10 Days In Italy: Hotel Danieli
Here’s a recap of previous posts and a list of what’s upcoming for our recent trip to Italy.
- United Airlines To Rome
- St. Regis Rome
- Vatican
- Osteria 44
- Photo Essay of Angels & Demons
- A Quiet Meal At Cul de Sac
- Trevi Fountain (Semi) Closed For Business
- A Fast Train To Venice
- Tips For Sightseeing In Rome
- St. Regis San Clemente Island, Part 1
- St. Regis San Clemente Island, Part 2
- Hotel Danieli
- Antico Pignolo
- A Quick Trip To Murano
- How To Ride The Vaporetto (Water Bus) In Venice
- Getting Lost In Venice
- British Airways 787 Flight Home
The Hotel Danieli is a beautiful property located just past San Marco Square at San Zaccaria pier in Venice. The property consists of 3 buildings that are connected with hallways across small waterways and has been around for literally centuries. While the buildings date back to the 14th century, it’s only served as a hotel since the mid-1800s. There’s a ton of history surrounding the property. Wikipedia covers a good bit of it here. This was our second time staying at the property and we were truly looking forward to our return.
For as long as I can recall, the Hotel Danieli has been part of the Starwood Preferred Guest Luxury Collection. We had reserved 2 connecting rooms and were fortunate to have a view of the lagoon, both things that our SPG Ambassador was able to make happen.
Upon arrival, we were greeted by the grand staircase and quickly escorted to our rooms. Where we had stayed in the main building during our first stay, we were in one of the adjacent buildings this time. I’m a fan of history when it comes to hotels and the Danieli has quite a few gems, one of which is traditional “keys” to open the doors. They’ve been updated with some computer technology, but they’re still the bulkiest room key I can recall and reminiscent of a different time. I love details like this. The concierge desk takes the key from you when you depart the hotel and delivers them back to you as you walk in.
Our rooms were majestically adorned, with full-length drapes, high quality bed linens and quilted closet doors (!). While not huge, the rooms were comfortable and above average in size compared to other European rooms we’ve stayed in. While the room does have a desk it’s more decorative than functional for work. We were greeted with an amenity of fresh fruit and a chilled bottle of prosecco. Both were replenished during the length of our stay, as well as some decadent chocolate treats.
A bit of automation has crept into the rooms, for the better. There are some small switches bedside that control the lights in the room as well as full blackout blinds for the windows. The windows still open but are equipped with child safety locks that prevent them opening all the way. Being able to hear the city come alive in the morning as the merchants take their places is part of why we enjoy staying at the Danieli.
The bathrooms were sizable as well, with plenty of green marble. Equipped with a bathtub and phenomenal water pressure, they also had private label bathroom amenities.
This property has to possess one of the most valuable Platinum amenity options in the entire SPG system. Free buffet breakfast is an option and it’s absolutely the one you should take. The breakfast restaurant is on the roof of the hotel overlooking the lagoon. While the breakfast is more than adequate, the view is really what people are paying for (again, Plats and their guests eat free). Other than the occasional bird trying to steal your breakfast, there’s absolutely nothing to spoil an exceptional experience. The staff is warm and inviting and there’s an ample variety of food to satisfy your appetite. Just make sure that bird doesn’t get you.
The hotel is also equipped with a gym, though I’ve never ventured in to actually use the equipment. As you wander the property, it’s fun to absorb the original feel of the property. There’s a small bar and larger seating area in the lobby where you’ll find someone playing the piano most evenings. Intricate stone columns and banisters lead to rooms hidden in alcoves and ornate wooden doors that are steeped in character. There are also a few quiet seating areas throughout the property to relax in.
The door of the first room we stayed at when my wife and I visited the Danieli 9 years ago.
The hotel has their own waterside entrance on the side of the building if you choose to arrive by taxi, though all the vaporetti stop right outside the hotel at San Zaccaria. Take note that Venice has recently banned rolling suitcases in the city to prevent destruction of the sidewalks. I haven’t heard of anyone actually getting fined nor do I think the new legislation will last, but it’s worth noting.
The property is a category 7 in the Starwood Preferred Guest program, which generally would mean 30,000 points a night at this property (or 15,000 points and $275 for Cash & Points). But, it’s important to know that the property has two other categories of rooms that you won’t generally find online for points reservations:
Premium Deluxe rooms: 31,500 a night
Imperial/Luxury rooms: 32,500 a night
These rooms come in very handy. For starters, that’s two categories of rooms most folks don’t know are available on points because they can’t find them online. And, if you’re willing to spend 30,000 points a night, you’ll likely be willing to spend 2,500 more a night to guarantee the dates you want. Add in that these rooms are bigger and/or have better views and it’s definitely worth the small splurge to upgrade. For families, these rooms open up more connecting room options for you as well. Considering the cheapest I ever really see this property is 250-300 Euro a night for the very low season and see it frequently for 800-1000 Euro, it generally marks a solid redemption option even at 30,000+ points a night.
The Hotel Danieli is a property that fits me very well, given its history and great service. I enjoy the rooms, location and trappings of a different era.
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Thanks for continuing the series! It’s been very helpful as we plan a first trip to Italy in September with our 4-year-old.
Thanks, Mike. I’m going to try and crunch the rest out this week and next. Happy to answer any individual questions you have.
Thanks! We’re going for 13 days and definitely visiting Rome and Venice. Were any of the other places you’ve visited more young-kid-friendly? We’ve been considering Naples / Pompeii / Sorrento and Lake Como also but don’t want to hop around too much.
Great report. We’re planning a trip to Italy this summer. Per chance did you look at The Gritti Palace vs Hotel Danieli? We don’t have status with SPG but will be using points for 5 nights in Venice. Any suggestions between The Gritti vs Danieli for first time visit?
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kt, we haven’t stayed at Gritti Palace but have stopped by when we’ve been in Venice. I know folks that have had enjoyable stays there. They’re the same amount of points. Assuming both were available, I’d lean towards Danieli if the following reasons are important to you. You’ll have a better chance of a lagoon view based on property configuration. There’s better access to the vaporetto while still being a bit removed from the main tourist area. And, I do enjoy the rooftop breakfast at Danieli.
This is a valuable tip on how to get the most out of a stay at an SPG hotel, and it’s only the second time I’ve seen a travel writer post on how to upgrade your room. At a different historic SPG property, I followed the same process. Instead of booking a standard room online for 25,000 points a night, I wanted to book a larger room. To do this, I needed to book over the phone with SPG. They had three different upgrade options. In the case of this property, the largest room was not the most expensive, as the rooms with views cost the most points. Rather than booking five nights in a standard room for 100,000 points, SPG let us pay 107,000 points for an upgraded room that was 50% larger than the smallest standard room. The ability to upgrade for a modest number of points is perhaps the best feature of the SPG program. It just requires a phone call.
LoveSPG, you’re right, it’s such a great benefit. Especially given that the shadow inventory can sometimes mean the difference between staying at the property you want and having to move elsewhere.