on June 16, 2007This hotel is literally round the corner from the square and getting the cases there from the vaporetto stop was a feat due to the number of tourists milling around (and the fact that a wheel fell of my suitcase on the cobbles by the Doges palace!!). You can actually get to the hotel by private taxi and it will drop you off at the hotel's landing bay-a dramatic way to arrive I think :-)
The hotel has a grand reception area with very helpful staff, willing to give advice about places to visit and things to do while in Venice. The rooms are delightful. We stayed in as duplex room with these magnificent tall windows - when we opened them we had been given a room overlooking one of the smaller canals with a bridge running alondside, and were enthralled to see the gondolas gliding past our window all day and evening. The room made me imagine the Venice of old - unspoiled.
The room was simply decorated but had satellite television, hairdryer, mini bar etc. The downstairs area had some seating and the bathroom, which was more than adequate and very clean. The upstairs part of the room had an extremely comfortable double bed and due to the great windows, we could still see out into the canals.
The hotel has a few restaurants and we tried both, firstly their pizzeria - La Grotta Pizzeria. It is like a grotto with its subterranean style decoration but the food is pleasant, if unexciting. There is a more classy hotel restaurant that serves some more interesting Italian food. If I am honest there is better food to be had in small trattoria and restaurants all over the island. This does not detract for me from what is a nice little hotel and I hope to stay here again.
Building dates from 17th Century.
Apparently Matisse stayed here!! So did many other artists and sculptors.
They have air conditioning available in the summer.
