No Vulgar Hotel: The Desire and Pursuit of Venice (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Eric Denker (Author)
Key Phrases: Grand Canal, Saint Mark, Doge's Palace (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In a good-natured guide for die-hard "Venetophiles," author and etiquette guru Martin focuses not on the stunning Byzantine architecture of this Italian city but on the unique personality of Venetians themselves. While this fun-to-read paean to the sybaritic delights of la Serenissima offers a compelling window into the city's social history, it should come as no surprise that the author of Miss Manners' Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Behavior is most interested in schooling her readers on how to comport themselves in a city still long on Old World charm and cultural mores. Martin is quick to point out that even the most illustrious tourists (including former Venice visitors Tennyson, Tchaikovsky and Twain) need a bit of good-natured advice on how to present themselves ("Hat etiquette is strict") and interact with others ("Making poetic observations ... should be resisted at any cost"). Martin also dips an enthusiastic toe into the rich history of Venetian food and drink ("Veneto's prosecco is not just cheaper than champagne but better"), painting, poetry and party-going, making the book perfect for a swift, semi-intellectual overview of Venice that goes several steps deeper than the average tourist guide.
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Review

"Add No Vulgar Hotel to the list of books you must read before you come to Venice." Donna Leon "Do yourself a courtesy and read this revelation about the Jewel of the Adriatic." P.J. O'Rourke" --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton (March 19, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393059324
• ISBN-13: 978-0393059328
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #758,675 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mixed review..., July 13, 2007

By	James R. Hazelton - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I agree with the other posters that Judith Martin's tone is self-adulatory to the point of self indulgence. That, of course, isn't my favorite part of this book. However there is new stuff here that I didn't know and I've been returning "home" to Venice regularly for many years.
I actually bought this book hoping, among other things, to learn about hat etiquette (as excerpted on this Amazon page), since I sometimes wear a hat in Venice and would hate to be doing it the wrong way. I didn't find it, and that's a shame. Advising on such matters is--or ought to be--the author's forte. Imho it's too bad Miss Manners didn't write this book.
(By the way, another poster mentioned something called the "Venice Card," which is a discount gimmick for the tourists. This is quite different from the city-issued photo I.D. which allows a resident to purchase the monthly vaporetto pass for 30 euro, and this is what Martin was writing about. I didn't find it too awfully difficult to obtain, but maybe that has changed. My own abbonamento expired years ago but the brusque lady behind the counter still honors it every time, bless her heart.)

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars It doesnt deserve one star., August 21, 2007

By	Agatha Comberton (Boston, Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

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Cute title. After that this book sinks into the canal. I agree with another poster I do not think Ms Martin wrote much of this book. If she did she should be ashamed.

If you want to read a good book about Venice read CITY OF THE FALLING ANGELS. Or read any Donna Leon book all set in Venice and all excellent mysteries that are filled with the life of the people of Venice.

This book is just boring!

29 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Too too twee, April 11, 2007

By	E. A. Drake (Scottsdale, Arizona) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Engaging, but somewhat precious and self-conscious, this commentary on the Venetophilic addiction is a "potato chip" of a read. There are many snips of history and anecdote but it skips and samples and skims the surface without offering any real insight. I honestly found it a bit of a slog.

I guess my overall impression is similar to my impression of USA Today...lots of sound bites, but no substance. The author clearly loves Venice and knows it well but her self-adulatory tone wears thin pretty quickly. There are many nice observations about tourists and Venetophiles but I wasn't sure about the point of it all. Check it out from the library but don't bother to buy it.