This was our first time in Venice, A surprise journey for my girlfriend. I had planned to propose her during our stay and had asked hotel's staff to help me organise the surprise proposal and they were absolutely brilliant and made that day very special for us.
Hotel itself is located very conveniently on the grand canal, near main bus stop, train station and water taxi stand ( all few minutes walk ), Someone here at tripadviser said that grand canal is like M25 and its absolutely right so if u want peaceful roon then dont ask for canal view.
Hotel is kept very clean and staff are helpful and friendly ( few more then the others).. Downside of this hotel? well, breakfast is bit disappointing and no tea and coffe making facilty in the room, while hotel's cup of coffees are tiny and expensive but then again in Venice everything is very very expansive, but beautiful city.

A handy location if arriving at the Piazzale Roma or the main train station, the Carlton is a quaint hotel with high standards.

Check-in was effortless and staff very attentive and helpful. Breakfast is a simple buffet affair but good quality and lots of choice.Rooms are comfortable if a little dated. The furnishings are perfectly fine but not the most up to date.

The location is a good 15-20 minutes walk to the Rialto bridge and a little further for Piazza San Marco but as half of the fun of Venice is exploring the streets and alleyways, this was not a problem for us!

Our honeymoon trip started with Venice, we were hoping to find a nice hotel (Overpriced hotels) with a good view. The hotel is ok, the rooms are fairly small and given the price not true value as made out to be by other review.

Our stay was pleasant though.

We arrived in Venice the day before our cruise boarded so that we could get a feel for the city and gauge how many days to spend on a return trip. Because we had only one night, we booked a room at Hotel Carlton on the Grand Canal, just a 5-minute walk from the Pizzale Roma bus station where the People Mover is located to whisk you to the cruise terminal. The Hotel Carlton is located 2 hotels east of the bus station, directly across the footbridge to the train station. I cannot imagine a more convenient location for cruisers. The cost was $300 USD per night, but, hey, we are in VENICE for crying out loud, how can you NOT stay on the Grand Canal?

AIRPORT TO THE HOTEL CARLTON: We booked a shared water taxi on-line for 27 Euros each (54 euros for two). http://www.venicelink.com/ A wonderful experience! They whisked us right to the DOCK of the Hotel Carlton What a ride!

We have read TripAdvisor reviews on the Hotel Carlton complaining that the rooms were too small and the views out the windows unsatisfactory. We booked the least expensive room via TripAdvisor price-comparison service (Hotels.com or Bookings.com or some-such) and found our room more than adequate (and we own a Bed and Breakfast in San Diego and are very fussy).

The check-in process at Hotel Carlton was efficient, warm and cordial. The lobby and breakfast area was elegantly decorated and furnished. Our quiet room on the side of the hotel was spacious enough for 4 suitcases and a queen bed with room to spare. The walls soundproofed covered by a rich fabric brocade giving it an old world elegance. The windows actually opened so that we could bring the sounds and smells of Venice into the room. The Murano Glass Chandelier was feature typical of the tasteful décor. The spotless all-marble bathroom was beautiful with new modern fixtures, great bath and shower.

The free, full breakfast was far more than we expected with a big buffet of hot and cold food;, particularly unexpected (and delicious) was the rich coffee with steamed milk (cappuccino) brought to our table by a warm and accommodating staff. The 4 cups of coffee alone would have cost $20 anywhere else in Venice! As Siskel and Ebert used to say, Two Thumbs Up!

We enjoyed a wonderful dinner next door at Ristorante Da Nino, right on the Grand Canal. The waiters don't speak much English, but, hey, that's half the fun! The food is genuine Venetian. Ann's Shrimp was awesome, and Terry's olive oil and garlic spaghetti was to die for.

The Hotel Carlton will check your baggage for you until you decide to embark. Check out time was, I think, noon, so we spent the morning walking walking walking and came back to the hotel at 11 a.m. to pack and check out. We walked our bags over two bridges to the Pizzale Roma and the People Mover, then pulled them from the People Move to the NCL Spirit and we were off on a 12 day adventure cruise after a wonderful beginning at the Hotel Carlton.