GrandCanal-Start

Hotel Description

Welcome to GrandCanal-Start, an inviting three-star hotel nestled in the enchanting district of Santa Croce in Venice, Italy. Perfectly positioned at Santa Croce, 521 – Piazzale Roma, this charming accommodation offers guests a comfortable retreat while exploring one of the world’s most magical cities. With a solid 7.7 rating, GrandCanal-Start has established itself as a reliable choice for travelers seeking quality accommodation at a reasonable price point in Venice’s competitive hospitality landscape. The hotel’s name hints at its proximity to Venice’s famous Grand Canal, the aquatic artery that winds through the heart of this unique floating city.

The hotel’s location in the Santa Croce district places guests in an incredibly advantageous position for exploring Venice. Situated near Piazzale Roma, the city’s main transportation hub, GrandCanal-Start offers the rare convenience of easy accessibility in a city famously devoid of roads. This prime location means you’re just steps away from where buses and taxis arrive from the mainland, making it an ideal choice for travelers with luggage who wish to avoid lengthy water taxi journeys upon arrival. From here, guests can easily venture to Venice’s iconic attractions such as the Rialto Bridge and St. Mark’s Square, either by a scenic walk through winding Venetian streets and over charming footbridges, or via the vaporetto (water bus) services that stop nearby. The Santa Croce district itself offers a more authentic Venetian experience, slightly removed from the most tourist-heavy areas while still providing easy access to them. Within walking distance, you’ll discover local cafés, traditional bacari (Venetian wine bars), and artisanal shops where you can experience Venice as locals do. The nearby Papadopoli Gardens offer a refreshing green space—a rarity in Venice—perfect for a morning stroll or peaceful afternoon respite.

GrandCanal-Start embodies the classic Venetian hospitality experience with a focus on essential comforts. As a well-regarded three-star establishment with a 7.7 rating, the hotel strikes a thoughtful balance between quality and value—a particularly noteworthy achievement in a city known for its premium pricing. While maintaining the characteristic charm of Venetian architecture and design, the hotel offers guests modern conveniences essential for today’s travelers. The property’s rating reflects guests’ appreciation for its cleanliness, service quality, and overall value proposition. Staying at GrandCanal-Start places you in a prime position to experience Venice’s timeless beauty—from dawn, when the early morning light creates a golden glow on ancient buildings and the gentle lapping of canal waters provides a serene soundtrack, to dusk, when the setting sun paints the lagoon in magnificent colors and the city transitions to its equally enchanting evening ambiance. Whether you’re visiting Venice for its rich art history, architectural marvels, world-class cuisine, or simply to wander its labyrinthine streets and discover hidden gems, GrandCanal-Start offers a welcoming home base for your Venetian adventure. Experience the magic of this extraordinary floating city from the comfortable and conveniently located haven of GrandCanal-Start, where Venetian tradition meets modern hospitality.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $240. One-Bedroom Apartment with 1 double bed and 2 sofa beds for 1 – 2 guests

Reviews

• Lucie from Czech Republic – 19 June 2024 (8/10)

  Next to the main bus station. Water bus stop just 10 meters very close to railway station.

• Gregory from United States – 30 May 2023 (8/10)

  location was very good
  
  What could be improved: the stairs were hard and linens for bed and bath could be improved easily. more pillows would be good.

• Anita from Switzerland – 30 October 2022 (8/10)

  The flat's location was perfect, 6 mins away from the train station, opposite the water bus station. The flat itself had quite eclectic but nice looking furniture, an interesting ornate mirror in the living room caught my attention. Beds were comfortable, we slept well. The person delivering keys was polite and helpful.
  
  What could be improved: For some reason the flat seemed smaller than in the photos (wide angle magic?), the showers were really tight with the shower curtain sticking constantly to the body when showering, the stairs leading to the mezzanine were also very narrow. And I do not consider myself plus size.
  
  The biggest minus however was how the property manager reacted to us pointing out to him that we were not informed about the late check in fee (we found out about it last minute from the key delivering person). When I told the property manager that he should have been transparent from the beginning and inform us about it upfront when I specifically asked him about the conditions of late check in two weeks earlier, straight after booking, it turned out that his customer service skills require A LOT to be desired. Basically he stated he knows it all as he manages 350 rentals and threatened us that if we don't like it, he will cancel on us if we arrive after 8pm, no apology about failing provide full information earlier. The additional fees were not visible on the main page (house rules or check in times) at all during and after our booking but supposedly hidden somewhere in small print. Basically we were not sure on the day of our arrival if we have the flat or not till later in the afternoon. It seems he has forgotten that he works in "services / hospitality business" and what that implies.

• Shameer from Qatar – 4 April 2022 (8/10)

  *excellent location, great view
  *Ernst the host was excellent and helpful, he personally came to rail termini and took as to the apartment and also spent time explaining where to go what to do,
  *room was spacious for 3 person
  
  What could be improved: *shower area was small,
  *key for the downstairs door was not functioning well all times, once I had to call my son in room to open the door as it was not opening after repeated try( lucky he was in room)

• Nguyen from Germany – 5 March 2024 (9/10)

  Very good location, nice staff.
  The price is somewhat high, but still acceptable. Quite clean.
  
  What could be improved: The bedside lamp appears dim; therefore, it may be prudent to replace the light bulb.

• Lynn from United Kingdom – 17 November 2023 (7/10)

  Cute apartment, traditional vintage style, beds where comfortable, the location was perfect for us with was why I pick it ,right beside the bus station and on the main routes for the water buses

• Jackinbkk from Thailand – 9 October 2023 (8/10)

  Location
  
  What could be improved: No elevator,…had to carry bags up 2 flight of stairs. Bathroom a little too compact.

• J from United States – 8 May 2023 (9/10)

  The apartment was large and sunny. 2 bathrooms was a bonus.
  
  What could be improved: We had to drag our luggage up a lot of stairs. We should have checked on that before we booked, but it would have been nice if that was included in the description.

• Campbell from United Kingdom – 27 February 2023 (9/10)

  Excellent communication before arriving and info for staying in the flat.
  Perfect location for arriving in Venice and leaving as well as a key stop for several vaporetto lines outside the flat.
  Has two bathrooms and showers which maybe I missed in the description but was handy.
  Flat has everything you need for your stay….except a bottle opener for wine.
  
  What could be improved: We couldn't open the wine we bought as the flat had everything except this. So we needed to buy one the next day. Hopefully they'll provide one for future guests or you'll need to get one yourself.

• Irteza from United Kingdom – 29 July 2022 (8/10)

  The apartment has a great location, right next to the bus/train/boat stop. Several restaurants, Coop convenience store and a luggage storage facility is nearby. All of these make the place very convenient. Its a spacious apartment and was comfortable for a family of five.
  
  What could be improved: There are two aircons in the flat but they are too small for an apartment of this size. The nights were uncomfortable, especially for the kids. If you open the windows, it can be noisy, and if you close them, it becomes hot. Pedestal fans might have helped if made available.

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities