Gritti Palace Venice

I write this review in support of the Gritti that seems to be getting undeservedly bad reviews! Tommorrow I leave for my 6th stay at the Gritti. I have had only good experiences at the Gritti, including meals when not staying there. The food is excellent, the staff are perfect and the whole hotel is charming. It is an old palace, it does not have duvets, it has fabulous bathrooms and wonderfully large beds and it is very typically Venetian, in a wonderful location. It is a perfect location - go there in the winter for the food and a walk in the lovely Venetian colours in the evening. Go in the summer and you are met by private launch at the airport and share the facilities of the other 2 hotels on the Lido plus the Europa Regina. No it is not cheap but this is Europe and in comparison to other hotels of a simlar standard and location it is incredibly good value. I travel frequently and the Gritti is like coming home and the staff always know you!

Hotels fall along a spectrum: 10/10 are those which you find such a fantastic experience and which, irrespective of cost, represent such good value-for-money, that you want to rush around all your friends and acquaintances spreading the word. The 1/10 hotels are those where the experience is so poor and/or you were fleeced to such an extent that you want to do the opposite. Rarely, there are hotels with 0/10 where you were so incensed by the experience that you want to tell the world and you're prepared to spend time typing a detailed rebuttal of some of the hyperbole written about that hotel.

The facts: One May in 1995, my wife and I ate lunch here, which was sublime. We vowed to return to Venice and both to eat AND to stay here. (NB at that time it was run by CIGA Hotels)

We have just spent 2 nights over a special wedding anniversary where, inevitably, you suspend a certain degree of judgment. The service at the hotel works on the principle that aloof, liveried flunkies are actually a substitute for friendly, welcoming service. But we didn't stay there to admire the sycophancy and the tail-coated concierge, we came to enjoy ourselves. We had a nice room (glass chandelier) and no complaints there, so that if we'd merely stayed here (preferably at some else's expense) and NOT eaten here, we'd probably give it 3-4 stars.

So what went wrong with the restaurant? Can't fault the ambience and if you get to eat out on the Grand Canal in summer then you've cracked it. No, there were only two problems with our one dinner there: its quality and its price.

2 covers at E8. "Would you like an aperitif?" 2 small glasses of fizz and pureed fruit at E16 EACH. Food was VERY average and could - indeed would - have been bettered in establishments charging a fraction of the price. My fish starter consisted of a huge plateful of bland smoked salmon+sturgeon (E29), that became an unwelcome chore after I'd eaten 1/4 of it; definitely a case of quantity rather than quality. My wife's shrimps (E30.50) were copious but tasteless. Mains were veal (E39) and beef (E43), both utterly unremarkable. Bottle of inexpensive but well-matched local CampoFiorin, E40.50 (>400% markup?), one of the cheaper wines on their list. Water, E9 a bottle. Now for the denouement. No digestif menu, but 2 grappas seemed in order. These came in at E23 and E22 each.

So to recap, that's E303.50 for food that was wholly unmemorable, apart from the price. Beverages E126.50. Grand total E303.50.

For those who've read this far and say What do you expect in Venice in a hotel of this quality? I'd agree, up to a point. But we won't be going back, nor will we EVER darken the door of ANY Starwood hotel for as long as we live, given that the instructions from the bean counters at HQ is obviously "Hit the customer, and hit them hard; Hey, we probably won't even own that hotel this time next year."

Our experience at the Gritti (following many good experiences with 5 star hotels) involved us staying in two rooms - the first was a large, impressive suite on the 4th floor - very impressive, however, we were appalled by the linen and wool bedcoverings which were unbelievably uncomfortable!!! The staff looked at us in bewilderment when we requested soft cotton duvets, but they did acquiese in the end with egyptian cotton. Although the service was more accommodating than the general Venice treatment, the next room we were moved to on the third floor was appalling. We could not believe this sparse, cold and unimpressive room with the cockroach in the bathtub was a 5 star.....noisy, uninviting...all in all, the building itself is old and contains some impressive antiques and beatiful features, and the location is great, we would not return.

My girflriend and I spent a week end in Venice and I must say that the Gritti Palace is definitely what you would expect from the old Venice, opulent common rooms, high ceilings cheesy furniture and a great location along the Grand Canal. This makes you really feel you are in Venice The staff was efficient and quite helpful.

It was really fantastic to have breakfast on the terrace overlooking the Grand Canal although for the quality of the food which was really standard , 50 EUR seems definitely overpriced.

For dinner go to La Terraza of the hotel Danieli, the best view in Venice, although overpriced as well (35 EUR for tomato and mozarella cheese is a bit ridiculous).

BUT the location, the view and the so Venice atmosphere are definitely worth it!

Stayed here in January for two nights. Hotel was not full but we were never offered upgrade even though we are both Starwood Gold members.

Stayed in a non-smoking room on first floor which was in a word, basic - looked like it had been stripped. Definitely not luxurious or ornate.

Bathroom was satisfactory. Concierge was overbearing, did not make any effort to be helpful. Extremely disappointed. Will never stay here again. For the price, there are plenty of other luxury hotels in Venice.

We stayed here 2 nights in August. It is a lovely old historic hotel, but very expensive at 400 euros per night for a very small (but nicely furnished) room. Breakfast is NOT included and costs 50 euros EACH!

Suggest the Hotel Ala which is practically next door and half the cost.

You can still eat at the Gritti and see the boats - the Gritti rooms don't have canal views anyway

My husband took me to the Hotel Gritti to celebrate my 40th birthday.

What a way to enter middle-age! I may be 40 again next year.... The hotel is old but certainly no worse for wear. We were lucky and got a room with a view of St. Salute. It was magnificent. The room was huge and well appointed. The bathroom was good size as well, done in marble with a jacuzzi bath and had good amenities including comfy slippers.

After walking and walking and walking you defintely need those! Service was very good! The only negative was the food. We arrived late the first evening and ate at the hotel...it might was well have been Chef Boy Ar Dee. Truly terrible but that was the only bad thing. The hotel concierge arranged for a gondola ride at a reduced rate and for a water taxi back to the hotel. What a way to go.....I felt like a princess.

The location is very good and quiet yet still near all the major sites.

Give it a try and you will not be disappointed.

We stayed here in March 2001 and paid just under $300 per night for our room, which was an Internet special.

The rooms were very nice, and the hotel staff was curteous as well. A drink on the dock area overlooking the Grand Canal is to be savored.

We're staying somewhere a little more affordable on our next Venice trip, but our stay at the Gritti Palace will always be remembered, and eventually repeated, we hope.

This is a very good example of a hotel living on his name . This hotel is really old, I mean old... even the carpets of the more than ordinary rooms ( I visit 4 of them ) were old . Although I was not paying anything if you could chose , take anothe hotel. The location is magnificent ( perhaps the only good about this hotel together with the housekeeping) .

A lot more could be done regarding the rooms ....

for me was quite a deception. Room 138 was nice but very small.

The Gritti is expensive, there's no doubt. (I didn't pay as I used Starwood reward points, which may cloud my view.) This is because it is a big old (ie expensive upkeep) building with only 93 rooms. However, money aside, this is a nice place. The room decor (traditional venetian style - think aristocratic English with a twist) is certainly novel although not for fans of minimalism. Bathrooms are modern marble. Rooms are of average size and only a few have any sort of view. However, the public areas are copious and wonderfully decorated, as is the bar and restaurant terrace overlooking the Grand Canal where you could happily sit for hours watching the world go by. The staff are also charming and helpful. The best feature, however, is the hourly free motor boat service connecting the Gritti (and the Europa and Danieli) to the Lido hotels, where you are free to use their pools and beaches and charge food and drink to your Gritti room. Worst point - Euro 48 for buffet breakfast!!