Gruff but dependable
We stayed overnighht at hotel centrale in mestre (venice) on our way to our cruise after a long overseas commute. the hotel is approx 15 minutes from marco polo airport, and 20 minutes from the cruiseline docks.
our first impression arriviving so late at night does't do this hotel justice. it's situated near an industrial zone, so our first glimpses of the neighborhood surrounding the hotel during the taxi ride in didn't inspire us very much, nor did the staff at the reception (granted we were tired and our italian was rusty). at any rate, we relinquished our passports (too tired to argue in a foreign language) and went to our room.
the room itself is functional but don't expect fancy decor. we had a tv, two twin sized beds... no clock, the air conditionner acted more like a fan than anything, and don't expect pens and writing pads... a chocolate on your pillow even less. no, the room is the bare essentials: a clean bed, a sturdy pillow, some room to put your belongings and a safe. what impressed me the most however was the spacious bathroom. the bathroom was clean (if sparse) with a lot of room (which they could have used for a bigger shower stall).
all in all, it was a little gruff, but perfect for a night's rest and a good scrub down in the morning.
the morning staff were friendly and efficient. they spoke french as well as english, they had a nice continental breakfast, and they gave us very nice service.
nb: the hotel has a single elevator. it is convenient for people who have a hard time with stairs, but at checkout... you'll be waiting a while.
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