Taking mum to Venice - where to book? Overwhelmed.

[Goingonagondola]

I posted a thread here recently about wanting to take my mum to Venice for her 70th despite my total lack of travel experience and anxiety and you were all so lovely and kind. You've encouraged me so much that I really feel I can do this.

BUT... I am totally overwhelmed looking at hotels/places to stay. There are hundreds and I'm scared of getting it wrong (anxiety). Please help! Does anyone have any personal recommendations? My wishlist is:

1. Easy walking distance to St Mark's square
2. Near a vaparetto stop from airport/not hard to find as arriving at night (anxiety)
3. Nice but not wildly expensive
4. Friendly staff who can speak some English (anxiety)
5. Wifi
6. Air con - though going in October so probably less important

And also... I really want to overlook a canal and hear the gondoliers going along singing. Is this silly? These rooms seem to cost more but it will be a once in a lifetime trip for mum so I want her to have the best experience ever.

Any help or advice massively appreciated.

We used a company called truly Venice. They have a large number of apartments at different prices. They have always been good. We’ve been 5 times now, as we really enjoy it.

October in Venice will be quite chilly...so make sure you and your Mum take some warmer clothes.

It's absolutely beautiful there...you'll love it.

Have you been looking at the reviews of the hotels you've checked so far?

www.trulyveniceapartments.com/

I've never heard a gondolier singing.

www.carltongrandcanal.com/

This has mainly good to excellent reviews.

www.tripadvisor.com.au/Hotel_Review-g187870-d202690-Reviews-Hotel_San_Cassiano_Residenza_d_Epoca_Ca_Favaretto-Venice_Veneto.html

And this one seems lovely.

The thing with booking hotels is that the reviews will give you a good idea of your chances of a really nice stay but you can't ever guarantee anything.

That's what's making you anxious OP.

However...even if you ended up in a hotel with grubby rooms and dodgy service, it could still be the holiday of a lifetime....it's what you make it. Obviously you don't WANT grubby rooms but all you can really do is read reviews and make a choice.

Have you been looking at the reviews of the hotels you've checked so far?

Yes - and have a few shortlisted (but of course the better the reviews the higher the price, so it's finding that balance!) Argh.

I've never heard a gondolier singing.

Is it a myth?

The thing with booking hotels is that the reviews will give you a good idea of your chances of a really nice stay but you can't ever guarantee anything.

Yes! You're so right. I want to hunt until I find the one that guarantees everything will be perfect.

I saw your last thread... Don't let your anxiety overwhelm you. Sometimes too much choice is difficult to cope with. In fact, studies show, the more choice we have, less satisfied we are with what we choose.

Whatever happens, you are making your mum's dream come true, she is going to have an amazing time. Don't get paralysed by perfectionism.

Buy the Time Out Guide to Venice. They're written by local journalists so anything in the latest edition will be a good recommendation. Just pick from the smaller selection they suggest. They also have suggested itineraries, as do Lonely Planet (you can see them online). Pick one, add in/swap anything you want to do that's not listed (St Marks, Murano and the Peggy Guggenheim Museum were suggested before, all are great). Choose some restaurants and bars from the guide that fit with your itinerary and ask the hotel to book them in advance. Ask if they can book the gondola too. Then sit back, relax and enjoy.

Whatever you do, you are going to miss out on something and that is just fine. Try not to worry about choosing the best of the best, you won't go wrong if you pick something from the guidebooks (or a recommendation from here), it's going to be the trip of a lifetime for your mum wherever you stay/eat/visit.

www.liassidipalacehotel.com/en/
This place was really lovely.
And no, sadly, no singing gondoliers, although one did do me a 3 second snippet of O Sole Mio.

OP they certainly don't all sing....there's the odd one that does but it's very much a speciality and luck of the draw.

Just been browsing Air B&B and am shocked at how much cheaper it is - do you think this would be a good option? There's nothing as central as the hotels, but most are about half the price.

I saw your last thread... Don't let your anxiety overwhelm you.

Thank you for this runoutofnamechanges and for all the rest of the advice. You're right that I feel a lot of pressure to get it 'right' and need to be more open to it just being good no matter what.