MEPs’ offices in the southern end of the European Parliament building (the Winston Churchill / Salvador de Madariaga wing) are closer to the completely separate and external Council of Europe building than they are to MEPs’ office at the northern end of the European Parliament building (the Louise Weiss tower).
Also the Venice Commission isn’t in the main Council of Europe building but a block further, across the road from the European Court of Human Rights. (At least I was aware that it is not in Venice.)
Also it’s just as tedious to travel to Strasbourg from Brussels by car as it is by train.
But IIRC on your Hugo list it was indeed second — but behind A Dance With Dragons by something like 10,000. I essentially looked at those figures and thought it had no chance whatsoever. Daniel Abraham and China and I were all in complete agreement with your figures on the night before the ceremony.