Hotel Relais Ca' Sabbioni (Mestre-Venezia, Italy)

Guests liked the rooms and suites at Relais Ca' Sabbioni, saying they were inviting, spacious, well-equipped and clean with large bathrooms. There was praise for the designer furniture and the pleasant river or garden views from many rooms. Reviewers appreciated the way the rooms at this sympathetically-revamped 17th century villa fused modern interior design with traditional features like exposed beams.

The out-of-town riverside location near the mainland Venetian suburb of Marghera appealed to those wanting to be away from the hustle and bustle of tourist hotspots in the historic city centre, which was a short drive away across the lagoon for sightseeing. Drivers welcomed the free parking and the proximity of petrol stations and motorways. Furthermore, drivers could leave the car and easily catch buses to beautiful central Venice as there were bus stops right outside.

The professional, helpful and welcoming staff won frequent praise from visitors as did the filling and tasty buffet breakfast. The reasonably-priced restaurant meals were a hit with diners, who enjoyed the range of Venetian dishes, including local meats and seafood.

Although many guests enjoyed their stays and said the rooms were pleasant, some critics occasionally raised doubts about this property's five-star rating. Several claimed it lacked some of the facilities of other five-star accommodation they had experienced elsewhere in northern Italy.

Light sleepers noted that certain rooms facing the road were exposed to traffic noise at times, causing an occasional nuisance. Moreover, it was claimed noise from adjacent rooms sometimes travelled rather easily.

Although travellers appreciated the free Internet access, some claimed there were slow network speeds on the free Wi-Fi network at times.