Review: Venice’s Hotel Vecellio

On our recent trip to Italy, Tracy and I followed a constant we follow that has always served us well – local, boutique hotels. We found an absolute gem, and one of the best hotel deals in Venice.

To us, there’s something about avoiding the commercialism of global chain hotels, something that adds to the ambiance and cultural imbibing of our visits. There’s something stellar and romantic to us about staying in a small hotel with local flavor that adds both comfort and a sense of local taste. Perhaps this isn’t for everyone, but for a traveling couple who would rather spend our budget on something other than accommodations, it seems to work.

In Venice, the hotel in which we stayed was the Vecellio, a 500-year-old establishment reputed to be the former home of the Venician painter Tiziano Vecellio (known in English as Titian). Vecellio sits idyllically on the Adriatic, pointing toward the famous glass-making island of Murano.

The outside entryway of the Vecellio marks its history as well as a nod to its former tenant.

This location, without question, is stunning. From our hotel window we could conveniently overlook the passing of the vaporetti, the Venician water taxi that serves both around the city via lagoons as well as a direct path to the Venice Marco Polo Airport. If you’re looking for which vaporetti stop is nearest to Vecellio, Fondamenta Nuove is merely a handful of feet away from the front entry-way. There are so many things to do close to this hotel, even by simply just walking outside to the canals and watching the day pass.

Vecellio has what we seek in a European hotel – small, comfortable and romantic with a helpful desk staff willing to give you locals-only tips to the city. This staff is family, literally, as the hotel is now family-owned, and conveniently English-speaking for monolingual travelers. For under $100 per night, we were surrounded by small, quaint cafes that lined the sea, facing the distant Dolomite Mountains and the crisp morning breeze pouring in from the Adriatic. It was an excellent way to wake up – coffee-stirring, smelling the waft of fresh pastry being put out all along the seaway. We booked our trip through European Destinations, a sister company under the TripMasters umbrella.

This was an area, while a stones-throw away from the Rialto Bridge and a 15-minute walk from St. Mark’s Square, felt just off the beaten-path and out of the way of the hoards of tourist which flocked to the area daily. After a day of walking the city or touring Murano and Burano, we could slip back into comfortable solitude while watching the evening pass. It was in Burano that we had possibly the best meal of our lives at Trattoria al Gatto Nero, after which we took a simple boat back to the hotel and avoided stumbling through crowds of passers-by.

The recently-renovated lobby serves a delicious, simple breakfast and helps one to feel immediately relaxed upon entry.

The rooms at Vecellio are small, yes, but also romantic. In fact, we found them to be among the most romantic hotel rooms in Europe. The beautifully-aged interior speaks to classic Venice, and the plush, red upholstry could easily move the couple looking for quite time together. They were equipped with the standard needs – comfortable queen-size bed, shower, towel warmer, large bathrooms, ample closet space and excellent service. Additionally, Vecellio is a pet-friendly establishment for those with small, furry friends in tow.

Recently renovated, Vecellio has updated it’s look to abide by the times without losing it’s unique Venician energy. Can you shell out hundred of euros per night and stay along the Rialto? Of course. However, the location of Vecellio truly is central if you consider the proximity to Murano and Burano, and you simply can’t beat the convenience and charm of this absolutely adorable location.

Our verdict: We absolutely recommend.

Contact

Website: http://www.hotelvecellio.com/

Address: Sestiere Cannaregio, 5039, 30121 Venezia, Italy

Phone: +39 041 523 8743