Venice hotels - Hotel Ca' D'Oro - 3 star holiday accommodation in Italy

Venice hotels - In the heart of Venice, Hotel Ca' D'Oro combines the luxury of a recently restored 3-star holiday hotel with a delightful atmosphere very much that of old Venice.

This Venetian holiday hotel is in a building which used to belong to the Barbaro family, prelates and diplomats in the service of the Most Serene Republic of Venice. The building was completely restored in 2000. The Barbaros came to Venice from Rome in 868, and various members of the family fought as Venetian army commanders and served as diplomats in the days when Venice was a major world empire.

As you come in through the lovely courtyard you will see a well bearing the family name - immediately you are immersed in the Venice of the Middle Ages. And as you walk beneath the archway leading to the water gate on the Rio di Ca' Dolce, you are transported to an age of gondolas moving to and from among the palazzi, mysterious envoys of amorous intrigues and conspiracies!

The original 13th century beams and marble features in what is now the reception hall have been preserved in perfect condition by careful restoration; and the chandelier and splendid antique mirror are testament to the skill of the master glaziers of Murano.

You have a choice of rooms and prices. The two Junior Suites and the two Superior Class Rooms, with enchanting views over the Rio di Ca' Dolce, and the standard rooms, some with canal views, all have period furniture - a lovely blend of the old and the new. The rooms have been refitted with painstaking attention to detail; there is fin de siècle period furniture, sumptuous tapestry, Murano chandeliers and facilities. All is complemented by satellite colour TV, telephone with direct outside line, wall safe and independently controlled air conditioning. All the rooms have mosaic tiled bathrooms, embellished with Murano glass mirrors and lights and with either a bath or shower cubicle, and a hair dryer.

A warm welcome awaits you every morning in the breakfast room, where you can start the day over a good breakfast chosen from a lavish buffet with a wide choice of food, and with classical music playing gently in the background.

The hotel is in a quiet corner of the Cannaregio district, in north-west Venice, where the atmosphere of old Venice has been preserved, off the tourist track and full of old restaurants and taverns. Yet all the sights are within easy walking distance: it is five minutes to the Rialto Bridge and ten minutes to St Mark's Square. [View map]

This Venetian hotel is in a quiet corner where the Rio di Ca' Dolce and Rio di Santa Fosca canals meet. Cannaregio is one of the more populous and 'typical' areas of Venice. You will be near the Campo Santi Apostoli and the Ca' d'Oro, one of the most beautiful palaces on the Grand Canal, built between 1424 and 1440 by order of Marino Contarini as a gift for the woman he loved. Its name, the Golden House, comes from the gold ornamentation on its decorated Gothic façade.

The Rialto Bridge and its colourful market where Venetians buy fruit, vegetables and the freshest fish is only five minutes walk away. Ten minutes on foot through the main shopping streets takes you to St Mark's Square to admire the Basilica of St Mark, or to the Fondamenta Nuove - departure point for waterbuses and ferries to the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello.

You'll have no trouble finding the hotel. Situated on the Grand Canal, just above the Rialto Bridge, the hotel is a 15-minute waterbus ride from the Piazzale Roma terminal at the entrance to the city, and from the railway terminus which lies close by. Piazzale Roma has frequent connections to the airport.

Reception is open 24 hours a day, and the friendly, expert staff will help you to book a concert or an excursion, give you the name of a typical bar or night-club or a good restaurant, and will be at your service for any information you need. Don't hesitate to find more booking details on this Venice hotel.