First of all, let me say that the MANAGEMENT of the hotel are spectacular. The Danieli was the first true 'luxury' hotel I splurged on around 20 years ago when I started my business career ... and I've stayed twice since with the last time being 2012. At the time I remember crisp linen Frette sheets, friendly service and a very refined clientele. Unfortunately, during our recent stay, that was not the case. The hotel's condition is tired and dated ... and not in a historic way. Aside from a somewhat grand lobby, the rooms here are SO far from 5-star. On Marriott's site, the Saint Regis and Gritti Palace did not have availability while we were in Venice ... the reviews seem much better for both those properties than what The Danieli has become. Recently, a popular article in a magazine spoke about another hotel group purchasing and planning on $30 million in renovations to The Danieli. The article's headline is, "The oldest continuously running hotel in Venice is falling apart." I would agree. It's really quite shabby and relying on its reputation to get people into the door. Comfort and luxury is not the draw of the Danieli these days ... I am not sure if it's Marriott which is not investing into its upkeep, or the group which owns the hotel, but it's clear corners are being cut all around. I have been to many hotels, 4 and 5 star ... and some which transcend even 5 star ... and the concierge desk here is the rudest and snootiest staff I have ever encountered! I was not surprised to read so many other reviews which say so. We came into the Danieli around 10:30 p.m. from the airport and upon arrival asked the concierge to recommend a restaurant which we could grab a casual meal at. He was writing on a pad and glanced up for one second at me and then back down to continue writing as he said, "Everything is closed in Venice at this hour." And that was that. Luckily, we went out anyways because not only were there a bunch of small pizza trattorias open, we did encounter a couple small restaurants that were open. It is hard to believe this would be the response from a concierge. In another incident, we asked the concierge to call us a water taxi. The hotel has a taxi stop attached. We told him where we were headed, which was about 3/4 mile from the hotel. The driver told us upon arriving that the cost would be 80 Euro! The restaurant we were going to confirmed to us that it should have been a 15 Euro trip. 20 Euro tops. The restaurant's owner mentioned he couldn't believe the concierge did not confirm a fair rate in advance, as most hotels ensure their guests won't be taken advantage of, which is common of taxis. When we came back to the hotel, I let the concierge know about the cost ... and he basically said, "What do you want me to do? You rode the taxi." So, if you are going to take a taxi, get one from outside the hotel and ask the driver the fare in advance. (We also told the concierge we wanted to pay the taxi using a card. When we arrived, the taxi driver said he could only take cash, even though most taxis offer card payment.) Each time we interacted with the concierge staff, they acted incredibly snooty, aloof and non-welcoming. I asked if they had a pack of matches one day and the concierge scowled at me. He rolled his eyes at my wife one time when she tried to give him the room key on our way out ... rudely gesturing to the desk next to the concierge stand, as if she offended him. Stay away from the tall concierge, lest you offend him by asking him to actually do something competent for you. To some degree, I sympathize as the clientele of the Danieli has really gone downhill and the lobby/bar seemed more like the lobby of a Carnival Cruise Ship than a 5-Star hotel ... so maybe the concierge is rude to all customers as a result. One night, there was a large group of people in t-shirts and sandals gathered at the bar, where there is a piano. The group took it upon themselves to play the piano (badly) and singing songs together loudly (and badly) as people were trying to enjoy their 30 Euro cocktails. I am shocked that a 5-star hotel would allow this type of fraternity party atmosphere in their main lobby. I don't expect a dress code to walk through the lobby ... but the lobby seemed like an American or English suburban shopping mall or Las Vegas casino while staying here. (This is coming from an American) Our room was on the first floor, so we could hear the noise from the bar and also from the street outside. We had to keep the blinds closed as people walked by our windows in a stream, like ants, all day and all night. We had a small window which overlooked the lagoon ... which was nice ... but there was a steady stream of people directly in front of the windows looking into our room as we tried to enjoy the view. Be careful of which room you are assigned. Our room was only 250 sq feet and the bathroom was so small, there was only a narrow walkway from one end to the other and the shower was inside an incredibly narrow tub with a small, moving glass partition. The room looked as though it was in a Dickensonian Victorian flophouse ... my grandmother's decor. It looks as though it hasn't been refreshed from the 1950's and the furniture was all scratched and marked. The positives ... - The bed was among the most comfortable we stayed at in Italy. It was very soft, which I prefer. - The restaurant on the top floor has one of the most beautiful views in Venice. While many said the food is bad ... we thought it was one of our best meals in Venice. It's fancy and expensive ... and they charges guests 12 Euro each for a cover charge. But it's worth having a meal there. - Though it's run down, it is THE most historic hotel in Venice. It's a landmark ... and if you stay in Venice, this is the most famous hotel there. In its heyday, all the celebrities and world leaders stayed there. Now, probably not. - The location is good ... although not if you don't want to be in a sea of tourists. The hotel's location is very crowded but it is an easy walk to wherever you want to go in Venice and there is a boat station right next door. I would recommend NOT taking a Gondola from the station in front of the hotel ... they do not go down as many of the picturesque canals and spend more time in the lagoon. - Plenty of build-in closet space in our room but they smelled a bit musty. Overall, this will probably be our last stay at The Danieli. The concierge team really turned me off and we found the staff to be cold and unwelcoming. The lobby/bar is crowded with a lot of loud people and overall, this is not a luxurious hotel anymore. I wish the hotel the best of luck ... hopefully the Danieli will continue to operate in Venice but if you are staying here, know what you are getting into.…
I have wanted to stay at the Danieli for a very long time now. Upon arriving at the Hotel almost everyone was very nice. There were some of the workers that we felt were rude. I was disappointed by this because I would expect a Hotel of this caliber to only have the best staff. Anyway regardless of that we very much enjoyed our stay and our room with a balcony. Breakfast buffet in the mornings were all delicious and our one dinner there was spectacular.
First time visitor - very much enjoyed the stay. Room had an excellent balcony with a view over venice. Breakfast on the rooftop terrace was also outstanding. This is a historic hotel with a very impressive lobby and overall has an ideal location. Especially for visits to st marks square or to the biennale. Check in and check out took a long time however.
My wife and I had stayed here in 2000 on our honeymoon and it was spectacular. We especially remembered the elegant and authentic afternoon tea service in the beautiful lobby. This time we stayed at a different, and more expensive, luxury hotel, which was wonderful, but booked the afternoon tea at the Danieli yesterday. I was aware that Marriott had bought the hotel, but did not anticipate the absolute downgrade of quality and service that has ensued. The lobby still has the magnificent staircase and paneling, the view from the Terrace is still stunning, but everything else shrieks “we don’t care anymore”. The clientele seemed more suited to a Las Vegas casino, unkempt t shirts and shorts. Concierge with his nose in the air couldn’t be bothered to show any interest in guests. Worst of all, the lovely formal afternoon tea no longer exists, although it is advertised as such. When served, two tea bags were presented on a plate, and a pot of hot water each for my wife and me. No teapots with fresh tea, no tiered serving tray for sweets and sandwiches, just a flat plate each with 2 sets of 3 stale tea sandwiches each. The tuna and the smoked salmon were edible despite the stale bread and low quality tuna, but the third concoction, some kind of bitter vegetables, was inedible. There were no cakes or scones. What they called scones were flat little overdone, practically burnt, things about an inch high. Trying to cut them open was a mess because they fell apart. No strawberry preserves, just typical tiny little Marriott glass jars with something they labeled strawberry, but you couldn’t tell by the taste, and it was a very watery jelly. No clotted cream, just a portion of whipped cream, which was decent sized but just not what this type establishment should be serving as a high tea accompaniment. The rest of the items were some small store bought custard tarts the size of a US quarter, a few store bought macarons, and tiny chocolate candies. On a scale of 1-10, we gave it a zero for quality, authenticity, and effort. The only saving grace is the very special view, but of course the hotel has nothing to do with that, it’s just there. The price of this disaster was 100 euros, without alcohol. I would have paid more for a proper tea, so price isn’t the issue with us, we just want what’s promised. This isn’t it. Stay away, you’ll be disappointed, as were we.…
This is a beautiful hotel in a convenient location. High level of service from all but some concierges. Very short with me when I inquired about being picked up at Piazzale Roma (10 minute boat ride) following rental car drop off. 250 euro! Made my own water taxi arrangements for 50 euro. Unlike my stay at Gritti Palace almost every service has a price tag rather than being part of the reason the rooms are priced at 5 star. (Gritti may have changed since it is now also managed by Marriott.) Concierge also recommended a restaurant (postcard handy) that has awful reviews on TripAdvisor. (We didn't go.) The Danieli food is good, not great, and expensive even for a 5 star hotel. Other the other hand, almost everything in Venice is more expensive. There is extensive breakfast buffet and if you want something other, staff is very accommodating. Rooms are Old World luxurious and comfortable, but not as impressive as magnificent public areas would indicate. A hotel in Venice at this level should have a private launch; unless that too is a thing of the past. I did not recall the Vaporetti stop being directly in front of the hotel. Its there. Convenient, but not so esthetically pleasing. I can say we stayed in a famous, beautiful hotel, but other places on this trip surpassed or equaled the Danieli.…
Not worth staying, bad concierge service, not worth the money you spend here! We had a party of 5 in our group traveling to Venice recently. We decided to stay here since all of us are above Platinum Elite members of the Marriott. I first had to deal with not so friendly concierge staff via the emails before our arrival to the hotel, trying to plan transportations and bookings for the dinner reservations. Dario, especially was not very kind to us in general and was very rude about some restaurant bookings, stating how some restaurants are very elegant and requires certain dress codes; our group was confused as to what he meant by this. Overall, for the average 600 to 800€ per night here, you expect a more welcoming environment. We also didn’t get any upgrades like we we’re supposed to. Rooms are old style and need to be updated. The main lobby and the bar is beautiful. Worth having a drink there to check it out. They do have a beautiful Terrace Roof Top, also worth checking it out for drinks only. Don’t bother to eat there. Very average food like the concierge staff service.…
The Danieli delivers! Off the charts - fantastic hotel and great staff. Room was absolutely terrific - 51. Great location - very close to the Doge’s Palace and so much more. Go for the “happy hour” 3:30 - 6:30 and enjoy the view. Breakfast is excellent - roof top views. The bar in the lobby has a wide selection of single malts - including Islay brands. Grab a free boat ride to Murano and get a great tour of a glass making.
Beautiful hotel, worth the money, especially after we got a suite upgrade as Marriott Bonvoy Platinum members. We booked 1 night and literally stayed 24 hours enjoying the hotel beauty and its luxury, historic atmosphere. Recommended for everyone to have a very special, romantic time in Venice.
I was very disappointed in this hotel as soon as you pass the check-in experience which was good. I cam down from Milan for a one night with the family, the experience in the hotel was very disappointing.. after check in we have been escorted to the elevators, as soon as the doors closed the elevator stop working and I have kids, I think you can imagine their reaction. Ringing the emergency bell and phone but no reaction and even the bell was not loud enough .. the elevator did open its door by it self. Then we had to go up the stairs 4 floors, and we did not hear an apology. The mirror in the room has fallen by it self at night 😫 also the rooms are very dark and furniture are very tired. The beds are not comfortable as the Luxury Collection should be. The breakfast buffet was not up to the level…
Visiting Hotel Danieli was a must for our recent trip to Venice. It is in the perfect location just minutes away from top sights in Venice and has beautiful views. We decided to go for a few drinks to say we had been to the James Bond hotel in Venice. When we arrived (without a reservation), we had to present our green covid passes. This hotel was one of the few places still checking passes (April 2022), but it shows that they really care about the safety of their guests. We took the elevator up to the beautiful restaurant and sat for hours enjoying the view and drinking the beautiful cocktails. Don't get me wrong you will pay 25 euros a cocktail. But we felt so relaxed and really enjoyed the atmosphere. It was really lovely not being in the hustle and bustle that was only a few meters from the hotel. The service was excellent and the staff always went above and beyond to serve you. Highly recommend, whether it is for a drink or an overnight stay.…
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