What is the name of the hotel?
Al Canal Regio.
Review:
Well that was regrettable.
I just dropped the best part of £1,000 on a supposedly luxury week's stay in Venice and EVERYTHING went wrong.
I alighted at the airport and boarded the water bus - so far so good. But then things went awry. Following the directions stipulated by the hotel, I was soon lost. Getting dark, I was adopted by some good samaritans, who had never heard of the hotel. After 5 hours of slogging all over Venice, I found my way - finally - to the hotel, basically a door in the wall in a back alley with a small sign. I wondered in and found the reception, unmanned, with my key waiting and a letter saying welcome. OK, odd, but, what the hey. Problem - where is my room? Turns out I was in an annex, separate from the main hotel. Again, no biggie, just strange. Got access to my room and my spirits fell.
Talk about basic. I had two rooms - a living room and a bedroom. The living room sported a table and chairs, all garden furniture. There was a sink, a hob (grimy, missing hob caps), some cabinets (filthy) and a black sofa that ate you. One very small window and cruddy lighting, with the bulbs hanging loose from the ceiling. I'm sorry, it was disgusting. Contained a toilet unit with doors that didn't close properly.
Enter the bedroom. One double bed, one single. I accidentally bashed the single with my shin, and it collapsed. Weird right? Three lights - a neon wall light and two bed lamps, one bust. Beds had the most Godawful mattresses, hard as bricks. Single sheets only, so I played a trick - I doubled up the main bed sheet by folding it over and added the sheets from the single bed, revealing a bug on the smaller mattress. Eww. Another toilet unit, shower pump at shin level. Godawful.
I decided to go exploring, cheer myself up. More fool me, I forgot my key. I doubled back and found that the door to the hotel at 8PM was locked. Press the buzzer, no help, no response. Thank God for yet more good samaritans, who were coming out, giving me access to the reception. Not manned, of course. Just two phone numbers to call in an emergency. Tried the first one several times - no answer. Tried the second one and got through to someone, who informed me that a key to a different room would still work in mine. Odd. But at least I got back in my room. I must say, I was terrified having to sleep rough for the night until the staff reappeared in the morning.
Had a go at trying to get some sleep, but the bed was so harsh and uncomfy I just couldn't. Tried using the air con unit to pump out some warm air, all the way to 28°C, no luck. Turned on the 13" computer monitor/TV to reveal five or so channels, two of which were radio stations.
Tried to drown my sorrows in breakfast the next day. Unmanned breakfast room, empty of people. Toaster, no bread. Cereal, apparently no milk. Basic rolls. Couple of pigeons of all things having the time of their lives.
Would I go back? Hell no. Sorry. The quality of the room et al combined with the high price was unforgivable. I will be saving up more and staying at a nicer hotel next time.
Is this nasty place a hotel or some sort of homestay? I'd love to google the property and see how it markets itself.
