A very special hotel!!!
by TripAdvisor Member ihopeyoudancer
It is so wonderful to see this property deservedly rise up the ranks on Tripadvisor....when we booked in late May I believe it was ranked at no. 80 right when the owners of Locanda Orseolo took over.
Needless to say we LOVED our stay at Al Ponte Antico. The location, views and terrace were a treat, however the reviews are absolutely true about the management.....Matteo and his staff are 'A Number One' when it comes to caring customer service. They make it a point to remember your face, your name, your daily itinerary always accompanied by a warm welcoming smile. Matteo's level of personal care is very, very special and spoils you to the degree that no other hotel (irregardless of rating or no. of stars) will come close to matching it. It is simply priceless.
We loved our two week stay in Italy and Al Ponte Antico will always have a special place in our hearts. The best hotel we have ever stayed....highly, highly recommended!!!
It Is The Destination.
by TripAdvisor Member susie-qsanfrancisco
Upon arrival my husband, 16 year old son, and myself were graciously greeted by Mateo as if he had been eagerly awaiting our arrival.. During our 4 night, 5 day stay (we arrived early and stayed till 5pm), their attentiveness never faltered, and the entire staff was gracious and helpful. Our friends were staying elsewhere which they regretted after seeing our hotel. They were shown the kindest hospitality while visiting us, and were invited to have drinks with us on the most beautiful veranda in the world.
The location on the Grand Canal is perfect, just placed on the curve of the canal with a view of the Rialto on one side and looking down the canal on the other. Each day we looked forward to relaxing and drinking Mateo's wonderful spritzes. Their flexibility was incredible, and even when we were very late, Mateo would always offer to make us a drink, whatever we fancied.
We couldn't wait to get to the veranda for breakfast and tried to make it last as long as possible. Mateo always took our orders along with a beautiful fresh buffet. Cappuccino, hot chocolate, crepes, omelets, fresh fruit, cereals, meats, cheese, and pastries. The Rialto, streets, and markets were crowded, but at Al Ponte Antico the veranda was very quiet and private, and we will remember it as the most gorgeous and comfortable spot in the world.
We were in a downstairs room facing the canal with a spectacular view. In the evenings I would sit in the window admiring the romantic view of gondolas passing by in the moon light. At bedtime (2am) I would close the wooden shutters, and find our room very quiet and dark until we woke up around 10am. I loved opening the shutters to the noise and action of the day. The bathroom was mostly marble with a nice shower and the room extremely large by European standards, both very clean.
There is a romantic little dock outside this room, which is private unless the only accessible door is rarely unlocked for people who are arriving or departing by boat taxi.. We loved departing on a boat taxi, although it was quite an expense. Make sure to ask the cost. The Vaporeto stop is quite close, and an adequate alternative, just a bit clumsy with the suitcases.
The little (or large) extras included complimentary laundry, Mateo's spritzes (and for our 3 friends), fabulous recommendations and reservations for lunch, dinner, shopping, and tours. They didn't miss a beat.. Everyone was interested and helpful on a daily basis.
Mateo's family took possession of this hotel just last spring, and they have made many changes already, with more improvements planned for this fall. Al Ponte Antico Hotel has become our favorite hotel, and we are looking forward to our next stay.It is the destination.. It is wonderful...
Bravo
Perfect place
by TripAdvisor Member wqkone
The Hotel is well situated next to the Rialto with a terrace to chill out in the evening or the place to have breakfast on the Gran Canale. Our suite was spacious and well equipped. The manager is really hepful, friendly and makes the whole experience complete. When I'll return to Venice, I know where to stay.
The Best Small Hotel in the World!
by TripAdvisor Member Sibellius
We have just returned from a wonderful stay at this hotel. We loved it so much we extended our planned 2 nights to 5 nights. Here's what we loved:
Fabulous, friendly, attentive service from Matteo and his staff.
The hotel's unique position right on the Grand Canal - not set back several yards with a noisy terrace restaurant underneath as is the case with other Canal-side hotels. A previous reviewer wasn't impressed by the Grand Canal - I fail to see how although I accept everyone's taste is different. I loved watching Venice on its way to work in the morning - and on its way home of an evening when we'd get a wave from passing commuters as we raised a glass to them. it's a real living breathing city and if you want the sanitised version there's always The Venetian in Vegas!!
The location generally - everything you want to see is a gentle few minutes stroll and in the case of St Mark's Square you will pass fabulous shops and gorgeous views round every corner so you will barely notice the walk. The Accademmia (art gallery) is a bit further - probably 20 minutes stroll which can be a bit much in the searing summer heat but take the vaporetto practically door to door.
Breakfast on the beautiful terrace with freshly cooked pancakes & omelettes, and then evening cocktails on the terrace - the drinks tasted so much better here than anywhere else in Venice!
Room 102 with its amazing view of the Canal, fabulously efficent air conditioning (necessary in the 90 degree July heat) and elegant furnishings. (We had to move to Room 105 for last 2 nights - no view but still a very nice big room (European standards) but air con not quite as glacial as I like!)
Matteo's brilliant daily advice to ensure we saw the best of Venice - not just the usual tourist haunts - we also loved his restaurant recommendations particularly Trattoria Marco Polo.
Here's a few things to be aware of:
The few negative reviews on TripAdvisor pre-date Matteo's ownership.
Probably only 4 of the 9 rooms have canal views - otherwise you will look onto a fairly dark courtyard or alley however you have the fabulous terrace at your disposal and how much time will you spend looking out of the window? Room 107 has its own charming little shady courtyard. Room 103 is a bit on the small side if you're a couple travelling with fair amount of luggage.
It's worth forking out for the water taxi right to hotel's own launch - otherwise the vaporetto (numbers 1 or 82) lets you off the other side of Rialto bridge - only a few minutes away but it'll feel longer with luggage as you'll have a few sets of steps to negotiate plus the crowds of course and then you can easily miss the hotel's very unprepossessing street entrance from a rather dark alley.
Everyone we met during our 5 night stay loved the hotel and I feel sure you will too.
Sign in with Facebook
