Canal-side
setting five minutes' walk from St. Mark's Square
Set on small
courtyard with busy gondola stop
Typically
elaborate classical Venetian interiors
Many rooms overlook
canal and passing gondolas
Free breakfast
with alfresco and in-room dining options
Free Wi-Fi
throughout
Small bar for cocktails
Annex rooms
sub-par
Some bathrooms are tiny
Some rooms overlook a wall
Gondola noise and odors
The Hotel Violino d'Oro
is a pretty typical mid-range Venice hotel complete with the classical Venetian
interiors and canal-side setting. However, its location is superb -- set in the
touristic center of the city, a five-minute walk from St. Mark's Square. The steady
stream of gondolas outside its door (and some rooms' windows) is picturesque but
might get a bit much at times. Also Annex rooms, although generally cheaper,
might disappoint. Otherwise, guest rooms are classically decorated with tasseled drapes and floral wallpaper, and have flat-screen TVs and minibars. The free breakfast buffet includes pastries and other cold items. Overall, rates are certainly competitive, and the setting is
perfect for that unashamed tourist experience.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
Typically extravagant Venetian interiors
There's nothing
of this hotel to particularly impress from the outside -- housed in an unassuming
18th-century canal-side palazzo with simple white stucco frontage, a red awning,
and some potted shrubbery marking the entrance. Inside, the aesthetic is immediately
less modest, with a handsome marble-topped and wood- and mirror-paneled
reception desk accompanied by ornate, classically styled furnishings and Murano glass sconce lighting. Throughout the hotel, the opulent 18th-century Venetian styling continues with gilt-framed oil paintings, elegant
glass chandeliers, and intricately patterned carpeting. Although interiors are
very typical of most Venice hotels, there are few that can also deliver the
sight of a gondolier drifting by the lobby window, occasionally in full voice
and providing that picture-postcard Venetian moment.
Location
Right next to busy gondola stop, five minutes' walk from St. Mark's Square
The hotel is set
in a small canal-side square in one of the most elegant areas of the city and
right in the touristic center, with plenty of designer boutiques in the vicinity. Gondoliers queue up at the busy San Moisè Canal gondola
stop right outside the hotel, while St. Mark's Square and its famous open-air
cafes is about five minutes' walk away. The hotel's location means almost all of
Venice's tourist attractions are well within walking distance, and while the
nearest vaporetto stop, San Marco/Vallaresso, is just a five-minute walk away, this can prove awkward
with heavy luggage. The hotel, however, can arrange transport to and from the
airport or station (for a fee).
Rooms
Typical classical Venetian style room, many overlooking the canal
The hotel has 26
rooms, all of which follow typical classical Venetian styling. Think: damask
wallpaper, gilt-edged antique-styled furnishings, and tasseled drapery. Rooms
have individual climate control as well as free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs with
satellite channels, and minibars. Bathrooms are perfectly well-equipped with stall showers, though some are small
and, typical of Venice, there's danger of "canal smell." Also, although many
rooms do overlook the canal and constant stream of gondolas, some have slightly
less appealing views of walls. Some rooms are also in the annex in a separate
building, and are only accessible via stairs. Junior Suites have private terraces with sun-loungers overlooking the canals and San Moisè Church.
Features
Free breakfast in dining room, canal-side terrace, or in-room
The hotel serves
a buffet breakfast of pastries and cold items in the slightly more contemporary surrounds of the dining
room. Breakfast is included in the rate and can also be enjoyed on a small terrace
overlooking the canal -- it can also be ordered to the room for a fee. There is a small bar on-site serving drinks and snacks, though there isn't a full restaurant at the hotel for lunch and dinner. Free Wi-Fi is available
throughout. The hotel can also organize airport and station transportation as
well as arrange excursions -- including a free trip to Murano Island.
