Venice Hotel Villa Dori

A pleasant walkway tiled with a coat-of-arms leads to an entrance that displays the name Venice Hotel Villa Dori, but there's a larger entrance around the corner to the restaurant, which pre-dates the guest rooms that the hotel's owners added. Competing kitschy styles veer from the East Indian themed restaurant and bar, with Buddhas and reliefs of figures from Indian mythology decorating the walls, to a more mundane traditional Venetian look. But the overall effect is budget decor that's veneered with cheap, glitzy details. The hotel was featured on an Italian TV show where some improvements were made, but doesn't seem to have followed through with a renovation or implemented any real changes. We noticed areas that needed maintenance and attention -- like patchy grass on the playground and dirty  ashtrays at the bar -- and a generally absent staff. The hotel attracts leisure travelers here for a short stay. 

Venice Hotel Villa Dori is located between the Riviera Del Brenta and Venice on the mainland, not on the Venetian islands. It's in a residential neighborhood far from restaurants, bars, and most attractions. Guests looking for a local experiences can book river boats to admire the area's majestic 17th century villas, some of which can be visited as museums. It takes about 20 minutes by taxi to reach the western side of the Venetian islands in the lagoon, and from the car drop off point it's another 30 minutes or so by vaporetto to Piazza San Marco. Alternatively, there's a bus stop a minutes' walk from the hotel, though using public transportation will make the commute take even longer. Venice Marco Polo Airport can be reached in about 20 minutes by car. 

The hotel's guest rooms come in several different styles; some have decor inspired by classic Venetian villas, with rich-looking fabrics, ornate wallpaper, and antiques throughout. Other rooms have a shabbier style, with simple color palettes in pastel hues and sparse furniture, and only token ornate touches, like mirrors in gilded frames on otherwise plain walls. The standard units have twin or double beds, and some have added rickety metal bunk beds. There's AC, small flat-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi, but the advertised minibars are nowhere to be found. However, there's one suite that sports modern decor, with a mini-fridge and an electric kettle. Bathrooms are basic but generally tidy, and have bidets and either small walk-in showers or average shower/tub combos.

The heart of the hotel is The Tantra Cafe, a restaurant and bar that serves a mix of international cuisine, but little to no Indian food despite the decorative theme. The menu is mostly Italian standards like pizza and some Venetian specialties, alongside Argentinian steak dishes and sushi. An American-style breakfast buffet is available for a fee. There's also a small wine bar, and an outdoor playground with a small slide and swings that has bare patches of grass. Free self-parking is included, and Wi-Fi is free throughout.