Be Mate Ponte Di Rialto

This is a very beautiful hotel. One truly feels regal ascending the luxurious staircase to the spacious and modern suites above. Lovely accommodations, and great location. But here is the rub.... A hotel of this caliber, desiring to be considered 5 star, needs to prioritize - above all things - the comfort and service of their guests. Two examples: We arrived 2 hours before check in with the intension of leaving our bags at the hotel and doing some site seeing until our rooms were available at 3pm. On arrival, the staff offered good news that - our rooms were ready ahead of schedule, and that we could check in right away if we wished - for an additional fee of 30 Euros. An extra 30 Euros for 2 hours? Later during our visit - we were thrilled to enjoy the delicious coffee pods in our suite. I called the office describing how much we enjoyed them, and requested that a couple more pods be brought up. I was informed that the pods are only provided at the beginning of the stay, but that if I wanted to go out and buy some of my own to use, that would be fine. When you're charging close to 650 euros a night, letting your guests access their rooms a couple hours early (when they are sitting ready anyway), or sending up 1 dollar worth of coffee pods when requested - are simple opportunities to deliver - low cost - higher quality service to your patrons. It's in the small gestures of going above an beyond, that endear a business to their clientele. It is also what separates 5 star hotels from those masquerading as 5 stars.