Hotel Carlton on the Grand Canal

The location is the only reason I’m giving two stars instead of one. It’s directly across from the Venice train station, so after hauling luggage through Venice, we could cross the bridge and get there within minutes. They also stored our bags, and the WiFi worked fine. For what we paid, about $855 for two nights, the stay was a huge disappointment. The AC barely worked. The room was already warm when we arrived in the evening. We shut the shutters and adjusted the controls, hoping it would cool while we were out the next day, but after walking around Venice all day and returning at about 8:30 PM, it was still hot and uncomfortable. When we told the front desk, they didn’t apologize, just asked if we’d reported it earlier. We were exhausted, showered, and checking out the next morning anyway. The room felt old and worn, not full of classic Venetian charm. Furniture was dated and unstable: the side tables rocked when touched, the desk and chair looked heavily used, and the mini fridge didn’t keep drinks cold. Water condensed inside and pooled there. The bed was extremely hard. The bathroom was tiny and poorly laid out, with no way to use the sink or mirror unless the door was shut. It felt cramped, had little to no ventilation, and smelled moldy. We also had to hand in the room key every time we left and queue to get it back, which was inconvenient. This place seems to rely on its location. At budget prices it might be acceptable, but the amount we paid didn’t match the experience.

My sister and I were excited to check in to this beautiful grand hotel, but the room we were shown was already occupied, with people’s belongings still inside. They apologized and moved us to a suite. Neither the phone nor the AC worked there. The bathroom was cramped and very slippery, and my sister fell in the tub. The front desk’s help was poor at best. They moved us again, and the shower door fell off. The staff just shrugged as if it didn’t matter. I’ve filed a formal complaint with TripAdvisor and the Hotel corporation. I would never stay here again.

The staff quickly learned who we were, so the stay felt warm and personal. The hotel was just as described, traditional, clean, and full of charm. I liked the old-fashioned routine of leaving the actual room key at the desk when going out and picking it up on return. One thing to know: the AC is switched off during winter. Opening the windows helped, but the room could still feel a bit warm. We had a wonderful, authentic stay.

A great base for seeing Venice, with the hotel staff especially friendly and helpful. The water taxi pass is well worth it, and the Vivaldi concert was fabulous.