VENICE Hotel/transportation question, need help

[Andrea A]

I've been reading the posts and getting good hotels and B&B ideas, however I am still stumped about getting to the hotel sites from the airport (Marco Polo) and then 2 days later from hotel to Princess cruise terminal. Since we're 2 ladies traveling and arriving early evening, I am concerned about getting on/off public transport with our luggage/carry-ons,purses etc. I am good walker, but not such a good lugger and I hate to look like a target.

Can anyone recommend a moderate priced hotel in Venice that I can take a private taxi or water taxi to the hotel? I know this is an expensive way to get around but sounds more convenient and we may find others at airport to share taxi.

We're cruising on the Emerald Princess July 4th but arriving in Venice July 2nd.

Thanks

[mitaxi]

We are also two ladies that had the same dilema...settled on Locanda Orsairo... a B & B that you can take a water taxi to..

 

http://www.locandaorsaria.com/

[Andrea A]

Thank you Mitaxi .

I have e-mailed them regarding availability and rates. Were you satisfied with your stay/location?

I believe the Best Western Ala also has a private dock, anyone care to comment?

 

Has anyone stayed at Hotel Campiello of late. It sounds reasonable and seems to get good reviews.

Thanks

[mitaxi]

Thank you Mitaxi .

I have e-mailed them regarding availability and rates. Were you satisfied with your stay/location?

I believe the Best Western Ala also has a private dock, anyone care to comment?

 

Has anyone stayed at Hotel Campiello of late. It sounds reasonable and seems to get good reviews.

Thanks

 

ANdrea... we are not going until September...but did a lot of research and decided on this B & B...because of all rave reviews.. but actually I found in searching, a lot of Hotels have taxi private docks...

so if you stay there.. please let me know if you like it...have fun planning...it keeps you very busy

[Andrea A]

Hi,

I'm trying to decide between 2 B&B 's vs. Best Western where I imagine English is well spoken and problems/complaints should be handled as it is a corporate chain over individually owned. The B&B's do sound charming though and will probably give us a better flavor of Venice. The more I look/investigate the more immoblized I become.

I will definitely let you know if I stay at the place you recommended as I will be back before you go.

 

Still looking for input but hope to book soon so I can move on to Rome, then excursions.......then packing ideas, how to come up with the money and on and on........

 

Andrea

[travelingmcmahans]

Hi Andrea. I'm not sure about water taxi docks -- we took a water taxi to our B&B and the driver pulled as close as he could get to our entrance and just stopped alongside the sidewalk. We had to kind of clamber out of the boat then he handed our luggage to us. I don't think you have to be limited to B&Bs with water taxi docks because pretty much everything in Venice is accessible by boat. Hope that doesn't make your decision even harder :D

 

This is my friend climbing out.

 

 

[Andrea A]

Hi Travel........

Enjoyed the picture. I'm glad the luggage is handed to you or I'd be the first one who falls between water taxi and dock.

Do you mind if I asked where you stayed?

I'm told by most hotel sites and general info sites that a water taxi from airport to hotel should cost about 90 Euros but to settle price before boarding as there is no meter. Does this sound right to anyone who may be reading this? Is it 90 p/p or total.? Gee I sound so ignorant, obviously my first trip to Europe where I'm in charge of all arrangements.

Thanks so much,

Andrea

[Balliett]

Venice airport is not large. There is a booth where you can arrange a water taxi. Water taxis are like stretch limos on water. The price is per water taxi, not p/p. Once you are at your hotel (ours was Foscari Palace, excellent) the hotel will arrange your water taxi to the ship.

[travelingmcmahans]

Andrea, we stayed at 3749 Ponte Chiodo.

For Venice it was reasonably priced at about 100 euros for a room with private bath, including a good breakfast. In that price range I'd stay again. It's a few minutes walk to a vaporetto stand to take you across the canal to the RIalto fish market which is a great place to visit.

 

The water taxi price was 90 euros total, there were 4 of us with luggage and we fit easily. It is a remarkable way to arrive in Venice. Even the view *behind* us was magical!

 

[Andrea A]

Thanks for clearing up my water taxi question. 90 E total isn't too bad and sounds like the easiest and perhaps nicest way to arrive. I've already e-mailed B&B 3749 for availability and will look at Foscari Palace next. I think I'm spending more time and effort trying to find the right accomodations for my 2 night pre-cruise Venice stay then I spent on booking the 12 day cruise.

Next, I'll be tearing my hair out and bugging all again about Rome accomodations for my 3 night post cruise stay. Who says vacations are relaxing?? This is a lot of work ( LOL) Thank goodness for the internet and this great CC site or I"d be broke by now trying to call venice.

Andrea

[Balliett]

Dear Andrea, For hotel choices, do look at www.tripadvisor.com !

[HapiFeet]

I think I'm spending more time and effort trying to find the right accomodations for my 2 night pre-cruise Venice stay then I spent on booking the 12 day cruise.

Next, I'll be tearing my hair out and bugging all again about Rome accomodations for my 3 night post cruise stay. Who says vacations are relaxing?? This is a lot of work ( LOL) Thank goodness for the internet and this great CC site or I"d be broke by now trying to call venice.

Andrea

 

Hi Andrea - I know exactly what you mean. I just spent at least a week on TripAdvisor looking for the right location to arrive by train and not have my husband lug our suitcases over too many bridges. It's a good thing I don't work because travel planning is a full time job. Try looking on Google Earth, too. It gives you a good idea of the lay of the island. Venere.com also has info about each hotel, if you want to double-check the recommendations.

 

Now on to Rome (for me, too). Good luck.

 

HapiFeet

[Morgans]

Best Western Hotel Monte Carlo (about 1 minute from St.Marks Square) is easily accessed by water Taxi as it has its own dock. It's a lovely hotel and is bookable through your TA or over the internet. They will arrange a water taxi to be waiting for you to take you straight to the hotel. On cruise day there may well be a water bus from in front of the gardens near St. Marks which will take you straight to the ship - there was when we were there.

 

Marge M

[longislandfamily]

The Airport to hotel part is not too difficult, if your hotel is near a canal. The rate last summer was 75 euros, and our hotel made the arrangements. We did this tour last year, and it was the hotel to Princess pier that was the truly hard part. Princess does not provide any assistance whatsoever if you do not take their transfers, either from airport or from their hotels. I don't believe you can book the transfer from their pre-cruise hotel, if you don't actually stay at that hotel. Anyhow, our hotel gave us some wrong information and it ended up costing us. The water taxis only take you to Piazelle Roma, then you have to take a land taxi down to the pier. Some people choose to stay in the area of Piazelle Roma to simplify this transfer. Last year the water taxi was 75 euros to PR and the land taxi was another 30 euros. Good luck. You may be able to go on the roll call for your crusie to find out where others are staying, and share the costs of the water taxis. We were 4 people, so it was economically reasonable for us.

[Andrea A]

Believe it or not, in spite of my postings/questions, I have been looking at trip advisor, venere, google eatrh, my Frommer's 2007 Italy book I got for Christmas and spend hours reading roll call posts so I'm certainly prepared to make a decison, just overwhelmed I guess. A little impulsivity would do me good right now, but I'm a muller and a thinker. Perhaps I should ask my daughter to do this, she makes major decisions ( buying a car, house, furniture, etc. in 1 to 2 hours)

I'm determined to decide by Monday. I'm sure all options are nice and I do appreciate the information about staying closer to cruise port.

I've been leaning toward hotel Campiello (any feedback?, I have been reading reviews and they are very responsive to e-mails and reasonable for Venice)

I'll keep checking to see what others are doing........then it's on tp Rome and starting this process all over again.

It's freezing here today in sunny California ( at least by our standards) so not much else to do!

Andrea

[Nanatravel]

Andrea, sorry you have our "cold" weather in CA! We don't mind though, as we certainly will make up for it sooner than later.

 

I am doing the same as you; too much info and not enought hours in the day to finalzie plans. We will be disembarking in Venice and doing the opposite on our own. I am a planner and want all details in place before I book. I hope to deposit for my end of May cruise this coming week. From hotels that have responded, it is the opinion that a private Water Taxi at the higher price is the way to go. One of the comments about the WT going just to Piazzelle Roma is a little confusing. I do want to check that out!

 

Bon Voyage

[Andrea A]

I guess I have to stress about not only getting to the hotel with luggage but making sure I can easily get to cruise terminal without too many transfers. One of the hotels made it sound like a water taxi to the hotel is best and land taxi to cruise port is the way to go. I guess I better double check and make sure these are direct routes. Nice to know I'm not the only one who needs to research everything. My friend I'm traveling with is so laid back and says just e-mail her what I decided on.

After this trip, I have 2 more vacations to plan ( such problems!)

Enjoy your weather. My son left Seattle for Rochester New York and it has been colder and wetter in Seattle. He was hoping for a white Christmas. I'm sure the snow will come.

All the best,

Andrea

[cusyl]

For the mobility impaired an alternative to staying on the island is to stay on the mainland where you can take all land transportation door to door.:rolleyes: At first I thought there was no way I could visit Venice, but it was quite easy with the train and the bus with no luggage. The water bus 24 hour ticket gave us the ability to go all around the island, getting on and off as we wished to walk around the island.

[travelingmcmahans]

An alternative to getting to P. Roma if you would rather not spend 75 euros on the taxi is the vapooretto (the boat version of the public bus). It's about 5 euros per perosn I think. That's how we got there to pick up our rental car to leave Venice. Granted we had only one reasonably sized bag per person so luggage wasn't a big issue.

[Balliett]

The difficulty or ease may depend on where the particular ship docks. Our water taxi, arranged by the hotel, took us from the hotel dock (Foscari Palace) to the ship (Holland America Rotterdam) where porters were waiting. Very smooth process. 90 euros, I think, last year.