Hotels in Venice and Genoa, please!

Q: My parents are joining a cruise in Genoa on December 1. They are flying to Venice and then want to travel by train to Genoa. Can you recommend reasonably priced accommodation for one night in Venice and Genoa, and how one would book the train journey? - Kevin Jacobs

A: Firstly, while there are plenty of trains between Venice and Genoa, they will have to change trains at Milano Central. If they can easily handle their luggage, this should not be too much of a difficulty. The total journey time is just under five hours. The tickets can be bought on the Internet on www.railkey.com website (you can reach it through www.italrail.com). I was quoted a price of 62.50 US dollars for each ticket in second class. When it comes to hotels, there are few real bargains; you get what you pay for. A hotel your parents could try in Venice is the small Hotel Nazionale, which is situated on the celebrated Lista di Spagna only 2 minutes from the Santa Lucia railway station. They can enjoy a taste of Venetian life and walk through the ancient streets to the famous St Mark's square. A double room in early December should cost them around 90 Euros. Check it out on www.hotelnazionalevenice.com and try www.booking.com for a reduced rate. A good hotel choice in Genoa is the NH Marina, a four-star hotel situated only 50 metres from the city's famous aquarium. It is set directly on an old harbour wharf and is perfect for sightseeing. Rooms are advertised from 89 Euros, but when I tried for a double room in early December, the rate (including all taxes and breakfast) was closer to 120 Euros. However, that is still good value. Rooms all offer views over the marina, air conditioning, satellite television and there is an elevator in the building. The hotel is available on www.nh-hotels.com, but try www.booking.com for discounted rates. There are cheaper hotels available on this site (and other discounted websites) in both Venice and Genoa. (12/9/10)