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We stayed at Palazzo Barbarigo from 8–11 September in the Junior Suite No. 10, their best room with three windows (two overlooking the Grand Canal, one over a side canal). I have been coming to Venice for 50 years and stayed at least 50 times in all categories of hotels, including the grandes dames of the city. With that perspective, here is my experience.||First impressions & communication|Booking communication was rocky: the hotel ignored my first email for 48 hours until I sent two reminders. Only then did answers come, after which communication became smoother.||Property & atmosphere|This is not a full-service hotel but more like an upscale bed & breakfast with around a dozen rooms, all facing some water. There is no restaurant. The design is a dark and modern art deco style, almost entirely black. It is not to my taste, and the large first-floor space with an unused bar feels wasted.||Location|The San Polo district is one of Venice’s most authentic and quiet areas, still only minutes from everything. The Vaporetto stop is three minutes away. Access is through narrow alleys, but supermarkets, restaurants, bars, and gelaterie are just around the corner.||Transfers – a serious issue|The most disappointing aspect of my stay was the handling of transfers:| • On arrival, the hotel arranged a private van from Treviso Airport (€90, reasonable) and a water taxi from Piazzale Roma for €70 (their own website lists €65, official tariff €60). The website lists €150 for the complete Treviso transfer, so we were overcharged €10 here.| • On departure, we booked a water taxi to Marco Polo Airport. The hotel charged €150. The official Comune tariff is €115 (€110 base + €5 dock pickup). The hotel’s own website lists €120. When I said I remembered the official rate being €110, the receptionist replied “that was years ago,” which was simply untrue.||We were therefore overcharged compared to both the official tariff and the hotel’s own published rate. More importantly, when I asked explicitly about the correct official rate, I was told something false. That is a serious and unacceptable breach of trust.||Room & comfort|The suite is well-sized, with excellent views. Welcome amenities included a bottle of Prosecco and Venetian pastries.| • Cleanliness: glossy black surfaces, heavy curtains, and fabric wall coverings were dusty. The top of the cupboard with the minibar was not wiped clean for 3 days. Bathroom ventilation did not work.| • Lighting: elaborate but impractical. Some lights did not work; those which do switch on together with a single switch, which is really disturbing at night. There are reading lights above the bed but they are far too strong for night use. So if you need the bathroom at night, you have to use your phone’s torch in order not to wake your partner. The bathroom is very dark.| • Air conditioning: thermostat ineffective. Only full blast (too cold, directly onto bed) or off. No middle setting. All in all, these issues made sleep quality poor.||Breakfast|There is no restaurant. Breakfast quality itself is good: fresh fruit, some fine pastries and cold cuts, nicely presented. The highlight is the exclusive balcony for Suite 10, directly over the Grand Canal – unforgettable. The €5 extra for an egg is absurd at €750 per night.||Staff & service|The hotel is run by a very small team: Nicoletta, the friendly lady at the desk; Stefano, a kind young man handling breakfast (likely her brother); and one inefficient housekeeper in the mornings. Nicoletta is genuinely warm, smiling, and embodies Italian hospitality. On our departure morning, she even stood on the pier waving as we left in the fog. Too bad that only minutes earlier, she had misrepresented the “official” transfer rate. Friendliness cannot cover dishonesty.||Conclusion|Palazzo Barbarigo offers a unique boutique experience: intimate atmosphere, great location, and unforgettable views from Suite 10 and the balcony. The staff are warm and personal. But these positives are outweighed by serious negatives: poor cleanliness, dysfunctional maintenance, and, most importantly, dishonesty about transfer pricing – overcharging compared to both the official tariff and their own published rate.||With honesty, better housekeeping and proper maintenance, this could have been a good stay. As it stands, I cannot recommend this hotel. Ultimately, any hotel review must weigh price paid, expectations, and value received. At this price point, we could have stayed at any of the major full service 4-5 star Venetian hotels; had the rate been half, my assessment might have been more generous. However, nothing can excuse being deliberately misinformed about the official transfer tariff.
