Venice - Locanda Orseolo vs. Palazzo Guardi

[JDSTURTZ]

We are staying in Venice two days post cruise in June. I have read good things about both Locanda Orseolo and Palazzo Guardi and have both reserved. Anyone have positive or negative comments about either?

 

Appreciate any and all input.

 

Thanks

[BLS]

Must tell you we're staying there Oct 4th--have held these reservation since April of 2007.(a whole year and a half of anticipation)

They are fabulous folks to deal with.

[joan24]

We're also staying at Locanda Orseolo arriving on October 3 for six nights. This will be our second stay there. I cannot say enough positive things about LO. We absolutely loved it. The warmth and hospitality of everyone there is beyond belief. We stayed there pre-cruise two years ago for four nights. This trip is a land trip that we also booked 18 months ago. We actually planned this trip around availability at LO. Check out trip advisor reviews on both places and have a wonderful time. BLS, we'll probably meet you there. It's a small, friendly place.

Joan

[BLS]

We'll be there 4 nights cannot wait!

See you there,

Bev

[2forTravelin]

We stayed there for 4 nights in Sept 2005 and had excellent service. Everyone is warm and friendly. Their suggestions for dining were spot on (and ask them where to find the best gelato). The location is perfect for just getting out and walking the city. We couldn't have been more pleased with the entire experience.

cindy

[thejoker]

We stayed at Locando Orseolo in Sept 2006 for two nights post cruise - highly recommend it, everyone is so friendly and helpful, location is perfect, make sure you have the banana and chocolate crepes, can't wait to go back there some day.

[A Knitter]

Not that it is any of your business, but Locando was not available when we first booked.

 

Thanks to the rest of you for your recommendations.

 

 

Staying there in two weeks. Will let you know when I return mid November. They were also kind to get a massage therapist for me as my shoulder will be a mess from carting luggage to Venice from the airport. Maria

[standby 06.30]

Both are ok but for us the Bauer still is the best http://bauervenezia.com/index.shtml regards

[murphysmum]

Hello...

 

I just returned from three days at the Locanda Orseola and, having traveled extensively, I can tell you it's the best B & B I've ever encountered. I won't review it's virtues; that's been done MANY times on these boards.

 

However, your concerns about injuring your shoulder carrying luggage from the airport can be solved by simply getting a water taxi from the airport (they will handle your luggage), going directly to the hotel's water window (no, it's not hard to get in and they will handle your luggage and get it upstairs) and avoiding hauling your luggage all over the place.

 

Many of the water taxis will not go to the Orseola because it involves navigating small canals to get there. Venezia taxi service took us with no problem. You may still want that massage, but perhaps you can enjoy it a little more if you're not in great pain.

 

Have a wonderful time. You will LOVE the hotel!

 

murphysmum;)

[dbh62ark]

Both are ok but for us the Bauer still is the best http://bauervenezia.com/index.shtml regards

Have you tried the Metropole? We loved the Bauer (not the Bauer Palazzo but just the regular Bauer) but liked the Metropole even better.

 

The Metropole and the Locanda Orseolo are our favorites in Venice (have stayed at over a dozens hotels there).

 

A cancelled reservation at the Locanda will be snapped up by another tourist who will be glad to have it because the Locanda stays full. I don't know anything about the Palazzo Guardi.

 

Happy travels,

Donna

[lambs2]

:) We really enjoyed our stay at the Palazzo Guardi last May. It really was a gem of a bed and breakfast, and very clean and quiet! The price was also very good (for Venice and a 10-15 minute walk to St. Mark's Square!) We had it recommended to us from several here on CC and were so glad we took their suggestion!! Here is a link to my review on Tripadvisor and you will see many othere very positive reviews there as well:

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g187870-d295630-r7841339-Palazzo_Guardi-Venice_Veneto.html

[A Knitter]

Hello...

 

I just returned from three days at the Locanda Orseola and, having traveled extensively, I can tell you it's the best B & B I've ever encountered. I won't review it's virtues; that's been done MANY times on these boards.

 

However, your concerns about injuring your shoulder carrying luggage from the airport can be solved by simply getting a water taxi from the airport (they will handle your luggage), going directly to the hotel's water window (no, it's not hard to get in and they will handle your luggage and get it upstairs) and avoiding hauling your luggage all over the place.

 

Many of the water taxis will not go to the Orseola because it involves navigating small canals to get there. Venezia taxi service took us with no problem. You may still want that massage, but perhaps you can enjoy it a little more if you're not in great pain.

 

Have a wonderful time. You will LOVE the hotel!

 

murphysmum;)

 

Thanks. Locando had given me directions on taking the Venezia Taxi so I wouldnt have to haul everything. I had already figured in the cost. The massage would be nice after flying from LAX to Paris, overnight and back to the airport to fly out the next morning to Venice. How thoughtful to reply. Maria

[Juliadlf]

We had stayed post cruise at the LO (loved the hotel)after our cruise on Emerald Princess in September. Here is some info from our trip review as to what happened to us so please be sure you have a plan B in case they cannot take you all the way to the water window. Not sure when you plan to arrive at the hotel but check with the hotel as to the ideal arrival time should be to access the water window. They will know and should tell you. I'm sure we aren't the first couple who ran into the issue but still a great little B&B to stay at.

Julia

 

Exiting the cruise terminal building the private Venezia Water Taxi service desk is on the right hand side. Check the signs as there are two water taxi services near the exit. Once they verify a water taxi pickup, you pay and they give you a slip with the water taxi number on it. Since we were staying at the Locando Orseoleo and not wanting to drag our luggage to the hotel we ordered the private water taxi and specifically asked the attendant that we needed to go to the water window of the hotel. We then proceed back outside with our luggage to an area just in front of the cruiseship where the water taxis were coming in to pickup passengers. We waited about 30 minutes for our water taxi to arrive and finally we were on our way to the hotel. Note here that we hired a private water taxi that was suppose to be just for the 4 of us with our luggage. We then find that the water taxi company had taken two additional people on with their luggage and charged them 80 euros for the two of them and charged us 100 euros for the 4 of us. When I asked the water taxi driver about not taking on additional passengers he said he would give us 10 euros back on the cost. I asked the driver if we would be going to the water window at the hotel. Yes, he said. Well, no we didn't. He docked near St. Marks square and proceeded to tell us that the water level was too high and they couldn't go any further. So here we are dragging our luggage to the hotel. Lesson learned: Don't count on using the water window if you have alot of luggage. Make sure you can pull your luggage several blocks over a small bridge with steps to the hotel.

Post Cruise Hotel: Locanda Orseoleo (www.locandaorseolo.com) - It's just as described by many other travelers who have used this hotel. Perfect location. Warm and very friendly owner and staff and the hotel has character and a certain ambience that you don't find in the larger hotels. No elevator which isn't a problem as the staff at the hotel takes your luggage up to your room for you and also helps to bring it down when you leave. Great location. Non smoking. We had room 14 which had a small sitting area with balcony type windows and then the bedroom area with windows and a bath. Ample space in the room. We could view the canal with the gondoliers below from our windows.

[joan24]

We're in Florence now after spending six wonderful nights at Locanda Orseolo. We took Venezia Taxi to the "water window" with no problems. This was our second stay at LO and it was just as good as our first visit. The only problem we had was the water taxi driver that was called to take us to the train station showed up without the water taxi. He said that the water was too high and we had to follow him to his boat which was near the Rialto. He helped with luggage but it was still a decent walk with the luggage that we were pulling. This can happen but it certainly wasn't the hotels fault. They were more upset than we were. Venice is a magical city and to me Locanda Orseolo is the icing on the cake. Have a wonderful visit.

Joan

[A Knitter]

We're in Florence now after spending six wonderful nights at Locanda Orseolo. We took Venezia Taxi to the "water window" with no problems. This was our second stay at LO and it was just as good as our first visit. The only problem we had was the water taxi driver that was called to take us to the train station showed up without the water taxi. He said that the water was too high and we had to follow him to his boat which was near the Rialto. He helped with luggage but it was still a decent walk with the luggage that we were pulling. This can happen but it certainly wasn't the hotels fault. They were more upset than we were. Venice is a magical city and to me Locanda Orseolo is the icing on the cake. Have a wonderful visit.

Joan

 

Appreciate the help, but thinking about it, :eek: I will still keep the massage appt. haha :) Maria

[lawyerrose]

Thank you so much for turning me onto the Locanda Orseolo. For some strange reason, this hotel didn't turn up in my research for places to stay in Venice and I was just about to book another hotel (Ca' Maria Adele) when I read about the Locanda here. I took a look at it on Trip Advisor and saw that all the reviewers rated the hotel a 5!!!!! Never saw such a thing before. Needless to say, I quickly contacted the hotel to see if they had availability for next October (2008). Yippee they did and now we're staying there in their deluxe canal view for two nights before our Zuiderdam cruise.

I'd have never found it without this wonderful CC board. I am so grateful!!!:):)