A Wonderful Visit to Venice

Guest: Jenny (Minnesota)
Date of Stay: 12/19/11 Review Submitted: 12/31/11

Our family had a wonderful experience staying in the Alla Fenice apartment the week before Christmas. The locations is perfect, and the apartment is very well kept, clean, and spacious. Our daughters also enjoyed playing with the various stuffed animals and games that were found in the apartment. We were graciously welcomed off the taxi by Furio, who helped us enormously with our bags, information about Venice, and even our our taxi back to the station. My husband was having health issues that week, and Furio's kindness helped make our week easier and more enjoyable. We would recommend this apartment to anyone traveling to Venice. Thank you for everything and Happy New Year!!

Recommended for:Girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

Authentic Venetian Experience

Guest: Seattle Family (Seattle, WA - USA)
Date of Stay: 11/10/11 Review Submitted: 11/20/11

Our recent stay at Alla Fenice included 11 November 2011 and this apartment lived up to and exceeded all of the great reviews already on this site. We were on our first but hopefully not last visit to Venice. We were traveling with our college aged daughter who is studying abroad in Florence. She loved having her own bedroom. The rooms are large with high ceilings and great furnishings. The beds were comfortable. The huge windows with Murano glass open onto a darling canal where the gondolas cruise past. The heating and hot water were ample. There is a fully equipped kitchen and large bathroom with a combined bath tub and shower and a newer washing machine. The dining table is in a comfortable room that we would call a living room at home in Seattle. The unit is only one flight up from the ground level. The lower unit is an art gallery during the afternoons & had a Francis Bacon show while we were there. The location is very central yet quiet and off the main paths. Everything seemed less than a 5 minute walk away. We easily walked to San Marco Piazza many times and also the Rialto and Academia Bridges. We had friends over for wine and appetizers one evening before going out to dinner with them. They loved the place too. I want to go back to Venice and would stay at Alla Fenice again if it is available. The owners were very responsive via email when we booked somewhat last minute and also helped us with all the things to do and see once we arrived. We have nothing negative to say about this great place. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, pet owners, people with disabilities, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

Great accomodations

Guest: Diana (Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada)
Date of Stay: 09/07/11 Review Submitted: 10/28/11

Would definitely recommend this accommodation, it has character and we thoroughly enjoyed our 5 night stay here. It is centrally located, off a courtyard next to the La Fenice Opera House. Spacious, well equipped two bedroom apartment which worked well for two couples. Delightful to see and hear the gondoliers gently moving thru the canal right below our dining room windows. We appreciated having owner Furio greeting us and giving an orientation to area. Would love to return in the future.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, tourists without a car.

Fantastic Apartment

Guest: chrissy (Buderim Australia)
Date of Stay: 09/26/11 Review Submitted: 10/20/11

We loved Alla Fenice. Venice is a maze and so easy to get lost in, but Alla Fenice is a great spot to base yourself and go exploring. The apartment itself is gorgeous. We were a party of 4 adults and found it very spacious and so authentic. The leadlight windows, the high ceilings, the gondolas passing by.... just perfect. After a few too many vinos one night we were even serenading the gondolas - much to their delight! Honestly, this is a lovely apartment & I would definitely stay here again. I even loved hanging my washing out - found tourists taking a photo of it one day....be warned though, drop anything in the canal and it's gone!

Owner response:Hello we really happy to see how much people love this apartment, thank you for your wonderful review. Is really nice to have people like you as a guest, we hope to see you again soon Furio & Paola

Recommended for:Girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

Wonderful Apartment

Guest: Karen (Vancouver, Canada)
Date of Stay: 05/12/11 Review Submitted: 05/24/11

We spent 3 nights at this lovely apartment in Venice. It was conveniently located and very well equipped. The rooms are large and there is a lovely view of one of the small canals from the windows. We were serenaded by the passing gondoliers. The Fenice Theatre is right next door and we were fortunate enough to be able to attend a rehersal for an opero one afternoon for only a small charge over the normal price to tour the theatre. It is spectacular! The owner was extremely helpful with information about nearby restaurants and groceries. I would definitely recommend this apartment.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, families with young children, romantic getaway, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

Wonderful, peaceful, atmospheric

Guest: Charles Christopher (Los Angeles, CA, USA)
Date of Stay: 02/01/11 Review Submitted: 03/19/11

I recently had the pleasure of spending nine nights in the Apt alla Fenice, and I shall never forget my stay there. Furio and Janelyn the housekeeper were both helpful and friendly, and pointed me in the direction of local markets and also a life-saving shoe store when I could no longer walk after 3 days/nights of nonstop activity in untested shoes. It was winter and the apt was warm, well-equipped, quiet, and safe. It also feels authentically Venetian. Very conveniently located to major hotspots like the Accademia bridge, S Marco square, Rialto, and also obviously the opera house which is literally five seconds away. A perfect headquarters from which you can set out to discover Venice. And you can hear the voices of the singers echoing in the canal just outside yr window. Cannot recommend this place highly enough.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, families with young children, romantic getaway, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

Great apartment with gondolas right outside your window.

Guest: Dave (Phoenix, AZ USA)
Date of Stay: 05/27/10 Review Submitted: 01/22/11

The four of us really enjoyed our three night stay. The location is excellent, walkable to St. Mark's Square, Grand Canal, restaurants and shopping. The owners were helpful identifying sights. In the evenings, the performers from the theater sang outside which was well heard from our apartment. We would definitely stay here again.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, sightseeing, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

Roomy and Quiet

Guest: Bob (Broomfield, Colorado, USA)
Date of Stay: 09/11/10 Review Submitted: 01/13/11

The apartment was the perfect place for the four of us. Easy to get to, quiet, very comfortable. Looking at the canal as gondolas went past was a great experience. The apartment is close to many of the sites in Venice. We found markets, a bakery, shops, and restaurants close by and away from the heavily traveled streets. The rooms in the apartment looked just like the photos in the listing. Furio met us at the apartment and showed us around. He sat down with a map and showed us points of interest, restaurants, and told us about the different districts. Furio also walked us to one of the markets near by. We soon realized that three nights was not enough time. We will have to visit Venice again. The apartment met all of our expectations. Thank you Furio for a great experience.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, sightseeing, families with young children, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Everything at you fingertips

Guest: penham (Sydney Australia)
Date of Stay: 12/31/10 Review Submitted: 01/04/11

Thank you Furio for our wonderful stay in your fantastic apartment. Not only is Venice magnificent and my family thought so to but having Furio sit down and go through the map with so many suggestions and great places to visit and eat was the best. We had 3 nights 2 days in Venice and it was not nearly enough time. Venice is one city during the day but a night it is something else. We bought a 3day pass for the boats and it was the best thing we did. We went everywhere we could. The apartment is so close to everything particularly St Marks square. Just make sure you get as much time to discover what you can. The beds were so comfortable and the apartment is much bigger than the pictures show which was a huge bonus and so clean and well maintained. Thanks again Furio for everything we absolutely will be back to try and see what we didn't have time to do. Highly recommend you come and stay here at Furio's place.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

Elegant and Perfect!

Guest: Jon & Jennifer (San Francisco, CA)
Date of Stay: 11/07/10 Review Submitted: 01/02/11

We stayed at Apartment Fenice for 2 weeks (Nov. 7-Nov. 20 2010). Furio's website and descriptions are very good but the apartment is even more beautiful than the photos portray. We live in a very modern home and found Apartment Fenice to be equally as comfortable as our own house. We cooked everyday, did many loads of laundry and the apartment provided everything we needed. The beautiful details of the Murano glass light fixtures and gorgeous windows are the things I miss about the place. The location was perfect! Furio was great to work with. He is honest and easy going. He has great insight into Venice because he actually lives, works and raises his family there. Don't let Acqua Alta keep you from visiting in November. It's no big deal. It did not stop us and even added a unique element to our trip. A pair of rubber boots for 20 euro and you're fine. In 2 weeks we experienced high water only 3 days- and it's over by mid-afternoon. Venice is magical all year round. We'll be back- we'll stay at Apartment Fenice and we'll certainly travel off season again. Thank you Furio!

Recommended for:Girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.