Hotel Marte

It was with a bit of trepidation that we turned up at Hotel Marte having read a few of the reviews from earlier years. We need not have worried as we were very comfortable here. It was easy to find and only a few blocks from the station. The main door is directly onto the front of the street - it looks pretty ordinary - and we were buzzed in by reception. In the lobby you are faced with about 15 carpeted stairs to reach the reception desk which is a bit of a challenge but we made it ok and the staff are certainly willing to help if asked. There is a properly installed stair lift for wheelchair bound guests. Check in was easy. We found that our room did not have a kettle but as soon as I mentioned this the receptionist brought us a tray with kettle, cups and spoons to keep in our room for the duration. The room was clean and looked quite luxurious. The bed was huge and comfortable and there was room to slide suitcases beneath it. There were separate chairs and a small table to sit at so we did not have to lounge on the bed the whole time. The hotel serves breakfast but to be honest it's a bit pricey for what you get (Coffee/tea, fruit, cereal and pastries). There are lots of cafes nearby to get a cappuccino and breakfast instead. We chose not to go on the Ferrovia boats and everywhere was within a decent walk, but there is a Ferrovia stop on the water just opposite the hotel. One tip you might find useful is that half way between the station and the hotel, and again from the hotel just beyond the Ponte Guglie there are Despar supermarkets well stocked with super produce if you fancy buying your own breakfast/lunch/supper.

Although the views may Intice you into eating here don't, the staff are rufe and arrogant. The price of the meal vs what we got was not worth it. When we asked for the bill we had to ask 3 different waiters who all said they would get it then went off and done other things for about 10 minutes. When we did then get the bill the waiter stood over our shoulder waiting for the money, there was an 11 euro service charge placed on the bill which wasn't worth the service and then when we paid the bill in full including the service charge the waiter counted it in front of us then walked off without even saying thank you as in he wanted more money or a tip on top of the 11 euros tip they already got. Ridiculous

When i asked the waiter why the check had 20 euros more he showed us a very small thing written in the menu as an extra tax. We told them that they are are not serious and they told us to go the f**k home. Food was bad. No taste.

Positive: the location is perfect, very near to the railway station/piazzale Roma, so that is very quick and easy to reach when you have to carry your suitcase, at the same time is a good starting point to reach every part of Venice. You are also in front of the vaporetto (waterbus) stop Guglie and in front of a great local restaurant called trattoria bar pontini, which I recommend. Staff very kind, cleanliness of the room excellent. Toiletries also refurnished daily. Negative: I think that spending 585 euros for just 4 nights and without the breakfast is too expensive! An element which have to mentioned is that the lift starts from the first floor. That means you have to carry your suitcase on long steps, which can be really hard if not almost impossible if you are old. Also the flush of the toilet has some problems but nothing too annoying.

We stopped here for a drink. Aperol spritz was advertised in their window for €2. We ordered orange juice without looking at the menu. We were charged €5 for each small bottle of orange juice!! Moral - always look at the menu or ask the price before ordering. They did let us sit under a table umbrella for 15 minutes till it stopped raining.