Hotel Delfino

The staff were kind and professional, and the breakfast was average, neither memorable nor bad. The corridors were clean too. That’s about where the positives end for me. I wouldn’t pick Hotel Delfino in Mestre again. It gave me the feeling of a place that promises more than it delivers, with uncomfortable conditions and too little attention to basic comforts. The room wasn’t awful, but it felt dated. The shutters didn’t work properly, the curtains didn’t close all the way and looked like they needed washing, and neither the air conditioning nor the heating worked. I spent an uncomfortable night with the window open, dealing with traffic noise and mosquitoes, and trying to cool myself by fanning with paper. I’m tired of asking about room temperature in Italian hotels and hearing that it isn’t hot or cold. People differ, and I wish guests could decide for themselves. The bathroom was also dated, with broken fixtures and stray body hair left on the floor. There was no hand soap, just two unlabelled bottles that might have been shampoo or lotion. The building looks to have around eight floors, yet numbering starts at 10, so a room on floor 14 is really on the fourth floor. Room numbers are four digits for no useful reason and make it harder to remember where you are. Even the car park signs and appearance suggest a much grander hotel than the one inside. The actual entrance is tucked under a portico, and reception feels more like a shop than a hotel lobby. For getting to Venice, the location isn’t great, about a 10-15 minute walk to the train station. There are plenty of shops and supermarkets nearby along a busy main road. It’s not the worst hotel out there, but I was disappointed.

Restaurants and a grocery store nearby made the location convenient, and having a separate room for the kids gave our family some welcome space. The room was clean and the bed very comfortable. We had a pleasant stay overall, but noise from the upper floor and road could be heard at night. Also, although it’s a 4-star hotel, tea and coffee in the room cost an extra €3. It’s good for a short family stay, but basic comforts and soundproofing could be better.

The easy bus access to Venice was the one good thing we found here. We were a family of four, with children aged 4 and 6, and checked in early on the 8th of April. The receptionist said we could leave our luggage, but made clear the hotel wouldn’t take responsibility if anything went missing. That felt like poor service and was disappointing. Our room was spacious, but the bathroom was a major problem. There was no proper shower area or cubicle, the drainage was extremely poor, and water overflowed so badly that even using the toilet was difficult. I wouldn’t recommend this hotel for families with young children. Beyond the location, we didn’t find much to like.

The internet was extremely slow and unreliable, and the service felt very basic for a 4-star hotel. Our room was 25 degrees, but there was no way to control the temperature. There’s an air system managed by the hotel rather than air conditioning guests can adjust. We had just one key card for two people, and getting another meant leaving a deposit. There was no complimentary water or even a glass, no kettle, tea or coffee, or mini bar, so be ready to bring your own water. It was very disappointing to book a 4-star hotel and find a place that seemed more like a 2- or 3-star one.