We have to sing "Happy Birthday" to the Hotel Cipriani in Venice this year, because they're celebrating their 50th anniversary. And to celebrate they're in the middle of a three-year renovation (pity it wasn't finished for the birthday, but still).

So far they say they're nearly done with the first phase, which has involved refurbishing ten rooms and suites in the Redentore and San Giorgio wings of the hotel. They've pulled out all the stops to make these made-over rooms fancy: cashmere and silk blankets, Murano glass, Fortuny and Rubelli fabrics and some genuine Venetian artwork.

Woke up this morning after yesterday's cubicle dream and reality set in. We're not rich and/or famous. But that doesn't mean we'll never be able to make our way to Venice before it sinks.

And while we thought we'd have to trade down, way down for a hotel so we can manage to throw in a gondola ride and tix to Italy's Heinekin Jammin' Fest to see The Police, enter Arco Antico Guest House. Sweet. Despite the somewhat drab decor, Arco Antico has great guest reviews and terrific rates. Sixteenth century palazzo stay here we come. ]]> mytwocents 2008-05-01T15:05:01-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/4/29/141346/396 <![CDATA[<p> <i>Cubicle Dreamin' is a feature in which we ask the hotel mavens to take some time out of their busy work day, surf the Internet, and tell us what hotel they wish they could beam themselves to right that very second--all on the slave driving companies dime, of course. Oh, like these people aren't surfing aimlessly anyway--at least now their purposeless clicking will be cobbled together into useful hotel stories--we hope. Have a destination hotel you are just dying to leave your cube for? <a href="tips@hotelchatter.com">Send the story our way</a>.<p> In this episode, Hotel Maven <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/user/mytwocents/stories">MyTwoCents</a> visits Venice...in her mind. Enjoy.</i><p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/hoteldanieli.jpg" class="imgborder"><p>This morning we woke up feeling like a million dollars, even if we don't have it. mytwocents 2008-04-30T16:30:01-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/4/28/12340/4599 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/heinefest.jpg" class="imgborder"><p>Come June 20-22 there won't be any singing under the Bridge of Sighs in Venice, 'cuz everyone will be rockin' out in nearby Mestre at Italy's <a href="http://www.heineken.it/heinekenjamminfestival"><b>Heineken Jammin' Festival</b></a>. Since its inception in 1998, each summer 100,000 fans from all over the world have flocked to the country's premier rock fest, listening to a roster of such notable bands as Bon Jovi, Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Cure. <p> This year the rock fest takes place across the Venice causeway in Mestre's Park San Guiliano overlooking the Venice lagoon. Sure, you won't get serenaded on a gondola, but you'll enjoy three performance stages,a Green Village, Sports Village, DJ Zone and camping area. <p>Iggy &amp; the mytwocents 2008-04-28T14:50:43-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/4/17/73415/9718 <![CDATA[<p><i>We are suckers for a room with a killer view. &nbsp;We find that we are even more likely to forgive some minor hotel inconveniences if we can stare out the window at something pretty--yeah we are that shallow. Let's help out our fellow hotel mavens by uploading rooms with killer views to the <a href="http://flickr.com/groups/hotelchatter/">HotelChatter/Flickr photo pool</a>, or by <a href="mailto:tips@hotelchatter.com">sending the photo along to us</a>. We will feature our favorites in this space from time to time. Remember to tell us the name of the hotel and the room number of the hot view.</i><p><p> <img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/3873/Killer_View_Bauer_Venice2.jpg" class="imgborder"><p> <p>Big thanks to HC tipster <b>Gil</b> who dropped a few incredible pictures in our in-box after staying at the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Bauer+Hotel/ian/109344"><b>Hotel Bauer</b></a> amandak 2008-04-17T09:30:01-05:00 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/