Venice has so many museums, monuments and milling masses that it’s easy to feel like a cog in a tourist machine. But not at Ca della Corte. Here, in the 16th-century palazzo of Caterina and Piero, you are welcomed as an old friend, and shown to a room overlooking tranquil gardens which feel a million miles from the bustle of San Marco.
You’ll be given a detailed city map and genuinely useful advice on the local area, once settled you can make yourself a tea or coffee, chat with other guests on the roof terrace, or even play the grand piano.
Highs
- Ideal location: 4 minutes' walk from Piazzale Roma (bus / car terminus) but in a quiet residential quarter with plenty of cafés and restaurants
- The décor is full of classical Venetian charm, from the rich fabrics to the giant glass chandelier above the breakfast table
- Caterina can arrange anything with a bit of advance notice, from small music concerts to the hire of neighbouring buildings for exhibitions, events and workshops
- Great for young children: when we last visited we saw families making use of the free cots, strollers etc (but watch the stairs)
Lows
- It’s hard to find - you'll get a map when you book through i-escape - and don't confuse it with Casa della Corte near San Marco Square
- The Standard Rooms in the palazzo are nothing special, but still clean and comfy
- Some bathrooms are rather old-fashioned and the apartment kitchens are lacking in basic utensils
- Previous reports mentioned ghastly pre-wrapped breakfasts, but this is often the case in Venice
Best time to go
High season is from Easter to the end of June, and again from September through October. It’s popular because of the clear and warm (but not too hot) weather. Because of the increased heat and humidity (and crowds), Summer is generally mid-season, although the Redentore and the film festival are always popular. Winter are low season - and a good time to see the sites without the crowds if you don’t mind a chilly wind and the risk of acqua alta (high tides). Of course, Christmas and Carnival are the exceptions to this rule and need plenty of advance booking.
Our top tips
Take a walk around the Zattere waterfront area of Venice (over the Ponte d'Accademia in the Dorsoduro district) for the best views of the lagoon, quiet cafes and evening sunsets. The Gianduja gelato over here is thought to be the best in the city.
- Boutique Hotel
- 9 rooms + 1 apartment
- Breakfast only (restaurants nearby)
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car not necessary
- Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Daily Maid Service
- Towels & Bedlinen
- Laundry Service
Rooms
The Main Palazzo guests rooms are not the height of luxury or style, but they are perfectly clean and comfortable. Likewise the bathrooms, which are fine by Italian standards but in some cases could do with updating. But this is not a place you come for the décor - it's the friendly service and authentic location that lift it above the ordinary.
The guest rooms are spread over 3 floors and arranged around the owners’ own accommodation. Most look over the gardens (which are reserved for the owners’ use) and are very tranquil. Pride of place goes to the Junior Suite on the first floor - a huge L-shaped room with a mini grand piano, a double bed plus a sofa, bookshelves and pretty Venetian chandeliers. It’s perfect for a romantic retreat. The Superior Rooms also well sized. Some have double aspect views while others are more cosy and secluded.
The Standard Rooms are really nothing to write home about, but still clean, comfortable and well-kept. All rooms have TV, phone, air-conditioning, tea- and coffee-making facilities, minibar, breakfast table and a small, simple ensuite bathroom with a bathtub and shower.
Since our visit, the owners have added the Carmini apartment, located on the 1st floor of a noble Venetian palace. We have yet to personally visit, but with beautiful views of Campo dei Carmini and its canal, we are certainly looking forward to it.
Features include:
- Air conditioning
- Minibar/fridge
- WiFi
Eating
Guests get a simple continental breakfast of rolls, brioche, orange juice, tea or coffee, jam, honey, cheese spread and yoghurt, which you can have brought to your room on request. Breakfast is usually served in the first-floor dining room on an antique dining table beneath the most enormous chandelier. There is a small patio downstairs and a roof terrace at the top of the palazzo.
If you want to eat out, Antiche Carampane is very nearby (although ask for directions as it can be tricky to find); it’s a friendly, family-run establishment with incredibly delicious food - the best of our trip - sourced fresh from the Rialto Market that day. This excellence hasn’t gone unnoticed so ask someone at the B&B to help with booking a table. At lunchtime, grab a bite at one of the city’s barcari - small bars with even smaller dishes called cicheti (mini sandwiches, salads, cured hams and cheeses). They’re fast paced and often filled with locals; we were sat next to a gondolier on his lunch break.
Features include:
- Children's meals
- Minibar/fridge
- Restaurants nearby
Activities
- Take to the water! The vaporetti (waterbuses) are a cost-effective and practical way to see the city, while the gondolas offer a quintessential (if pricey) Venetian experience. For something in between, hop on one of the traghetto, which commuters use to cross the Grand Canal
- Take a short walk to the Rialto fish and produce Market, for fresh, edible offering of all shapes and sizes, a little beyond this you’ll find the iconic Rialto Bridge
- Venice's churches are myriad and stunning; the Frari church is very close by, and we highly recommend spending an evening at the Chiesa di San Vidal, where Vivaldi recitals are held amongst Renaissance masterpieces
- Marvel at St Mark's Square: it’s the centre of the action with the glittering Basilica di San Marco, the historic Palazzo Ducale, and the Museo Corror lining its tourist filled centre
- Exercise your flexible friend - San Polo's shops are great for clothes, leather goods (bags, gloves, etc), tasty treats and Venetian masks
- Take a waterbus to the nearby islands of San Michele (a huge cemetery park), Murano (famous for glass-blowing), Burano (fishing, lace-making and gaily-coloured houses) or Torcello (with 7th- to 13th-century architecture, Byzantine mosaics and a tiny resident population of some 80 people)
- Or just explore the labyrinth of narrow alleys and little hump-backed bridges - getting lost is all part of the fun here and it's very easy to do!
- Shopping / markets
Activities on site or nearby include:
Kids
Venice can be a tricky place to take kids: we took our baby and found hefting our pushchair up a million steps a day far from relaxing (bring a backpack if you don't want to suffer the same fate). That said, Italians love babies, and we were warmly welcomed wherever we went.
Toddlers will need an extra eye on them at all times but bigger children will enjoy the watery city as much as anyone (especially if they have a taste for gelato). Ca' della Corte's owners are very happy to see children and babies.
Food is easy (unless you're unlucky enough to have a child who doesn't like pizza and pasta) and the city's main attractions have family appeal - boats, beaches, grand art galleries and museums and wide piazzas.
Best for:
Children (4-12 years), Teens (over 12)
Family friendly accommodation:
Note that the Main Palazzo has a lot of stairs and no lift - not ideal with a pushchair. One of the Main Palazzo's Superior Rooms has a mezzanine-level bedroom which makes it a fun option for families.
Cots Available, Extra Beds Available
Babysitting:
English-speaking babysitter can be arranged with advance notice.
Baby equipment:
- Baby cot
- Stroller
- Backpack
- Bottle warming
Remember baby and child equipment may be limited or need pre-booking
Children's meals:
The B&B serves a simple breakfast with pastries and juice. Feeding children in Venice is easy; tearing them away from the gelateria, not so...
Families Should Know:
Steps up to the B&B aren't ideal if you have a pushchair and heavy luggage - there's no lift. Bring reins if you have a toddler who might run into the canal. Venice's many bridges are all stepped, and it is hard work with a pushchair.
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
Ca’ della Corte's Main Palazzo is in the Dorsoduro district, about 3-4 mins’ walk from Piazzale Roma - the bus / car terminal and a main stop for waterbuses. It’s not that easy to find so follow the map that i-escape sends you carefully. If you’re staying in an apartment, the owners will escort you there (a 5-10 minute walk).
By Air
Fly into Venice Marco Polo (13km) or nearby Treviso Airport (34km), which is further into the mainland.
From the Airport
Visitors arriving in Marco Polo Airport can either take a private water taxi or the Alilaguna shared taxi-boat straight from the airport. It's also possible to take a bus/taxi to Piazzale Roma and walk or take a vaporetto (waterbus). There are regular bus services from Treviso Airport (approx 40-minute drive). If you have bags, catch the waterbus to the Ca d’Oro stop, then walk along the Rialto to Calle Priuli (2nd left).
By Train
If you'd prefer to travel overland from the UK, you can reach Venice quite easily with the Eurostar from London, changing in Paris. See the excellent Seat 61 for details.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com
More on getting to Venice and getting around
Airports:
- Venice Marco Polo 13.0 km VCE
- Treviso 34.0 km TSF
Other:
- Beach 3.0 km
- Shops 0.2 km
- Restaurant 0.1 km