The Sina Centurion Palace is a truly beautiful hotel. The rooms are stunning, the property is well maintained, the front desk staff provided excellent service, and the hotel’s boat transportation makes the whole experience even more special. Unfortunately, one person completely ruined our experience: the gentleman in the blazer who manages the outdoor restaurant in the evening. On our first night, we arrived around 9:00 p.m. He told us, “Sure, give me a moment and I’ll be right back.” We waited for about 30 minutes, and when we finally went to ask him again, he said, “Oops, I forgot. I’m sorry, there’s no more service.” It was incredibly frustrating, but we decided to let it go. The next evening, we came back and this time he told us that we needed a reservation. We would have completely understood if he had explained that the night before, or if he had simply said it politely. The issue wasn’t the reservation—it was his attitude. His tone of voice, facial expressions, and complete lack of interest in helping us made us feel unwelcome. What made the situation even more noticeable was how amazing the rest of the staff were. They saw how frustrated we were and realized we hadn’t been able to eat. One incredibly kind lady offered us snacks from the bar, guided us through the available options, and even spoke with the kitchen to make a small exception so they could prepare spaghetti with ragù for us. That act of kindness greatly improved our evening and reminded us of what true hospitality looks like. It’s a real shame because this hotel has everything it takes to provide a true five-star experience. The rest of the team was outstanding, but we will never forget the poor service and attitude of that one employee. I sincerely hope management addresses this issue, because with a better attitude in that position, the Sina Centurion Palace would be an exceptional hotel.
Sina Centurion Palace
Address: Dorsoduro 173Availability
Description
Facilities
Reviews
The quality of service here was fantastic. All employees were polite, prompt and seemed proud of thie hotel. The location on the hill gave amazing views, although less walkable. Worth the tradeoff!
Very disappointing experience for a 5-star hotel, especially during our 30th wedding anniversary stay. Concierge communication was extremely slow and unclear despite multiple advance emails requesting help with anniversary planning. We asked for assistance arranging a gondola, photographer, and dinner, but nothing was properly arranged or communicated. The hotel made no special effort to make our milestone anniversary memorable. The Meet & Greet service was also useless. The person did not come to our train coach, did not help with luggage, and essentially only held a placard with my name. It was not worth the €170 fee. We also had a room maintenance issue with water leakage caused by AC condensation. Additionally, the Grand Canal location creates an expectation of a special canal-view experience, but our room did not match that perception. The only positive part was dinner service at Antinoo’s. The restaurant team was very good and made the evening feel special. Overall, Sina Centurion Palace fell far short of a true 5-star experience, especially for such an important occasion.
We deliberated at length about the perfect hotel for us in Venice and we for sure made the best choice! Loved this location for the easy walk ability to San Marco, but away from the crowds. Easy arrival by water taxi. The staff is truly the highlight at this hotel. Every person was so friendly and helpful and would not allow us to lift a finger. There is a beautiful courtyard for relaxing, and you can see from the courtyard through the lobby to the canal. Such a beautiful view! The hotel is large enough to provide exclusive and luxurious amenities while still small enough to keep service so personal. Another highlight is the beautiful artwork and sculptures featured in the lobby. We loved the location in between the beautiful Santa Maria della Salute with its lovely bells, and the Peggy Guggenheim Museum. A small and quiet canal is directly behind the hotel with what became our favorite gelato in Venice. There is an intimate patio to enjoy lunch or dinner or an aperitivo. Thank you so much to Sina Centurion Palace and staff for such a memorable highlight stay of our vacation.
Our stay at Sina Centurion Palace, presented as a 5-star palace, was a profound disappointment. From the moment of arrival by boat, the tone was set, no greeting, no spontaneous assistance, and I had to ask for help to step out, which is particularly surprising from a concierge wearing the Clefs d’Or. The first room, located under the roof, was poorly designed and unsuitable for a family stay, with limited space, a bathtub placed in the middle of the room without coherence, and an extra bed positioned directly at the foot of the main bed, of very poor quality, with a noisy spring mattress making proper rest impossible. The replacement room proved even smaller, facing the street, with significant noise disturbances from 6am, almost non-existent sound insulation, no proper air conditioning, and curtains that were too short and not wide enough to ensure proper blackout. Maintenance issues were clearly visible, including ants in the room, damaged skirting boards, deteriorated finishes, and an overall lack of upkeep, which is unacceptable for a property claiming 5-star standards, as supported by photos and video. In addition, intermittent light flashes from ceiling fixtures and near the door lock system created an intrusive and uncomfortable atmosphere, especially at night. Breakfast further highlighted the inconsistency, access was refused with our small Yorkshire dog without any prior information at check-in, which makes the hotel’s “dog friendly” positioning questionable, and service was inattentive, requiring us to ask to have the table cleared. Common areas feel cramped and uninviting, the bar lacks atmosphere, the all-white restaurant feels almost depressing, and apart from the patio, the overall aesthetic appears aggressive, while the patio itself, despite its potential, is underutilized and lacks ambiance, with details such as plastic ashtrays that are completely out of place. A complimentary water taxi to Murano was offered, which felt more like a commercial arrangement than a genuine gesture to address the issues experienced. It should nevertheless be noted that the hotel did not charge any additional fee for our dog, and that, upon request, a bed was provided and the room was arranged to accommodate a family stay. Service overall felt closer to supervision than true hospitality. It should also be mentioned that a few members of staff were indeed pleasant and professional, however this was not sufficient to offset the initial impression and the overall decline in the experience. Finally, the check-out reflected the same lack of care, no inquiry about our satisfaction and a gratuity added to the final bill without prior notice. We chose this property for its positioning and its past reputation, including awards, however the gap between image and reality is now striking. While the hotel retains the appearance of a palace, it unfortunately no longer delivers its standards nor its attitude. For the attention of the hotel, there is no need to justify or respond to this review, this should have been addressed at the time of check-out.
Upgrade Hotel
Monday through Friday 9 am to 7 pm EST
Reach us by phone
Reach us by email