Oh Venezia, Venezia!

Well, to me at least, Venice is a place you either don't visit for the past 15 years (since our first Cosmos tour in 1992), or you repeat visits two to three times a year (April and Dec 2007, and now, March 2008)!

And yes, I would have to admit this, too - that I am such a hotel snob when it comes to Venetian Hotels! Just 3 months ago in Dec 2007, my husband and I had stayed at the Hotel Metropole and Hotel Ca Sagredo in Venice (see my other reviews!) - both with very outstanding location (easy to find with vaporettos) and with great veiws!

For this March 2008 trip with my mother, I had chosen the Hotel Londra Palace and the Hotel Foscari Palace, both too, with easy to find locations and superb aerial views of Venice! Didn't plan on purpose to visit Venice on the Easter weekend of 22-24 March, with such huge crowds and soaring room prices, but it simply falls in naturally after a one night stay in Paris and 3 nights stay in Verona.

After we had checked into our pre-determined Junior suite (room 510), we were surprised by its actual large space - it had actually appeared bigger than its website pictures and videos! But we were totally blown away when we open the suites' door to a huge outdoor roof top terrace, offering sweeping views of the beloved San Giorgio Maggoire Island (to me, the TRUE VENETIAN ICON!), Guidecca Island, Salute Church, St Mark's Tower, partial Riva degli Schiavoni waterfront etc.

We were allowed to check in at 1pm and check out by 12 noon the next day, timings we thought were far more reasonable than the Hotel Foscari Palace's 2pm check in and 11am check out! When ask about a water kettle to boil some hot water for my aged mum (Venice was 1-5 degree C even in late March!), a kind lady brought a kettle for us within 5 minutes! A very well appreciated kind gesture and my mum was so happy about it ...

Our suite, being on the 5th floor roof top, was totally quiet and very airy, important for jet lagged travellers like us. The master bed which my mum sleeps on was a really King size one, hard to come by in European hotels. Whats more surprising was, my roll away single bed was THE MOST COMFORTABLE BED I have ever ever slept on ... (why can't all hotel beds be like this?).

Though the suite and especially its bathroom had seen better days, this didn't mar our stay a little since everything had worked and was very functional. Even the air-con was of the popular Daikin brand, the flat screen TV, the Toshiba brand - reliable Japanese brands that even my own home was using!.

Our only small glitches here were very minimal -
1. beautiful and classy common areas but albeit a little too small
2. the breakfast was a little too limited in choice for a hotel of this price and calibre
3. there was no showers in our bathroom with fair wear and tear

All in all, we had a real great time at this Conde Nast Travellers' highly Voted Hotel. All counter staff and Ms Stefania (the Reservations Manager?) were all very kind and professional with their dealings with us, even though we were only staying one night.

Seriously, this is one Hotel I wound not mind returning to as it was even better than the nearby Hotel Metropole!

Certainly not cheap but a fantastic hotel and great location. Lovely room and huge bathroom. Helpful staff and a great breakfast buffet! Definitely recommend this one!

You cannot get a better location then the Londra Palace. Located just a couple hundred meters from St. Marks and right next to the vaparetto stop. Small but nice lobby. Very good concierge. Tiny elevator.

The views from the room are spectacular. Although you are on a busy promenade, the rooms are quiet and, of course, there are no cars in Venice.

Our room was very well appointed. Bed was particularly comfortable. The bathroom was mid sized, but covered in marble and very nice. It that weird shower thing you get in Europe sometimes where there is no shower curtain, but a piece of glass that comes one-third the way across from the wall. We soaked the floor the first day.

Had a nice breakfast at the hotel, but I recmnd venturing out for other meals.

Only complaint was funky air conditioner. One day we were freezing cold, next day too hot. Although the hotel was very responsive they never quite got it fixed. For $700 per night I expect perfection.

Overall a very nice hotel, but you have to shut your eyes when paying the bill.

The londra Palace has the most perfect location facing the lagoon, yet isn't as massively expensive as some of the other water-front hotels. Close to St Mark's square and most other attractions.
Our room was very Venetian, very opulent. Venetian hot chocolate is 'to die for'. Give Murano a miss unless you like high pressure selling and have a few hours to be trapped in their sales rooms. The glass-blowing exhibition was good as was looking at the glass itmes on offer but not worth it for the pressure exerted on you to buy something.