A rare occurrence on PashbyMaul adventures, but it’s worth pointing out that not all is roses and rainbows when you travel. Sometimes a hotel or restaurant just isn’t up to par.
We’ve already given our readers lots of tips about how to avoid bad tourist food, but hotels are a completely different animal. Sometimes the best deal isn’t always the best choice. Really great hotels can charge more because they are really great.
Deep discounts might just indicate desperation, especially during one of the busiest times in Venice, Carnevale. Here is our candid review of the Hotel Rialto, Venice, as experienced in February of 2014.
We thought it was great price for 95euro on second to last night of Carnevale. Amazing location adjacent to the Rialto bridge right on the Grand Canal. However this is not a four star quality hotel. They may attempt to make up for it with amenities, but just barely qualify. Wifi only available in the lobby, and at a price. Complimentary newspapers though.
A note to travelers: If the hotel description includes references to “Traditional” or “Vintage furnishings”, this is hotel code for “old” and “outdated”. Rooms reflect this.
Heat works really really well… so well that when you enter the room you start to panic and pray the windows open. Thermostat seems to be there just to make you feel better, because it doesn’t do anything.
Thankfully windows do open, and instead of a view of anything, we see netting and scaffolding and signs warning us of workers. Fortunately they were not working during carnevale.
Bathrooms are Spartan, but not in the typical European way. Pretty sure ours had been renovated at least once in the distant past, but only indication were two random faucets in the wall that were capped off. Shower was a shower-head and drain in the floor with no lip distinguishing the drain-basin from the rest of the bathroom tiles. Accordion style doors kept water from going everywhere. My house has better water pressure and more responsive hot water.
Sleep quality poor, beds were two twins pushed together to form a double, but this is typical for Europe… these beds were just particularly uncomfortable. Noise from either a dying pigeon, or someone across the alley with emphysema kept us up most of the night. Random loud people on the street all hours didn’t help. Nor did the oppressive heat… otherwise the window could have been closed improving sleep quality tremendously.
Breakfast room full when we made it downstairs at 10am. Had to wait for a table. But selection of pastries and cereals was good. Hard boiled eggs, turkey, cheese, bread… juices and fresh fruit, cappuccino/coffee table service. Even prosecco to make mimosas if that’s your thing.
Overall PashbyMaul adventures was not impressed enough to go back, or make a positive recommendation. One humorous note though. Upon arrival, it’s as if management knew we wouldn’t be satisfied. A note greeted us on the bedside table apologizing for “any inconvenience caused” along with a box of Venetian sweet biscuits. First time I’ve stayed in a hotel where they apologize before you even complain about anything!
Upon checking out, we were fortunately not asked if we enjoyed our stay.
Intentionally International 