Viktoria Palace Hotel

We came here to get a break from Venice's crowds and relax between sightseeing, and it worked really well. Check-in was late, so at first our rooms were at the other end of the hall from the kids, but the very friendly manager soon sorted it out. Nikolai, if I've got his name right, was there each day from 2pm serving food and drinks by the pool. He was a lovely guy.

The hotel was nicely furnished, the staff were great and breakfast was pretty good, but the rooms didn't feel worth the price. It didn't really seem like a 4 star hotel, and I don't think I'd return. The shower head was very lacklustre. The TV had Netflix and there was free wifi, but neither worked, and the TV only showed news channels. The fridge still had drinks opened by the previous guests. The windows only open horizontally, so bugs got in when the room became too hot at night. The location also makes transit difficult if you have a very late flight, though that's not the hotel's fault.

We enjoyed the stay so much that we've booked another visit for later this year. Victoria Palace is a beautiful hotel, and the staff were exceptionally friendly and helpful. On our last day, chef Nicolo cooked us a delicious meal and served it in the garden. He also makes THE best Hugo cocktails! Thank you.

The meals were delicious, and the restaurant team were incredibly kind and friendly. Venice and Lido are both stunning, but we left with mixed feelings about the stay. We'd chosen the hotel because of its many positive reviews. The property looked beautiful, just like the pictures, with a charming vintage style, and our first room had exactly the atmosphere I'd hoped for. But at check-in it was full of bugs coming from the ceiling and swarming by the bathroom door. I told reception, and someone sprayed the room while we went for dinner and a walk around Lido Island. When we came back, there were even more bugs on the ceiling, and many in the bed. I complained again, but was told they'd deal with it in the morning and that bugs were to be expected because the hotel has a garden around it. I grew up in a house with a garden and had never seen bugs in a bed, on a ceiling or swarming through a room like that. It was disgusting, and we didn't feel comfortable sleeping there. Around midnight, reception changed shifts. I explained again, and the new staff member took it seriously, photographing and filming the room. We had done the same when we first entered. Luckily, another room was available, and it was free of bugs. I appreciated that, but it was plain and simple, without the charming vintage Venice style of the first room, and much less beautiful. The first receptionist's attitude was unacceptable. I understand the bugs might not have been visible during morning cleaning, but he kept brushing us off and offered no real solution. The second receptionist was professional, and I'm grateful he resolved the situation. Still, I was disappointed that the replacement room didn't match the style or atmosphere we'd originally booked.