Venice - Pre cruise hotel rec please

Hi - Just booked a cruise starting in Venice. Can anyone recommend a hotel for the night pre-cruise. Hopefully one with easy access to pier. Thanks.

Really depends on what you want to pay and what you need in room.

Try looking at veniceforvisitors .com... Lots of good information...:cool:

you need to provide more information .... what's your budget? how many people? can you manage your luggage easily in order to walk a few blocks?

Piazzale Roma is generally the most convenient area because it is the last point of land travel into Venice so its where taxis and buses drop off passengers from the airport,

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

My wife and I are staying at Best Western Hotel Olimpia. It is close to the port.

Dennis

Thanks for that great info so far. We've walked Venice twice already, once on a cruise and once on a land tour. We are just looking for a clean, convenient pre cruise stay where 2 very tired travelers want to get a good nights sleep pre cruise. The palazzia Roma sounds perfect. I've already checked out a few hotels there. Thanks again :)

If you've been there before and don't plan on sightseeing in Venice prior to the cruise, Mestre might be a good location for you. It's the last city on the mainland before you cross the causeway into Venice. Hotels there are much cheaper since it's NOT venice. And if you stay by the Mestre train station you can easily take the ATVO airport express bus which drops off at the train station. And you can take a cab to the pier the next day.

There's info on Mestre hotels in that link I provided earlier.

We had been to Venice previously so the night before our cruise we stayed in a small town about halfway between the airport and Venice. We just used the public bus for 1E. Our hotel was only $100. Got up the next morning, had our complimentary b'fast, wandered around town, used the cash machine, bought a few things at the store then around 11am we caught a bus to Piazzale Roma .

Hi - Just booked a cruise starting in Venice. Can anyone recommend a hotel for the night pre-cruise. Hopefully one with easy access to pier. Thanks.

I stayed at this place:

http://www.hotelsantachiara.it

It has an elevator and complimentary breakfast. You can get there from the airport by land taxi. Easy walk to restaurants and shops.

The Hotel Papadopoli is very convenient and friendly place near the train station to stay.

Loved our stay there.

I stayed at this place:

 

 

 

http://www.hotelsantachiara.it

 

 

 

It has an elevator and complimentary breakfast. You can get there from the airport by land taxi. Easy walk to restaurants and shops.

We stayed in Santa Chiara as well but did not like it at all. The only thing nice about it is the location. Last time we stayed in Mestre. Just 10 minutes by very frequent train and great hotels there.

We just got back from our Med. cruise. For the second time, we stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott close to the airport. The hotel will come and get you. After you check in, you can take the bus right in front of the hotel for a small fee right into Plaza Roma. It runs at night also for the ride back. To get to the cruise, we took the hotel shuttle back to the airport and then the bus to Plaza Roma that puts the luggage under the bus.

This was much less expensive than the Best Western Olimpia and is modern with a great bed and bathroom. There is coffee maker, but breakfast is extra.

DH liked the Olimpia, but I did not enjoy the lack of modern elevator and lack of a good bed and bathroom.

Hello,

Firstly sorry to crash your post by asking a question rather than suggesting a suitable hotel for your stay.

We have been told sailing in and out of Venice through the Grand Canal is all about to change when the purpose built port well away from the city is completed

Can anyone confirm this or is it just a Italian myth ? ;)

Thanking you.

Zephyr.

Hello,

 

 

 

Firstly sorry to crash your post by asking a question rather than suggesting a suitable hotel for your stay.

 

We have been told sailing in and out of Venice through the Grand Canal is all about to change when the purpose built port well away from the city is completed

 

Can anyone confirm this or is it just a Italian myth ? ;)

 

 

 

Thanking you.

 

 

 

Zephyr.

Cruise ships do not sail the Grand Canal. That is for Vaporettas and Gondolas. No way a cruise ship will fit under Accademia or Rialto bridge...

They do sail in the Giudecca Canal, passing San Marco square. And that will change for larger ships. There are several posts about this on CC.

I would not let this change affect my pre or post cruise choices.

Hi - Just booked a cruise starting in Venice. Can anyone recommend a hotel for the night pre-cruise. Hopefully one with easy access to pier. Thanks.

We stayed at the Hotel Arlecchino next door to the best western olympia

One bridge from where the taxis drop you off and you are allowed to use the bar and gardens in the best western.

The hotel was very nice, I would describe it as shabby chique, very Venitian with smallish rooms

we were lucky and got rooms with views of the canals.

The chap on reception was fantastic, at about 10:30am we arrived 1 day pre cruise, the foyer was packed with bags from customers leaving that day but he managed to find us space to store our luggage until the 2pm check in time. He then made a quick phone call and told us that he would get one of our rooms ready by 11:30am so we would not have to long to wait as it was raining slightly.

Breakfast was continental on the first floor though the room is small but breakfast was good

We would definitely recommend this hotel

I did not see the rooms in the best western but the bar and gardens were very nice

The hotel santa chiara was having some major remodelling work done around the area

The Hotel Papadopoli was also close by and if you have heavy bags this would be easier to get to as the bridge has ramps on the one side of the steps all the way across for disabled access

Hello,

 

Firstly sorry to crash your post by asking a question rather than suggesting a suitable hotel for your stay.

We have been told sailing in and out of Venice through the Grand Canal is all about to change when the purpose built port well away from the city is completed

Can anyone confirm this or is it just a Italian myth ? ;)

 

Thanking you.

 

Zephyr.

Venice has been discussing building a port on the mainland south of Venice for years. I remember our hotel proprietor telling us about this proposal back in 2007. Well, it still is being discussed but no action taken has been taken. The procession of cruise ships down Guidecca continues.

Another vote for the Hotel Arlecchino. We were there for a couple of nights less than two months ago. We caught the ATVO bus from the airport to Piazzale Roma and could see the hotel as soon as we stepped off the bus. Only one bridge to cross to get to it. Very friendly and helpful staff. Small room, but then I had booked the cheapest option! Clean and perfectly adequate. We were in a corner, so had two views, one down a canal, and one across to Piazzale Roma. Good breakfast. Excellent free wi-fi. Would definitely use it again.

BTW was pleased I had not booked the Santa Chiara, which I considered. It, together with another building under construction, is an island in the middle of foot and vehicle traffic. A very busy spot. When we were there it looked like renovations were underway, as well as major construction and roadworks around it. The Arlecchino was in a much nicer position. Just my opinion.

Hi - Well, that's where we're booked. Now please tell me about the ATVO bus you took to the hotel area. What about luggage? How much? I just assumed we'd take a taxi but this sounds good. Thanks.

Hi - Well, that's where we're booked. Now please tell me about the ATVO bus you took to the hotel area. What about luggage? How much? I just assumed we'd take a taxi but this sounds good. Thanks.

The ATVO is extremely convenient and cheap. 6E pp for the 20 minute ride. Buses leave every 30 minutes, at 20 and 50 minutes past the hour. They are like greyhound buses with a luggage hold beneath. Just be sure to get on the right bus .... the Piazzale Roma bus, not the Mestre.

http://www.atvo.it/en-venice-airport.html

The bus drops you at Piazzale Roma and it's less than 5 minutes to the hotel.

Look in the link I provided earlier for the walking directions.

I guess you've already found a hotel, but just in case it helps future people looking for a hotel in Venice: I looked around a lot and finally settled on the Hotel Rio (or Hotel Rio Albergia or something like that). It is in the Castello section, but very close to St. Mark's Square, which means it will be bustling but convenient. The rooms are small but modern and nicely furnished. You can either take the Alilaguna water bus from the airport (1 hour 20 mins, unfortunately, but at least you'll have a scenic tour, including a stop at Murano) and then walk an easy 5 minutes and one very easy, fairly flat bridge to get to the hotel. In late Sept. on a Saturday the price of the hotel is $223 (forget the euro equivalent - maybe 180 or so?) I picked it as there are lots of water buses near there, and it's a no brainer to get there from the water bus stop, etc. It gets great reviews. There are multiple floors without an elevator, but if you request the first floor (one flight of steps, like 2nd floor would be in the U.S.) it shouldn't be such an awful trek upstairs. Much as the Alilaguna water bus trip sounds great (and is set up to handle luggage), I think it takes a little longer than the bus from the airport to Piazalle Roma and then a water bus from there to the Zaccaria water bus stop. We will likely store our big bags at P. Roma for 6 euros per bag to make it easier to take the water bus. Then to get to the port, we'll take another water bus back to P. Roma, collect our bags, and then take the People Mover to the port (or water bus to San Basilio if the ship ends up there. The smaller ships often go there).

Venice fills up fast, especially on the weekends - don't wait to book a hotel!

We just returned end of September from our second cruise out of Venice. We stayed at the Hilton Molino Stucky this time with Hilton points so was great for us. The first trip to Venice we stayed at the Abbazzia hotel near the train station. One thing to remember about Venice is that you will have challenges with luggage getting to anywhere. We took the bus from the airport to Piazza Roma the first trip and then hauled our luggage over two small bridges and one main one to get to the hotel. This time we did the private water taxi to the hotel from the airport but even that had us walking with luggage about 5 to 8 minutes (was fine in nice weather but could have been miserable in rain) to the water taxi docks.

Getting to the cruise ship also involves some walking with luggage (we came this time off the Alilaguna which is a great from the Hilton as only one stop) but again I was SO thankful the weather was nice as there would have been no way to hold an umbrella and haul luggage. It was a good walk from the Alilaguna to the terminal. They did have a shuttle when we got off the ship that would have taken you to the Alilaguna stop but I never saw that on arrival.

That being said.. I love Venice. I am hoping to return in 2016 and just do an entire 10 days in Italy without a cruise. The Hilton is on the Guidecca so the only drawback is you must rely in their shuttle but it was a beautiful hotel (although the Abbazzia was as well but that was 2008 so can't verify recent info). I was amazed at the crowds compared to our last visit but thankfully we were still able to wander and feel like it wasn't too crowded. The scenery is beyond compare.

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Getting to the cruise ship also involves some walking with luggage (we came this time off the Alilaguna which is a great from the Hilton as only one stop) but again I was SO thankful the weather was nice as there would have been no way to hold an umbrella and haul luggage. It was a good walk from the Alilaguna to the terminal. They did have a shuttle when we got off the ship that would have taken you to the Alilaguna stop but I never saw that on arrival.

 

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I've seen references to a shuttle to the port (which I assume is the normal port for large ships - Marittima) but haven't really been able to nail down if it exists and if so, where it goes. Would you happen to know if the shuttle to the Alilaguna stop was something arranged by your cruise ship, operated by the port, or what? Also, some people have mentioned a shuttle from the end of the People Mover to the ships. Do you, or anyone, know about that?

My wife and I are staying at Best Western Hotel Olimpia. It is close to the port.

 

Dennis

Also BW Hotel Olimpia. Fantastic little place and only 1 bridge from Piazza and People Mover. Did it easy with 4 suitcases, 2 people. Was expecting pokey little room but got what was almost an apartment. All Hotels are expensive in Venice, this about $300 pn in September.

I've seen references to a shuttle to the port (which I assume is the normal port for large ships - Marittima) but haven't really been able to nail down if it exists and if so, where it goes. Would you happen to know if the shuttle to the Alilaguna stop was something arranged by your cruise ship, operated by the port, or what? Also, some people have mentioned a shuttle from the end of the People Mover to the ships. Do you, or anyone, know about that?

The alilaguna stop is a regular stop on the blue line. The people mover runs from Piazza Roma to the cruise port whereas the alilaguna takes you to the port directly. The Hilton Molino Stucky stop on the alilaguna is a fairly new stop (sometime this year) but is a regular stop now as well unless you are traveling at a very off season time? You can verify on the alilaguna website.

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Thanks for this thread and the replies. We'll be there pre-cruise June 2015. My MIL will be w/us. She's reasonably mobile for her age but we definitely need to consider her than if it was just my DH & 2 pre-teen boys.

It sounds like the aaforementioned suggestions in Piazzale Roma are suitable mobility-wise for most people, as far as sightseeing & getting to the ship. Please chime in if this isn't the case. Thanks.

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Thanks for the good info.

Hotel Santa Chiara. It's right off the lot where the airport bus drops you off. No going over bridges and a short walk. We loved it.

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