Venera Hotel

The cleaning staff were the one good part of this stay. Everything else was rough. The Wi-Fi kept dropping during work meetings, and the internet went down twice during my 10 days there, for over two hours each time. At check-in I waited about 10 minutes while the front desk finished a phone call, and they seemed annoyed whenever I came back with a question. My room was around 80°F when I arrived. I called reception and they said they would turn it on, but then switched on the heat. When I called again to sort it out, I was told there was no AC. Breakfast was horrible, and they charge extra for another bottle of water. Save your money and stay somewhere else.

A few housekeeping moments made us uncomfortable. Staff came into the room without knocking, including while we were asleep, and that needs improving. Apart from that, the team was generally friendly and attentive, and we found the hospitality helpful throughout our stay. The rooms were clean and well maintained, and the hotel fit nicely into its surroundings, giving it a charming, relaxing feel. Breakfast was okay too, and we enjoyed our stay.

The rooftop views were amazing, and we liked being within walking distance of the tram and busy shopping areas. Breakfast had lots of choices and was generally tasty. The staff were mostly friendly and helpful, with many speaking a good amount of English. Our room was small, but fine for somewhere to sleep after long days walking. It was cleaned daily, and having a fridge was handy, though anything already inside cost money if you used it. The included “spa” was a letdown. I wouldn't really call it a spa: the plunge pool was freezing, and the sauna and steam room smelled bad. There’s also a Turkish bath area, with massages for €45 and scrubs for €20. The room itself was on the small side, and the AC issue was only sort of fixed. To use it, we had to call the front desk to switch it on and adjust the temperature. The hotel also booked us a taxi to the wrong airport, so be very clear about which airport you need and write it down. I’d still recommend staying here for the cleanliness and the location near shops, transit, and major attractions. Breakfast was convenient and good.

The jewelry shop owner in the lobby was jovial, but seeing him parade around with a pistol tucked behind his belt didn't make us feel good. The street noise was quite noticeable too, and the room was cold. It was around 11 degrees outside during our stay, and the windows seemed to have no insulation seals at all. We had booked a family room directly with the hotel months ahead. On arrival, reception said they didn't have family rooms and offered either two separate rooms or a triple, without explaining what had happened. With a 6 year old, those options didn't work for us, so we ended up squeezed into the triple while paying for a much larger room.