Anonymous
Post 01/06/2025 08:49     Subject: Venice recs!
We were recently in Venice with kids and some of the best things we did were: learning to row, including on the Grand Canal, a mask making workshop, some glass workshops in Murano (my kids love workshops!) and a concert at La Fenice
Anonymous
Post 01/06/2025 08:43     Subject: Venice recs!
I would make sure to get away from St Mark’s Square. I would be sure to go to Peggy Guggenheim’s museum. I think kids love the canal no car aspect.
Anonymous
Post 01/06/2025 05:57     Subject: Venice recs!
We stayed at the JW last summer and absolutely loved it. It was a beautiful oasis where you could escape the crowds. Huge rooms, great pools, free bikes to ride around "rose island". Their water shuttle to and from Venice was part of the fun for my DS. We'd go to Venice in the morning, come back after lunch to use the pool and relax and then go back to Venice some nights for dinner where it was much quieter and a different kind of experience.

Make sure to take a private water taxi from airport for the james bond experience. Worth it!
Anonymous
Post 01/06/2025 05:12     Subject: Venice recs!
Venice isn’t a place where I would be looking for kids clubs, there is so much to see and do there it isn’t like a beach location where there’s nothing to do other than beach.
Anonymous
Post 01/06/2025 00:37     Subject: Venice recs!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Vicenza is a lovely town about an hour from Venice. 173rd Airborne is there. It’s a cool town that would offer kids a more realistic experience than Venice of living in Northern Italy (much easier on pocket). You can drive it and park in a huge lot outside Venice or take train.


Not sure why you think a 7 and 9 year old need a realistic experience of living in Northern Italy during their short vacation. It’s not as if they’re weighing a move there and need to set expectations, nor did op suggest she was on a tight budget.

Op, for what it’s worth we recently stayed at the JW Marriott Venice with our similar aged kids and loved it but have no experience/point of comparison with your other options.


That is so great to hear! What month did you go? Did they have kids activities? I saw on the website they do but sometimes it's not always accurate. I have my heart set on staying there but it is not available in Feb so we may have to consider another time.
Anonymous
Post 01/06/2025 00:34     Subject: Venice recs!
Anonymous wrote:Vicenza is a lovely town about an hour from Venice. 173rd Airborne is there. It’s a cool town that would offer kids a more realistic experience than Venice of living in Northern Italy (much easier on pocket). You can drive it and park in a huge lot outside Venice or take train.


Not sure why you think a 7 and 9 year old need a realistic experience of living in Northern Italy during their short vacation. It’s not as if they’re weighing a move there and need to set expectations, nor did op suggest she was on a tight budget.

Op, for what it’s worth we recently stayed at the JW Marriott Venice with our similar aged kids and loved it but have no experience/point of comparison with your other options.
Anonymous
Post 01/06/2025 00:31     Subject: Venice recs!
Anonymous wrote:Vicenza is a lovely town about an hour from Venice. 173rd Airborne is there. It’s a cool town that would offer kids a more realistic experience than Venice of living in Northern Italy (much easier on pocket). You can drive it and park in a huge lot outside Venice or take train.


Thanks, they are young and we really just want them to have a fun, exciting experience and would rather stay in Venice. I actually lived in Italy myself for many years so if we did a trip like that I would take them to Bologna where I lived.
Anonymous
Post 01/06/2025 00:23     Subject: Venice recs!
Vicenza is a lovely town about an hour from Venice. 173rd Airborne is there. It’s a cool town that would offer kids a more realistic experience than Venice of living in Northern Italy (much easier on pocket). You can drive it and park in a huge lot outside Venice or take train.
Anonymous
Post 01/06/2025 00:11     Subject: Venice recs!
Anonymous wrote:The crackdown on AirBnB’s is because they are driving actual residents out of cities. Owners can make more from tourists than longterm renters, so cities like Venice are declining in population.


Ha ha Venice has been losing population for 75 years.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1454765/venice-population/

It has been a popular tourist destination for over 300 years.
Anonymous
Post 01/06/2025 00:04     Subject: Venice recs!
Anonymous wrote:I am going to repeat this same thing on another thread, the biggest regret i had with visiting Italy was booking hotels where as when we stayed in France we did airbnbs. We wanted to try both and my youngest really likes the hotel experience with maids, doorman, buffet etc here is what i said:

When we traveled to Europe (France and Italy), the biggest savings came from using Airbnb instead of hotels. In Italy, we stayed at a hotel, and it was over three times the cost of an Airbnb. The hotel offered two tiny connecting rooms for around $1,000 per night, whereas an Airbnb in the same area, with three separate bedrooms, two bathrooms, a washer and dryer, and air conditioning, cost just $350 per night. The Airbnb was highly rated and very nice. The only downside is that you'll need to swap your own sheets and clean. However, some places are cracking down on Airbnbs, likely because hotels are losing revenue to them."


I think this is generally useful advice but in this case if OP is looking at the Cipriani for its kids club then I don’t think saving money by staying at a vrbo is high on her list.
Anonymous
Post 01/06/2025 00:02     Subject: Venice recs!
The crackdown on AirBnB’s is because they are driving actual residents out of cities. Owners can make more from tourists than longterm renters, so cities like Venice are declining in population.
Anonymous
Post 01/05/2025 23:45     Subject: Venice recs!
I am going to repeat this same thing on another thread, the biggest regret i had with visiting Italy was booking hotels where as when we stayed in France we did airbnbs. We wanted to try both and my youngest really likes the hotel experience with maids, doorman, buffet etc here is what i said:

When we traveled to Europe (France and Italy), the biggest savings came from using Airbnb instead of hotels. In Italy, we stayed at a hotel, and it was over three times the cost of an Airbnb. The hotel offered two tiny connecting rooms for around $1,000 per night, whereas an Airbnb in the same area, with three separate bedrooms, two bathrooms, a washer and dryer, and air conditioning, cost just $350 per night. The Airbnb was highly rated and very nice. The only downside is that you'll need to swap your own sheets and clean. However, some places are cracking down on Airbnbs, likely because hotels are losing revenue to them."
Anonymous
Post 01/05/2025 23:37     Subject: Venice recs!
Anonymous wrote:There isn’t a Park Hyatt in Venice.

Why are you going there if it sounds like you’ve done zero research already?


Sorry I meant the JW Marriott.
I've been to Venice before but we stayed at Centurion Palace. Are you always this rude, lol?
Anonymous
Post 01/05/2025 23:25     Subject: Venice recs!
There isn’t a Park Hyatt in Venice.

Why are you going there if it sounds like you’ve done zero research already?
Anonymous
Post 01/05/2025 19:39     Subject: Venice recs!
Please give some Venice recs, hotels, restaurants and things to do on a family trip. Kids are 7 and 9 and visiting during Carnivale. I am leaning towards one of the big resorts with a kids club- Park Hyatt or Cipriani or Kempinski.