probably bring our luggage along. Staying at San Marco sounds good from a logistical standpoint, but of course I also realize it can be jam-packed with tourists, especially with large cruise ships in town. I sometimes wish I had found something in Dorsoduro (quieter and more authentic) but I've decided that as a photographer I would like to be able to get to a few key places with a minimum of boating and fuss, so will stay put. Hotel is Hotel Rio if you want to check it out. I would just make sure you notice that many places in Venice do not allow free cancellations unless you book them months and months in advance, so be careful when booking. Also, think about what you'll do with some or all of your luggage (store it at Piazzale Roma or lug it to hotel and to cruise port?) and how you'll manage with it if you drag it along the streets and stepped bridges. Ask if a hotel has an elevator and if they have breakfast, though that shouldn't be a big consideration in my mind around San Marco. Get good directions to the hotel, based on landmarks, not just streets. Don't pay too much attention to star ratings. I looked up the rating scheme and it's not based so much on attractiveness and location as it is basic "things" like having an elevator or a restaurant. In a city like Venice, there are building/remodeling restrictions that make many hotels very basic. Mestre is a little different, so you'll find more hotels with the amenities that most Americans expect from a hotel - elevator, for example.

[Hlitner]

What hotel did or have you used ?

 

We do not stay in Mestre :). In Venice are usual home away from home is Ca Doge, which is a small B&B like place located right in the Pizzale Roma. We have also stayed at the Luna Hotel Baglioni which is a high price property located close to St Marks Square.

 

Hank