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Venice Hotel Suggestions

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My wife and I (mid 60s, Chicago area) are making our first trip to Italy in March. We are planning to spend two nights and the better part of three days in Venice. I know, for a lot of people this isn't enough, but it's what we have and we'd really like to see what we can of the city, knowing full well that we are not going to be able to see it all.

Trying to find "the" hotel in for first time visitors can be a daunting task. Hoping to get some help from the seasoned Venice travelers on this site to help us narrow our search. Here are some parameters of what we are looking for:

  1. In the city of Venice itself. I know a lot of more budget friendly options are available in nearby Mestre, but for our first trip, we really want to stay in Venice itself.

  2. Reasonably close to a vaporetto stop. We will be arriving by train from Florence and understand we will have to walk to our hotel with luggage. We will be packing light, with just a carry on or backpack, but would prefer a hotel no more than a 5-10 minute walk from a vaporetto stop.

  3. Canal view. Would love a room with a canal view. Doesn't have to be the Grand Canal--a quieter side canal would be great too--just want to capture some of that magic of why we're coming to Venice in the first place.

  4. Vintage Hotel. I know the hotel buildings in Venice are probably all hundreds of years old, but some of the rooms I've seen have been recently renovated in a more modern style. Ideally, would like an old feeling hotel (I know these can at time come with their own quirks)

  5. Location close enough to the first time tourist sites like Piazza San Marco and Doge's Palace, but doesn't necessarily have to be in the San Marco district itself. A quieter district within easy walking or an easy vaporetto ride to these sites would be fine.

  6. Budget: Trying to keep the cost to around or below $300 per night--but can be flexible for the right place...

Appreciate any help with some areas of the city where we might want to concentrate our search and names of specific hotels that might meet this wish list. Thanks!

Posted by
89 posts

We have stayed at Hotel Saturnia and enjoyed the hotel and the location. Located next to St. Mark’s Sq. it is centrally located and the restaurant and bar are convenient.
It was 2023 but I think the price was in the ballpark of what you are looking for.

Posted by
6822 posts

Our fav is the Hotel Ai Mori D'Oriente, in the Cannaregio area. It's a 15 min walk from the train station, and a ten minute walk to a vaporetto stop on the Grand Canal. The decor is Moorish, the staff and breakfast excellent. The hotel has its own dock on a small back canal. The neighborhood is charming, and never crowded, yet still has a nice energy with shops and restaurants. We love experiencing Venice without the crowds of the St Marks /Rialto area. Only a few rooms have a view, but Venice is probably one of the only destinations where I feel a view isn't needed- not when you can simply sit on front of your hotel with an aperitif, and enjoy the activity on the canal.
Book directly for the best price.
Have a great trip!

Posted by
127 posts

I just stayed at Hotel Principe, just a short walk from the train station, 5 minutes. It's an older property, but I thought a good value. You could request a room overlooking the canal, there is a little patio facing the canal and it's a lovely spot for watching everyday life go by. There is another hotel right next door to it that looks to be a bit more upscale and modernized, Hotel Continental. The Hotel Principe isn't a high-end hotel, but I felt that it had old world Venice charm and a fair price. Breakfast was included and very nice staff.

Posted by
127 posts

Another location we stayed at in 2023 was Pensione Accademia - Villa Maravege. It's a fairly close walk from the Accademia stop. This is a great area to explore, and I found it to be very walkable to the main tourist areas. It's a charming old Venice-style hotel, with a great breakfast and a nice garden out back.

Posted by
9306 posts

My favorite hotel in Venice is Hotel Ala, https://www.hotelala.it

I have stayed there four times after staying in a few other neighborhoods. The location is fantastic to pop over to the San Marco piazza in the evening to enjoy the ambiance. And the S. Maria del Giglio vaporetto stop doesn’t require any bridges to the hotel - a 1-minute walk. Some of the rooms have a window to a canal; I’ve had it both ways, and honestly, it doesn’t matter as much as I originally thought because you will be out enjoying the canals.

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