This was not only our first time in Italy, but our first night in Italy, so I didn't know what to expect - and the Hotel Villa Laguna exceeded my expectations.
We arrived on a rainy late October evening in total darkness on the Alilaguna ferry from the airport. The hotel was only steps away from the ferry dock and the lobby was bright and welcoming. Just turn right as you exit the ferry terminal and walk for a few minutes along the sidewalk, and you can't miss it.
The front desk staff were all extremely friendly during our 3-night stay and went out of their way to answer our questions and show us maps, etc. One man even made a phone call to San Servolo for me to check opening times and tour information.
When we came downstairs the first morning and walked into the breakfast room I was stunned. There was no one else there and the room was absolutely beautiful. The whole one wall is windows with a breathtaking view of the lagoon and Venice in the distance.
The breakfast itself is very good with a wide selection of beverages and food. There was fresh fruit, cereal, all kinds of breads and pastries, yogurt, ham and cheese, and fresh fruit juices, still and sparkling water, and tea and coffee.
Venice is about a 15-minute boat ride away. It pays to get the ACTV vaporetto pass from the airport. You can get them in various time increments (I think we did 36 hours). The pass is good for all of the ACTV public vaporetti (Venice's public water bus system), which includes the boat from Lido to Venice. We never had to worry about buying individual vaporetto tickets; it was literally hop-on, hop-off the whole three days.
I think we booked the cheapest room. We were on the street side and the room was very small, but that wasn't a problem for me. There was a TV but we didn't use it. There was a fridge which actually had some space for us to put our own drinks in. The bathroom was fine and everything functioned well, and I thought the toiletries provided were really nice. The one problem that I had was that the street was VERY noisy. Usually I don't have any problems with street noise but this was beyond anything I've ever encountered. It sounded like there were trucks going past all night long.
There are many restaurants and cafes (mostly pizzerias) within walking distance from the hotel. They mostly seem to be located on the main street that goes straight out from the ferry terminal, the Gran Viale Santa Maria Elisabetta.
I would most definitely stay at the Villa Laguna again. The service, friendliness, convenience and beauty were top-notch. The only thing I would do different next time is book a seaside room.