Ruzzini Palace Hotel is a small hotel at Castello 5866, listed with thirteen rooms and described as an upscale, family-friendly hotel in the city centre. Its position is the selling point, because the booking page gives walking times of three minutes to the Rialto Bridge and the Grand Canal, five minutes to St Mark's Square and Basilica and six minutes to the Doge's Palace, and about twenty-six minutes on foot to Venezia Santa Lucia station. Few hotels sit so neatly between the two poles of the historic centre. The hotel is a palazzo, and the name recalls the Ruzzini family, who gave Venice a doge in the eighteenth century. Rooms have laptop-friendly workspaces, safes, free WiFi, air conditioning, forty-inch LED televisions, electric kettles, bidets and free toiletries. The hotel lists a bar and a coffee shop or cafe rather than a restaurant, with a breakfast buffet at a surcharge, plus business services, laundry and dry cleaning, a banquet hall, tour and ticket assistance, luggage storage, an elevator, childcare services and express check-in and check-out. Nearby restaurants are listed, so you will eat out. The property is smoke-free.
Why small matters
With thirteen rooms, the hotel feels more like a guesthouse than a large property, and service tends to be personal. The downside is limited availability and fewer facilities, so book early for popular dates. There is no on-site restaurant, which is not a problem in a neighbourhood full of bacari and trattorie, but you should plan dinner. Try to eat away from the main tourist streets for better value.
Rooms and what to check
The booking page describes the rooms in generic terms, so look at the room list at booking for sizes, views and bed types. Ask about the quietest rooms and for details on luggage handling at the entrance, since Venice hotels are often accessed by bridges and narrow lanes. The elevator helps, but confirm access if mobility is an issue. Check-in times and any early arrival arrangements are best agreed in advance.
Who it suits
Couples and small families who want to walk everywhere, and repeat visitors who like a small hotel in a good location. It does not offer resort facilities, and the walk to the railway station is a long one with luggage, so consider a water taxi or the waterbus for arrival. Compare it with the Londra Palace and the Metropole for waterfront alternatives, and with the Splendid for a larger option.
Venice has charged a day-visitor access fee on selected dates; rules and dates change, so check the current position before you travel. The booking page for the hotel mentions that overnight guests can ask about an exemption, so confirm the process with the hotel.
Why stay here
- ✓Between Rialto and St Marks
- ✓13 rooms
- ✓Bar and cafe
- ✓Air conditioning
- ✓Free WiFi
- ✓Elevator
- ✓Tour and ticket assistance
- ✓Childcare services
Good questions
How far is it from the Rialto Bridge and St Mark's?+
The booking page gives walking times of about three minutes to the Rialto Bridge, five minutes to St Mark's Square and six minutes to the Doge's Palace.
Does it have a restaurant?+
The booking page does not show an on-site restaurant. It mentions a bar and a coffee shop or cafe, and lists nearby restaurants.
How many rooms are there?+
The booking page shows thirteen rooms, so it is a small hotel where early booking helps.
