Hotel Palazzo Stern

We were glad we chose this hotel in dorsoduoro instead of staying in the San Marco district. Venice is more walkable than it looks, and it took us only about five minutes to reach the accademia bridge on the way into San Marco. The room was beautiful, and the bathroom was amazing, all marble. Staying in an old palazzo meant art and history were all around us. The terrace looked out over the water, and breakfast was easy: we just went outside and ordered. At check-in, staff explained which breakfast was included with our reservation. They were great, and English made getting around both the hotel and city straightforward. Our tour guides picked us up in the lobby and walked us into the rest of venice without any trouble. The room was also much better value here.

We expected more for the price, especially after seeing the room another couple gets when they return year after year. They gasped when we showed them our attic room. It wasn’t attractive, the carpet was old, worn, and dingy, and there were no regular windows, only skylights. The heat was on and the AC was off, so the room became stifling. Opening the skylights for air left me covered in itchy mosquito bites, including red welts on my face. We asked for a fan, then had to ask again before getting one on our third night. The continental breakfast was disappointing compared with other hotels we’d stayed at for the same price. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the location was perfect, just steps from the vaporetto stop.

The location was great and the staff were very friendly, but we were disappointed not to get the room we’d paid for. We’d reserved it six months ahead and specifically asked for a front-facing junior suite overlooking the Grand Canal for our honeymoon. They said the other suites on that side were taken. At breakfast, we were the only guests there, and we didn’t see anyone else in the hotel until the end of our stay, so we felt misled about the rooms being booked. They sent a bottle of campaign to make up for it, though neither of us really drinks. They essentially told us repeat customers get priority, which may make sense but seems a poor way to bring first-time visitors back. The location and friendly staff were good, but the room we got didn’t feel worth the nightly price.

I stopped by the bar while visiting Ca Rezzonico. The staff were friendly, the service was great, and it’s a fantastic little bar. In summer there’s a garden terrace too. Well worth a drink if you’re nearby.