Hotel Review: Westin Europa & Regina, Venice Italy

We have all had some fantastic hotel experiences — whether it was the service, the location, or commemorating a special event …. and then perhaps some not so great hotel experiences.

In this series, I want to share with you some of the hotels that I have experienced.

It is a pleasure to share with you my review of The Westin Europa & Regina in Venice, Italy.  This hotel is a gem in the heart of San Marco, and is conveniently located near museums and transportation options.

Westin Regina lobby flowers

Westin Europa & Regina, Venezia

Last stay: May 2015

Rating Scale, for reference:

1=poor
3=average
5=great
6=exceptional (rare ranking)
NE = no experience

Price — 4.  Venice is expensive, and this is the best-value Starwood hotel in central Venezia.

Westin Europa & Regina view from the Grand Canal

Hotel Location — 6.  Closer to Piazza San Marco than any other Starwood property, there are only 2 bridges to traverse from the Alilaguna stop to hotel.

Ideally located on the Grand Canal directly across from the iconic Santa Maria de la Salute church… It doesn’t get better than this.

Front desk check in — 5. Always friendly.  As in any European city, they will need your passports, so have them ready.

Westin Europa Regina Hallway Leading to Restaurant

Room size — 6.  Being SPG platinum members, we were upgraded to an ‘executive room’ with a terrace.  On the Europa side, our room had a terrace that was about 2.5 times the size of the room, which was beautifully appointed.

Room cleanliness / repair — 5

Style / design impression — 6. Luxurious linens, towels, Murano glass chandeliers, two walk-in closets

Bed comfort — 5, Heavenly Bed

Westin Europa Executive Bedroom

Bath robe / slippers — 2 thick Westin robes and 2 slippers

Quality of Toiletry amenities — 4, standard Westin. In the past (as recent as September 2014), they had oversized Italian local toiletries, but this has now been standardized

Westin Europa & Regina View of the Salute

Views — 6.  Breathtaking, almost-270 degree panoramic rooftop views of Venice, featuring views of the Salute church and partial views of the Grand Canal waters.

Shower temperature/ water pressure — 4, rainfall shower with separate wand.

Towels — fluffiness — 6
Towels — quantity — 6
All towels appeared new and super-soft. We always had plenty of towels.

Outlet plugs — 5. Two outlets at each nightstand, and two more at the desk. Bring extra European power adapters!

Sufficient Lighting — 5. Murano glass chandelier sconces on a dimmer in addition to recessed lighting and table lamps.

Westin Europa Regina Private Terrace

Flooring type — c, t.  Wood terrace!
(c=, w=wood, t=tile)

Lounge — n/a

WiFi — free for SPG platinum, SPG bookings

Food / restaurant — 6, breakfast buffet is a must-do at least once. A 35 euro cost per person, the SPG platinum ‘free breakfast’ benefit is an amazing deal.

Dine directly on the Grand Canal and watch gondoliers prep their gondolas for the day.

Enjoy mimosas with your scrambled eggs, bacon, tea eggs and congee.  Delicious croissants the French would be proud of, along with other fruits, pastries, yogurts, and smoked salmon and deli meats and cheeses.

Staff Service — 5. Sometimes communication is slightly difficult with the language barrier, but overall very friendly!

Pool — n/a

Parking — NE

Panoramic Views of the Grand Canal from Private Terrace

Comments — the Regina is the building that fronts the Grand Canal. The Europa is set back behind somewhat, but rooms still offer partial views of the Grand Canal.

Only 10% of the hotel’s rooms are classified as Grand Canal Views.

We had lounger chairs and a dining table with 4 chairs on our Europa terrace. The loungers had the softest beach towels Acqua dell Elba, apparently only sold in Italy.

Management of this hotel under Alessandra Pagano is exceptional, and we look forward to returning again in the future!

Disclaimer: We are not sponsored by the hotels to write any of our reviews.  They are based on true travel experiences.

What are your favorite hotels? Any of them in Venice?

Would love to hear your hotel stories!  Please leave a comment below!

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