Anyway, when B and I were planning our big European adventure for this fall, I knew Venice had to somehow make it on the itinerary. I had to see the canals, explore the cathedrals, experience the art and find out if all my romantic dreams of the city were really true. Little did I know, B had even bigger plans (more on that later!) I was really excited when he told me we were staying at the hotel Ai Cavalieri, which is located just off the Grand Canal. The website assured luxury and privacy, while still offering the convenience of being near the major tourist sights.
We arrived in Venice via the train from Rome, and it was initially a bit chaotic as we made our way from the train station to the taxi stands. Of course, being Venice, taxis are really water taxis, which is pretty much one of the coolest things I've ever seen. The only unfortunate part of the water taxi ride was the cost. I think it was about 70 Euros, or about 82 dollars U.S., which is a big chunk of change! There are also water buses there, but we were tired and just wanted to get to our hotel, so we opted to bite the bullet and spend the cash.
As we journeyed along the canals, I was already overwhelmed by the beauty of the place. My first view was of the art installation by Lorenzo Quinn. Titled "Support" and created for the 2017 Venice Biennale, this giant pair of hands makes a statement about the effects of climate change and rising sea levels on the city. I'd seen some pictures of it before we arrived, but seeing it in person took my breath away.
Our taxi dropped us at the entrance to the hotel, and we walked in, immediately immersed in opulent, yet classy decor. Chandeliers led us to the front desk, all of it making me feel like I'd stepped back in time and in this time period, I was royalty. Rich red carpets, beautiful Murano glass lighting, I couldn't stop looking around and we hadn't even seen our room yet!
The front desk staff checked us in quickly and professionally, patient with our questions about the city and offering us a map to help us get around. To be honest, I'm not sure a map in Venice is even worth carrying. You will get lost. Yes, even with your phone and google maps. Venice is a twisty, turny and downright confusing city, so just accept that if you go there, you will end up lost somewhere in a narrow alleyway. Hopefully, it will be an alley with a wine bar, because that became our go-to solution when we got lost. Just have more wine!
Anyway, back to our lovely hotel. Just like the review and website information promised, Ai Cavalieri is located close to all the major attractions while being far enough off the main drag to be quiet and peaceful. Our room was, quite simply, incredible. Beyond incredible.
Lush bedding, marble bathroom, more beautiful Murano glass everywhere, my true princess self came out in full force and I probably would have been happy to sit in the room for the entirety of our stay.
The hotel has a small, exclusive bar, called "The Bat Bar", where you can enjoy tea and cookies in the afternoon and receive a complimentary appetizer plate with your drinks. It was never crowded there, and we found it a really nice space to relax in the afternoons and evenings after being out and about.
They also serve a complimentary breakfast, and I am happy to say this is nothing like the bagels and coffee breakfasts of other places. Eggs, bacon, potatoes, toast, yogurt, cereals, fruits, there are options for everyone. You can even purchase additional breakfast items from a separate menu if the free stuff doesn't suit you (although I can't imagine why anyone would do this!) I had two delicious cappuccinos every day (yes, complimentary!) and ate way more breakfast than I usually eat! The staff at the bar and daily breakfast were top notch, never letting a dish sit on a table or a coffee get cold.
While the hotel itself is phenomenal and the location was perfect, it was really the service that made our stay so memorable. Friendly, helpful, yet never intrusive, from the front desk to the bar to the housekeeping staff, every person working there took obvious pride in their job, and never made us feel like we were asking too many questions or bothering them. They helped us arrange a trip to the Murano glass factory, made restaurant suggestions and went over directions repeatedly to help prevent us from getting lost (we still got lost...)
The pinnacle of all this was the surprise B had up his sleeve. With help from Olga at the front desk, he organized a gondola ride for the two of us that took me places I'd never imagined. You see, ever since I saw the movie "A Little Romance" when I was 14 years old, I'd dreamed of Venice. Legend has it that if you and the one you love kiss while riding a gondola under the Bridge of Sighs, just at Sunset, your love will be eternal. My romantic heart has always loved the idea, and now that we were in Venice, I really wanted to take that gondola ride.
The weather was iffy and for awhile it didn't seem like it was going to happen. I went up to the room while B talked to the front desk about it, figuring my gondola ride might have to stay in my imagination at this point. Then B came up to the room and said, "The gondola is coming in 10 minutes, get ready!" I quickly got dressed and we went down to the lobby, where our gondolier for the night, Nic, was waiting. B had asked the hotel if we could purchase a bottle of prosecco for the ride, and it was waiting for us in the gondola on ice.
Nic took us around the city, chatting with us and telling us some of the history. An eighth-generation gondolier, his love for both his job and the city of Venice was apparent as he told us about the history of the canals, took us by Marco Polo's house and talked about daily life in Venice.
Just as I'd hoped, we came upon the Bridge of Sighs near sunset. As we started to go under it, I was snapping pictures and gazing up at the wonder of this beautiful piece of history. B nudged me. "Aren't we supposed to kiss?" he said. "Oh!" I laughed, "yes!" I kissed him and told him I loved him. He said he loved me too, then paused for a moment, reaching into his pocket.
When I stopped crying long enough to say "yes" I saw that there was a crowd of people standing on another nearby bridge, watching the whole thing. They all started shouting "yes, yes yes!" cheering when B shouted back "She said yes!" and Nic started singing an Italian love song for us. I don't know that I've ever had a more perfect moment in my life, or felt more loved. To have someone create this just for me, based solely on my childhood memories and dreams, knowing that B had and does listen to everything, hears me, knows me, how could I have said anything other than a resounding yes?
We returned to the hotel where the staff was waiting and Olga breathlessly wanted me to "tell her everything" about the proposal. They were all genuinely thrilled for us, and it felt like we were coming home rather than just coming back to a hotel. B had also talked to them about a celebration dinner (he was pretty sure I'd say yes!) and they had set up a reservation for us following the gondola ride for dinner at a nearby restaurant that was amazing!
Hotel Ai Cavalieri not only made our stay in Venice even more perfect than it already was, they touched our lives on a personal level that I won't soon forget. We're already planning to return to Venice for our anniversary at some point, and there's no doubt in our minds as to where we'll stay.
Venice is a beautiful, magical kind of place. It's forever become part of our story. Hotel Ai Cavalieri is part of that story too. And for just a little while, I was able to feel like I'd stepped into one of my favorite fairy tales, finding romance under the Bridge of Sighs and the stuff of dreams in a hotel fit for a princess.
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