My daughter wanted to go to Venice before starting first grade. That was better, to me, than her second choice – Cairo to see the pyramids, a great trip but not in late July! – but I still had preferences.
I figured if I showed up in Venice during the week, rather than a weekend; after true peak of peak dates (when the city stopped imposing its transient tourist tax); and stayed in a more residential area, away from the tourist sites (Piazza San Marco and St. Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace, Rialto Bridge) I wouldn’t mind so much.
I tend towards Hyatts when staying with family because I can confirm a suite at booking for the price of a regular room. In Venice that would have meant Hyatt Centric Murano which seemed a little too inconvenient. Plus there are lots of complaints there about the air conditioning. While it was quite mild during my visit, the locals complained that the prior week was the hottest of the summer. I wasn’t looking for that experience.
So I settled on the NH Collection Palazzo Dei Dogi in Cannaregio, still one of the historic districts but the northernmost one. I’d at least have GHA Discovery status to use, and I had and would earn Discovery Dollars as well. Still, rooms were running 360 euros per night.
While you can easily take the Alilaguna “Orange” vaporetto from the airport dock to the Madona dell’Orto stop, a two minute walk to the hotel, at €16.50 per person (boats every 30 minutes), with 5 of us and plenty of luggage traveling in Europe for a couple of weeks and with young children I paid for a private water taxi direct to the hotel pier. That usually runs around 140 euros.
We arrived on property at the hotel around 12:20 p.m. The hotel normally charges 50 euros for early check-in, but availability was not an issue (they were running around 70% occupancy) and the fee is waived with status. I was told we’d have no problem with 4 p.m. late check-out as well, since our flight out of Venice would be at 7 p.m.
Our room was fantastic – overlooking the working canal, the room was large and we were given a two-level junior suite.
The upstairs was a separate bedroom which was perfect for our daughter, while my wife and I slept downstairs with our son (they provided a crib).
The bathroom was nice and large.
NH Hotels aren’t one of the GHA brands that honor free elite breakfast, unfortunately. Although I think they just assume that everyone has a breakfast-inclusive rate and they only charged us one out of three mornings?
The staff are excellent and friendly. They aren’t providing the polished, proactive service you’ll get at the St. Regis, but it was very very good although breakfast did seem understaffed at peak times so getting their attention for a coffee was a bit of a challenge one of our mornings. As with many Venice hotels, they provide water pistols if you’re dining outdoors.
There’s indoor dining as well, and a bar behind reception.
The neighborhood around the property is simply quaint. As always in Venice, you want to find the most secluded spots away from the tourists. That means venturing through the darkest, narrowest alleys and staying as far away from the busy squares.
Venice is quite safe. Violent crime is rare. And pickpocketing is primarily a concern around the tourist hotspots during the day. That said, I still carry money and credit cards in my front pocket while walking around. Venice is easy to get lost in, it’s a maze, yet it’s hard to get very lost.
The property offers the grand setting of a 16th century palazzo with a formal walled garden (the largest private garden in Venice) and high ceilings throughout.
Ultimately this was the exact right spot for this trip, I think. I wanted to be further from the tourist spots, and getting around is easy. The hotel had perfectly good working air conditioning while I was there (though I’d read some concerns about shoulder season), the room was large and clean, and everyone was friendly and helpful. And since I didn’t want to be on Murano I needed to venture outside of Hyatt, which I try not to do when traveling with family because of the value that normally affords me with status.
Very cool, Gary. Wonderful information. Thanks for sharing all of this.
Wow, looked like quite the trip — hotel looked fantastic, great when a plan works out. Hope your daughter and family had a good time! Thanks for sharing the photos and tips.
Nicely done, Gary! You’re one of the few folks promoting GHA Discovery, and it seems to have worked well for you. Have a trip planned to Venice later this year (have been before); mostly stayed in boutique hotels there. Far better to overnight rather than day-trip.
Definitely a better idea for the family than Cairo, especially these days. Good to see the pyramids, but that country is ‘one and done’ for me. I travel plenty, yet CAI is one of the few airports I legitimately thought the customs ‘officials’ were going to steal my camera unless I paid a ‘fine’ (*cough* definitely a bribe.) I hate corruption, and that place is full of it. I feel for the people who live there and have to deal with it everyday.
This is nice but you’re wrong about the Hyatt. Room was cold, suites were confirmable and Murano was a joy, everything you talk about wanting
I stayed there when it was with Marriott. Great place, great part of Venice.
We have booked three nights at Il Palazzo Experimental, a Hyatt affiliate, located in the Dosoduro neighborhood, also a more residential area, located on a canal after our 10 day Celebrity Constellation cruise thru Italy and Croatia in early October. After touring Italy last August, we hope the hot weather and large crowds less of an issue
Did you book the room or were you upgraded, and if so, what room did you book.
Gary, my daughter is also entering 1st. How did your daughter like Venice? Would you recommend it for a 6-7 year old? Did your daughter have any favorite things she did?
Also, excellent review. I have had my eye on this hotel and I love the way you covered it.
@Diana DiDonato – she wanted to understand how people got around on boats instead of cars, it was mostly about making it make sense for her. She enjoyed all of the sites briefly, and the food, but was happy to move on after three days.
That’s not a bad rate for two bedrooms in high season in Venice.
@Diane DiDonato: We spent a February week in Venice when our kids were 9 and 7. It was a fair amount of walking for them until my wife ducked into a chandler’s, got a couple of lengths of rope, and made them jump ropes. They then skipped happily through the city for the week. We also used the Museo Correr to get them started on myths and legends (using the statuary to introduce the stories). And if you’re there in the summer, don’t forget there’s a beach on the Lido.