Laguna Palace Hotel

Marco clearly knows his craft. He adapted the Thai massage to what I wanted, balancing pressure and stretching while keeping an eye on my comfort. The calm atmosphere and spectacular view made it easy to relax, and the reception was courteous and smooth from beginning to end. My visit to the Laguna Palace Hotel spa was unforgettable. It's a must for anyone looking to feel refreshed.

I can only give this hotel three stars. Everything seems fine on the surface, but I pay attention to what goes on behind the scenes too, and the hotel relies on its employees to earn those four stars. My respect goes to the staff doing the hard work of cleaning and looking after the rooms. Wages of €7 for such back-breaking work? I would never take that job. In this region, hospitality wages are usually €13 - 16 per hour, while this hotel pays only half of what people are asking for. The staff accommodation is another concern. The rooms are small and uncomfortable, with no fridge or anything else. Would the boss live like that? I don't rate a hotel just on service or cleanliness.

Getting to Venice means taking a bus or taxi, and the hotel itself is nowhere near luxury. I've stayed at plenty of places around Europe, and this is three stars at best, not four or five. The carpet is ripped and stained, and the rooms aren't well maintained. My conference stay was frustrating from the start. The first room smelled so bad that I asked to move. The next room had no AC, so I had to switch again, and the replacement's AC didn't work either. I got a fan and slept with the window open for three nights. Even in rooms where the AC works, the hotel controls it, and you have to call to request it. They won't turn it on from 11pm - 6pm, which they said is hotel policy. There was no iron in my room. Instead, you have to wait your turn in the ironing room on the fifth floor. When I called for a room service menu, they said there isn't one in the room and that I should look at the menu posted inside the elevator.

The friendly staff were a plus, and the room was big enough for one, with a partial lagoon view. It showed some age. Breakfast was fine, though the machine juice and coffee weren't what I expect in Italy. The Laguna Palace is okay, like a Holiday Inn in Germany, but nothing special. What really bothered me was the price: €1350.- for 5 night in a double room for single use is too much for what you get.