Stay Report: Ca' di Dio (Venice, Italy - December 2023)

   Stay Report: Ca' di Dio Hotel
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We were travelling through Europe and our first stop was in Italy, specifically in Venice.  When in Venice, some of the hotels are located on the mainland, near the airport, while others are located on the island.  We were only going to be in Venice for a couple of days so wanted to stay on the island to be within walking distance of many sights and sounds.  When looking around the various sites and hotels, I came across Ca' di Dio which was a hotel in Venice and was part of the 'Small Luxury Hotels'.  That group is now a Hyatt partner so we were able to book the hotel through the Hyatt site.  It was easy to navigate and book the room, and a couple of days prior to arrival the hotel reached out regarding any arrival or stay requests. 

The hotel is located on the island of Venice right in front of the Arsenale stop.  While the hotel is a little further away from the main part of the city, it is only a 10 minute walk to Piazza San Marco, and the water taxi stop is literally in front of the hotel.  From the airport, it takes about 45mins on the water taxi and its one line and 7 stops from the airport.  We also took the water taxi to the train station and that took about 20mins, and again it was one line and 6 stops.  The location of the hotel was very convenient with both walking distance to many shops and sights as well as access to public transportation.  On the outside, there is no sign that the hotel exists so when we first went we almost passed by the hotel.  There are three doors to the hotel that take you to different areas of the hotel.  The middle door is the 'main door' as it leads into the lobby area and the front desk; the door to the right leads to the restaurant while the door on the left leads to the conference rooms as well as the elevator to the rooms; the are all interconnected so you can access every part of the hotel from each door.

The lobby is very nice and has a small desk at the back for check-in and some seating around.  In the afternoon, they also provide water and some juices in the lobby.  Near the front of the lobby, on the right side, is entryway that leads to a small sitting area/library with some couches and small tables and then that leads into the hallway which has the restaurant and other facilities.  On the other side of the lobby, on the left side, is the entryway to the hallway which will lead to the breakfast area, conference rooms, spa, as well as elevator to the rooms.  Check-in was relatively quick, and due to status we were 'upgraded' to a junior room.  We proceeded to the tiny elevator and went to our room.

The room itself was a standard American size hotel but for European standards it was a larger room, hence the upgrade notion.  As you entered the room, to the left was a TV mounted on the wall as well as a lounge chaise underneath it.  Along one wall were big windows which showcased the courtyard and the windows were covered by great blackout curtains which covered all sound and light (the curtains did a fantastic job!).  There was a couch and lamps next to the window as well.  Along the other wall were the two junior beds which were right next to each other.  In the European places I have stayed, either they have one bed frame and two mattresses or they have two bed frames and one giant mattress.  The beds were generally comfortable, a decent size, and provided a good nights sleep.  Next to each bed were a table and mounted on the wall above the table were switches, plugs, USB ports, as well as bedside lights.  

On the right side of the room was a hallway in which the closet was on one side and the entrance to the bathroom was on the other.  The closet contained a place to hang your clothes, shelves, a safe, coffee maker, as well as plenty of storage; it was a good size closet.  The bathroom was also a good size and contained a large sink with counter space, a toilet, a bidet, and a walk-in shower.  There were refillable toiletries next to the sink as well as in the shower.  The bathroom style looked very Moroccan-esque and the space and size was very generous (I was expecting and used to very small and narrow Eupean-style bathrooms).

The hotel came with many amenities, some of which we availed of and some of which we did not. There was a restaurant, a bar, a spa, wifi, concierge, luggage hold, as well as other amenities.  Our room came with complimentary breakfast so we did avail ourselves of that.  The breakfast took place in the smaller restaurant behind the lobby and next to the courtyard.  It was a buffet style with a selection of breakfast items as well as some cheeses, fruits, cereals, and other hot and cold dishes.  It was not a huge spread but decent enough to start the day with.  The wifi was decent and provided good coverage; the luggage hold was great as you could check-out and hold your luggage so not to drag it all around town; and the concierge was great as some restaurants needed reservation and only took them via phone call and only when they opened!

Overall, it was a great stay at the Ca' di Dio hotel.  The location was great as it was easy access to sights (walking distance) as well as directly in front of public transportation.  The rooms were spacious and comfortable, the noise level was minimal, and the service was good.  Overall, a great place to stay in Venice/Venezia!