Hotel Ca' Alvise

We were there for seven days and got to know the friendly staff. The owner was surprisingly chatty and friendly too. A shout-out to Jessie, Christian, Mark, Eric and everyone else who looked after us. The hotel is an easy walk from San Marco square and centrally placed for restaurants, stores and the grocery market. We’ll definitely stay here again when we come back.

A few things about the hotel didn’t match what we expected from the online photos and booking description. The pictures showed lovely rooms and luxurious decor, but our experience looked quite different. I wouldn’t call the place horrible, just very unlike how it was presented. Our third-floor room wasn’t too bad, but it had no view from any window. Instead of a duvet, there was an old blanket under a thin bedsheet. The bathroom was disappointing too: water started leaking from under the bathtub before it was even full. Thankfully, there was a floor drain in the middle of the room. The breakfast seemed very average to us, so we left after entering the breakfast room. We’d have been better off picking up some cicchetti on the way. The hotel wasn’t very expensive, but if I’d known its actual look and standard, I would have chosen somewhere else. Unless you have no other options, I wouldn’t recommend staying here. The Booking.com information didn’t mention that there was no elevator. Carrying our luggage up to the third floor wasn’t a big issue for us, and the receptionist did offer to bring it up. I mentioned the stairs as information for future guests, not as a complaint. I also want to clarify that I never said the hotel advertised an elevator. I categorically deny entering any restricted area. The photo in question was taken from a common staircase open to guests, so accusing me of breaking rules or the law based on that picture is inaccurate and unjustified. One receptionist wanted to photocopy both sides of my ID, saying it would save me waiting. I didn’t want my ID copied just to save three minutes while they entered the information into the hotel computer. The bathtub leaked from underneath before it was filled to the edge, not over the rim. Having a floor drain doesn’t change that water escaped where it shouldn’t have. I knew canal-view rooms were a premium category and wasn’t expecting one. I only meant that our room had no view at all. The breakfast photo reflected what was available during our visit. Our decision to leave was based on our impression of the selection, which, like any review, is subjective. This is an honest account of our experience and the expectations created by the photos and description online. Other guests may see things differently, and that’s fine. Reviews offer different perspectives to help future travelers decide.

The hotel, from the lobby and rooms to the bathrooms and bar, is absolutely gorgeous. The service felt like hotel service used to be and should be: friendly and accommodating. Breakfast was perfect and delicious.

The location is excellent and the decor is nice, but the service didn’t feel like 4 star service. Breakfast was very poor. There was no muesli or granola, the frankfurters were chopped up for sausages, and the scrambled eggs were dry. Nothing was out when I went to get some, and after asking staff a couple of times, I got some attitude. The bathroom door opened over the main bed, and dirty cups were left in the room after it had been cleaned.