Do people recommend reserving a water taxi from the Venice airport or getting a water taxi upon arrival? If i reserve upon arrival how do i determine the price is right before we leave the airport for our hotel?
Prices are pretty well fixed. Check here.
https://www.motoscafivenezia.com/en/
do you recommend reserving the water taxi once ahead of time or just book once i arrive at the airport and i am at the peir?
Just go to the dock. A water taxi will cost about 140 euro.
You can also take a regular ground taxi out to the island. Much cheaper.
I suggest you go on Google Maps and locate where your hotel is before leaving. Often they're not easy to find in Venice.
my hotel is off of Santa Maria Formosa so im not wanting to lug our roller bags through all the streets and the water taxi just seems cool as a really different way to arrive.
does your hotel have a water gate (private dock)?