I was drawn to the Hotel Novecento by the photos of its beautiful rooms when I searched online for lodging in Venice, Italy. While we stayed there, I was impressed by their attentive but unobtrusive service.
The Italian Air Traffic Controllers called a strike the day that we were to arrive in Venice. Once our flight to Venice was cancelled, the Novecento staff was extremely responsive in meeting our needs. They coordinated a delay of our transfer service from the airport more than once due to continuous changes to our itinerary.
The night manager’s dining recommendation for LaFeluca was spot-on, and we enjoyed that restaurant not once, but twice, which is high praise given the numerous wonderful dining choices in Venice.
We stayed in a Superior Room, which boasted a queen bed, large wardrobe, and cube refrigerator. French doors leading to a Juliet balcony allowed a pleasing view over the beautiful garden below.
We left the doors open much of our visit, and from time to time sweet Italian music wafted in from another building overlooking the garden.
The location is superb. St. Mark’s Square is a ten minute walk, with numerous restaurants and interesting shops along the way. The dock for the water taxi is just two buildings away.
The bathroom boasted one of the most spectacular showers that we’ve ever had the opportunity to enjoy … hand-held dual shower heads, plus a rectangular rain shower pad. The blow dryer, which was hard-wired, had remarkable power. The requisite bidet stood next to the toilet.
The gathering area was a great place to sit and read, rest after a day of touring, or meet up with our travel partners.
Breakfast was exceptional. Eggs, croissants, fresh fruit, yogurt, European-style meats and cheeses, accompanied by made-to-order espresso and cappuccino started each day. We enjoyed breakfast either in the dining room or outside in the garden on warmer days.
We found the ‘honesty bar’ in the dining room to be a nice touch, and enjoyed ‘digestivi’ there after returning from our large dinners out.
Snacks and drinks were always available during the day.
The Hotel Novecento participates in the plastic-free Venice initiative. We bought one of their stainless steel water bottles and refilled it throughout our visit. The hotel not only provides a bottle of still water in each room every day, but refills of sparkling and still water are always available upon request. We are fussy about our water, having a whole-house purifier at home. The water at the Hotel Novecento had a clean, clear taste.
Overall, the ambiance of the building, artistic touches, and thoughtful extras made the Hotel Novecento a delightful part of our time in Venice.
Bottom Line:
Great Points: Attentive service, nice ambiance, great artwork, delicious food, wonderful shower, powerful blow dryer, and great location.
To be considered: The mobility challenged would not be able to stay at the Hotel Novecento. After two days of climbing two flights of stairs several times a day, I heard my 60-something knees talking to me. That said, I wouldn’t hesitate to stay at the Hotel Novecento again, stairs or not. The Hotel Novecento is worth the climb.
