Hotel Concordia

Don’t let the bright yellow exterior fool you. This is a great luxury hotel overlooking St. Mark’s Square and the Basilica. The nondescript entrance is right in the middle of the shopping district, a few doors down from a McDonalds. The reception desk and lobby is up a flight of stairs or a tiny elevator.
My family and I arrived a few days early before our departure on a Mediterranean cruise. We booked our stay at a place I stayed in years ago while backpacking with friends. Big mistake since I’m more of a roller bag traveler now. We got new accommodations through the tourist desk at the train station.
Wow. Talk about awesome. We scored a room 50 feet from the Basilica’s side entrance. The room was spacious and had a bathroom en suite. There is a wide ledge you can use for a window seat and people-​watching.
Most of the guests were well-​dressed older couples. We saw a couple of other families so we didn’t feel so out of place in our casual dress.
The staff was very helpful, if aloof. They pointed us to great restaurants and interesting day trips. They recommended a local guide that took us around Venice away from the tourist traps. But, skip the other tours. You can arrange for a cheaper trip to Murano. Also, a private tour on a water taxi was nice but again, expensive. The local water bus is cheaper and more fun.
If you want to splurge, I recommend Hotel Concordia for a few days of champagne wishes and caviar dreams.