How to save $ in Venice?

Update: Booked Hotel Campiello in Venice and Doubletree Hilton somewhere North of Venice.

If any of these made sense[emoji846]

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Which hotel are you staying at pre cruise & which after?

Hotel Campiello is on an alley way right off of Riva Delgi Schiavoni, which is near where my pre cruise hotel was last Nov.. It was a great location, an easy walk to St. Marks and as it wasn't really tourist season not terribly busy. I especially enjoyed an early morning walk to see the Aqua Alta coming in to St. Marks. I also happened to see my ship The Vision OTS quietly gliding in that early morning from my hotel room window - it was magic!

If this is your pre cruise hotel the cheapest option is to bus from the airport to P. Roma then schlepp your luggage over to buy your vaporetto passes then find the correct vaporetto to get to your stop - San Zacharia. I ran into a couple of hopelessly lost people from the ship post cruise trying to figure out which vaporetto to take and where to get off to find their hotel.

It really is confusing if you've never been & P. Roma is especially hectic w/ buses, taxis, trains, pedestrians & vaporettos all converging in the same general area.

If you do the bus/vaporetto route you can get a 24 or 48 hr. vaporetto pass and be set to jump on and off as you like

I used the Alilaguna boat (blue line) to get from the airport to my hotel & then from the hotel to the pier the next day last Nov. and my hotel was on Riva Delgi Sciavoni near the Arsenale stop which is a short distance from where your hotel is. The Alilaguna costs more than grabbing the bus at the airport and then shlepping w/ your luggage @ P. Roma to catch the right vaporetto, but it was a nice relaxing boat ride into Venice w/ lots of stops, but since it was raining I was happy to sit back and look out the window & it was an easy way to get to the ship the next day. I saved a couple of euro by buying my Alilaguna ticket online from home. I redeemed it down by the pier by the airport (a bit of a walk but well marked pathway) & then bought the next day's ticket to get to the cruise port there at the pier ( I wasn't sure which ticket I needed for that trip so waited to buy it.)

Which hotel are you staying at pre cruise & which after?

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As of now i added Hotel Santa Chiara to the mix and am keepin' a close watch on Hotel Olimpia, and It might really come down to these two plus Hotel Campiello as the dark horse. Post cruise is up in the air, because the airfare is cheaper if we fly on the same day that we're gettin' off the ship, the flight out of Venice is at 12:45 pm so that's another thing to consider. I am travelling with kids with probably 2 luggages, we are arriving at 7:30am and the only thing i see to make Hotel Campiello work is to take the water taxi from the airport (maybe 90 euro for 4 of us?). Campiello had free breakfast and the cheapest among the bunch, and its where the action is and would like to make it work. Sharing yur experience somehow elevated it back to my consciousness..Thank you for that.

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As of now i added Hotel Santa Chiara to the mix and am keepin' a close watch on Hotel Olimpia, and It might really come down to these two plus Hotel Campiello as the dark horse. Post cruise is up in the air, because the airfare is cheaper if we fly on the same day that we're gettin' off the ship, the flight out of Venice is at 12:45 pm so that's another thing to consider. I am travelling with kids with probably 2 luggages, we are arriving at 7:30am and the only thing i see to make Hotel Campiello work is to take the water taxi from the airport (maybe 90 euro for 4 of us?). Campiello had free breakfast and the cheapest among the bunch, and its where the action is and would like to make it work. Sharing yur experience somehow elevated it back to my consciousness..Thank you for that.

 

 

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We flew at 12:45 disembark day on Vueling with no issues. We did take the RC shuttle, but I don't think it was necessary in hindsight. We had to be sure we got to Barcelona that night to get on Harmony TA the next day.

We flew at 12:45 disembark day on Vueling with no issues. We did take the RC shuttle, but I don't think it was necessary in hindsight. We had to be sure we got to Barcelona that night to get on Harmony TA the next day.

I may have to bite the bullet for the right price...and perks[emoji846]

Will RC shuttle guarantee expedited disembarkation?. Do i need to book this prior?(I dont see anythin' on my cruise planner).

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The private water taxis and the Alilaguna boats are right next to each other at the pier that you walk to from the airport terminal. The trip from the airport to Venice on the Alilaguna is €14 each (pre purchase on line) & kids under 6 are free. Once you leave the airport you ride through the various stops until you get to yours - from airport to the Riva Delgi Schiavoni stops takes at least an hour, but it's nice to see Venice from the water. One thing I noticed was that unlike the first time I stayed in Venice these days the bridges along the Riva have ramps on one side enabling you to wheel your suitcases over them. Most of the bridges around the P. Roma don't have that.

The morning it's time to board your ship you can catch the Alilaguna boat where you got off to go to the cruise port for another €7 (online pre purchase price.)

I stayed at the Hotel Garibaldi pre cruise & they must have upgraded me as I only paid for a single/no view & I had a lovely corner room overlooking the water. The included breakfast was very impressive as well.

Post cruise I stayed near P. Roma 3 nights. I had a very early flight & needed to be close to the airport bus. The Hotel Gardenia was 2 bridges from P. Roma (or 3, depending on route) but very easy to find and it was nice & reasonably priced for my canal view room, but I preferred my pre cruise hotel.

Do make sure that your hotel has a lift/elevator - some don't & hauling luggage up a few flights of stairs isn't much fun.

Hotel Garibaldi is a wonderful suggestion, 1st hotel i seen that goes under $500 for a quad room for 2 nights.. Now i can allocate some $ for a taxi down from the airport, its really gettin there(San Zaccaria) on the first day after an 8.5 flight with kids plus the 1.5 hr vaporetto transfer are the only stuff that is feedin' my reluctance to take those St.Marks hotels seriously.. But now, it's ON..

Gracie mille[emoji3]

Edit: Is it only on Mestre?

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Hotel Garibaldi is a wonderful suggestion, 1st hotel i seen that goes under $500 for a quad room for 2 nights.. ]

I don't know what amenities you require but there are quads available for under $250 a night. You might have to cross the large bridge over the Grand Canal at Piazzale Roma but these hotels are less than 10 minutes from the ATVO bus drop off point.

http://www.hotelilmorodivenezia.eu/wp/?lang=en

http://www.hotelslucia.com/rooms.htm

https://www.albergomarin.it/

I see that venere.com is now hotels.com but use their map feature to find a hotel w/I walking distance of P Roma. (we have used apts for 3 nite stays and paid $250 a night).

I don't know what amenities you require but there are quads available for under $250 a night. ).

Finding a hotel room that accomodates 4 is the challenge that im facing right now, at Santa Chiara they assigned me a room(Quad) though not on their main bldg.,but to some place called Residenza Parisi, $787 for 2 nights and that doesnt even includebreakfast. I booked anyway.

Olimpia is still quoting me at $1,065 for a quad for 2 nights. Campiello meanwhile has it for $713 with breakfast so i booked that too.

Thanks for the links, i will look at that right now as i finish typin this post[emoji3].

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Hotel Garibaldi is a wonderful suggestion, 1st hotel i seen that goes under $500 for a quad room for 2 nights.. Now i can allocate some $ for a taxi down from the airport, its really gettin there(San Zaccaria) on the first day after an 8.5 flight with kids plus the 1.5 hr vaporetto transfer are the only stuff that is feedin' my reluctance to take those St.Marks hotels seriously.. But now, it's ON..

Gracie mille[emoji3]

 

Edit: Is it only on Mestre?

 

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Given that you are a group of 4, this might be the time to splurge and hire a water taxi from the airport to a Venice hotel (unless you are close to the P. Roma where the bus makes more sense). Although those water taxis are very expensive (up to 120€ from the airport) it is a really neat way to get an introduction to Venice. And your kids will talk about that water taxi ride for a long time.

Hank

Finding a hotel room that accomodates 4 is the challenge that im facing right now, at Santa Chiara they assigned me a room(Quad) though not on their main bldg.,but to some place called Residenza Parisi, $787 for 2 nights and that doesnt even includebreakfast. I booked anyway.

Olimpia is still quoting me at $1,065 for a quad for 2 nights. Campiello meanwhile has it for $713 with breakfast so i booked that too.

Thanks for the links, i will look at that right now as i finish typin this post[emoji3].

 

 

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When we took our kids to Europe (in 1995!) we had to splurge and have two rooms as there were few quads at that stage. I am afraid that Venice is simply an expensive destination. We have stayed in Mestre when we were young and backpacking, stayed in Venice itself in 1995 but for only one night. Last time we stayed on Giudecca Island, in style, on a golfing tour. But the best stay was definitely in Venice itself where we could wander around freely.

Overall, last May, we found Italy to be cheap. But Venice is an exception.

Finding a hotel room that accomodates 4 is the challenge that im facing right now, at Santa Chiara they assigned me a room(Quad) though not on their main bldg.,but to some place called Residenza Parisi, $787 for 2 nights and that doesnt even includebreakfast. I booked anyway.

Olimpia is still quoting me at $1,065 for a quad for 2 nights. Campiello meanwhile has it for $713 with breakfast so i booked that too.

Thanks for the links, i will look at that right now as i finish typin this post[emoji3].

 

 

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Even for 3 its a challenge. I ended up booking B&B with private bathroom. :o

Didn't read all the posts, so some may be repetitive, but:

1. We really enjoyed taking the ACTV vaporettos around, just riding more than stopping, on a 24 hour pass. Just make sure you know ACTV vaporettos are different from the yellow Alilaguna vaporettos. We saw people being ticketed on the way back from Murano/Burano on an ACTV boat. The tickets are not interchangeable.

2. I also just liked walking around and looking at things, although of course, it's very easy to get lost. At least getting lost was free!

3. We stayed on the island at Hotel Rio - not fancy, but quite adequate and extremely convenient, although I don't know if they have rooms for 4. I was glad we ended up staying there and not in Mestre as it was so easy to go out, come back, go back out. We ate away from the tourist crush and while nothing was cheap, prices were a little better (and food perhaps was too) than around San Marco and some of the more popular areas. For dinner one night we asked someone working in the Rio where to eat, and he suggested walking about 15 minutes away from the San Marco area to a small restaurant that we liked quite a bit.

I've seen this before, Its like FLL pre cruise hotel again.. This time Hyatt is Sta Chiara and Riverside Hotel is Campiello, one close to the terminal the other in the middle of all the action(but expensive dining)..Oh well hopefully stayin near St.Marks is well worth it this time.. Mestre is off the list now.

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Airbnb has good deals!

Airbnb has good deals!

Someone posted recently on TA about false advertising for a rental apartment because it was advertised as being "in Venice" but was actually located on the mainland. The poster did not realize that the city of Venice includes quite a bit of the mainland, so the ad was misleading only to those who don't know enough about the place they are visiting to ask the right questions.

For example, the address of the airport is Via Galileo Galilei, 30/1, 30173 Tessera, Venezia VE. Technically that's in Venice, but most visitors aren't looking to rent an apartment at the airport.

Hi there

So thinking of spending 2 nights pre cruise in May (Thurs & Fri). Cruise is held (not final payment) but have not pulled the trigger on airfare or hotels as we juggling a few items.

Airfare from the NY has come down and with miles is now looking very attractive.

Not that familiar with Venice, and this Thread has been a godsend, so thanks to the original poster and those whom have shared their knowledge. Rapidly trying to do some homework.

Venice looks so complicated.... - just need to get my bearings.

We love to walk sightsee etc and happy to walk around use public transport/ water taxis etc after we have settled in.

However not with luggage. So my goal is to get from the airport to to our Hotel, then to the ship and then back to the airport the most efficient way where hauling luggage is not part of that equation.

So I get that a private water taxi to our hotel is probably the best way ($$ aside.) Is that the only way door to door or can one take a regular Taxi as well. I see very little mention of regular motor vehicles / road taxis. Are they not common use?

Same question for Hotel to Port and then back to Airport.

Of course I have not chosen hotel yet either but it will be central to maximize time.

Many thanks

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Venice looks so complicated.... - just need to get my bearings....So I get that a private water taxi to our hotel is probably the best way ($$ aside.) Is that the only way door to door or can one take a regular Taxi as well. I see very little mention of regular motor vehicles / road taxis. Are they not common use?

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There are no roads, no taxis on the Venetian islands. There is a causeway to one of the islands for cars, buses, and trains. At the end of the causeway there is a train station, parking garages, bus stops. From there, you walk or go by water vehicle. Many comments earlier in the thread were about finding hotels near that causeway terminus so that the walking-to-hotel would be minimal. If you choose this approach, then you are on one edge of the cluster of islands, which is ok if you don't mind that you can't just quickly stop back by your hotel mid-day if you are out exploring. A hotel in this area also seems to have advantages for transport to the port, but I have no personal experience yet with this aspect of the situation.

My previous trip I flew in, took a vaporetto to a stop near my hotel for a work-related meeting. A few days later, used a vaporetto to switch to another hotel. A few days later walked to the train station, train to Mestre, rental car through Northern Italy for a week. Returned car, train back to the island, vaporetto to yet another hotel. A few days later, vaparetto back to the airport. My wife was recovering from knee surgery so we did try to minimize walking.

Airbnb has good deals!

We routinely rent apartments in foreign lands, although AirBnB is not our favorite method. But no matter how you make arrangements, it is helpful to get (and check out) some references from prior visitors. And always keep in mind that if a deal seems a bit too good to be true...there is usually a reason.

Hank

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So I get that a private water taxi to our hotel is probably the best way ($$ aside.) Is that the only way door to door or can one take a regular Taxi as well. I see very little mention of regular motor vehicles / road taxis. Are they not common use?

...

In Venice proper - all wheeled modes of transport (buses, taxis, trains) can go no further than P. Roma. So for 99% of traditional Venice you must use some form of boat and/or your feet to get around. In fact police 'cars' and ambulances in Venice are boats.

Regarding getting to/from the pier - the People mover from the pier stops at P. Roma. I used it to get from my ship to my post cruise hotel.

Regarding where to stay find a hotel near an Alilaguna stop & it's pretty easy to use them to get to your hotel from the airport & then from your hotel to the pier if you want to pay less than the cost of a private water taxi (they leave from the same place by the airport.) Or find a hotel by P. Roma and take a taxi or bus from the airport to P. Roma and walk to your hotel, then use the People mover to get to the pier.

There are no roads, no taxis on the Venetian islands. There is a causeway to one of the islands for cars, buses, and trains. At the end of the causeway there is a train station, parking garages, bus stops. From there, you walk or go by water vehicle. Many comments earlier in the thread were about finding hotels near that causeway terminus so that the walking-to-hotel would be minimal. If you choose this approach, then you are on one edge of the cluster of islands, which is ok if you don't mind that you can't just quickly stop back by your hotel mid-day if you are out exploring. A hotel in this area also seems to have advantages for transport to the port, but I have no personal experience yet with this aspect of the situation.

 

My previous trip I flew in, took a vaporetto to a stop near my hotel for a work-related meeting. A few days later, used a vaporetto to switch to another hotel. A few days later walked to the train station, train to Mestre, rental car through Northern Italy for a week. Returned car, train back to the island, vaporetto to yet another hotel. A few days later, vaparetto back to the airport. My wife was recovering from knee surgery so we did try to minimize walking.

Thank you, that explains the piece I was missing and helps.

In Venice proper - all wheeled modes of transport (buses, taxis, trains) can go no further than P. Roma. So for 99% of traditional Venice you must use some form of boat and/or your feet to get around. In fact police 'cars' and ambulances in Venice are boats.

Regarding getting to/from the pier - the People mover from the pier stops at P. Roma. I used it to get from my ship to my post cruise hotel.

Regarding where to stay find a hotel near an Alilaguna stop & it's pretty easy to use them to get to your hotel from the airport & then from your hotel to the pier if you want to pay less than the cost of a private water taxi (they leave from the same place by the airport.) Or find a hotel by P. Roma and take a taxi or bus from the airport to P. Roma and walk to your hotel, then use the People mover to get to the pier.

Thank you, vey helpful

I'd agree with other members that it is best to stay near Piazzle Roma in the Santa Croce District. Not only are the hotels much cheaper there than in other districts, it is close to the train station, bus station and cruise port. It's a little bit of a walk to San Marco, however, but a beautiful one indeed!

Take the time to learn about Venice before you arrive and spend your limited time wisely:

http://VeniceItaly.ca/

There is no need to take tours or vaporetti (boats) as they can be quite expensive (assuming that you have no difficulties walking).

One last point: It's very easy to get lost in Venice. Take along a GPS-enabled phone or tablet. You can download a Google map to the mobile device and use it to help navigate. You don't require internet access if you download the map.

...Take the time to learn about Venice before you arrive and spend your limited time wisely:

 

http://VeniceItaly.ca/

 

There is no need to take tours or vaporetti (boats) as they can be quite expensive (assuming that you have no difficulties walking).

One-time trips are not cheap (6€) but buying a 1 or 2 or 3 or 7 day pass is not that horrendous. And the boats are not just about transportation - they are part of the Venetian experience. Unless you take a super expensive water taxi or a super duper gondola ride, you are not going to see much of Venice from the waterside. The bus at least gives you some appreciation for this.

Back again, i remember reading thru this thread that foodwise, im better off ordering food from the window and eating at some bar than gettin a table. How much is the difference anyway? How much should i budget for meal for 4 people per day? Is Venice more expensive than Rome? The reason i asked is because we were thinkin' of adding Rome to our itinerary. Thanks in advance my fellow travellers!

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Back again, i remember reading thru this thread that foodwise, im better off ordering food from the window and eating at some bar than gettin a table. How much is the difference anyway? How much should i budget for meal for 4 people per day? Is Venice more expensive than Rome? The reason i asked is because we were thinkin' of adding Rome to our itinerary. Thanks in advance my fellow travellers!

 

 

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Our hotel recommended eateries to us. I think the most we paid at a sit down restaurant was 27 eu for 2. We did eat some stand up and get it at the window food as well. Our breakfast was sumptuous and complimentary, so we ate a light lunch and a good dinner.