Favorite Venice Neighborhood?

Don't stay in Mestre or on the Lido to save money. Penny-wise and pound-foolish. Try Pensione Guerrato or Casa Rezzonico. Great locations and reasonably priced for Venice. Get the Rick Steves book on Italy for more recommendations.

Don't stay in Mestre! What do they mean by the "entrance" to Venice? The far end of Casatello might be an hour, by foot and/pr vaporetto, from the train station, especially if you got lost. . . But it is not that far from San mMrco, or rather a nice distance of San Marco to get you out of the crowds. We like Dorsoduro but really, anyplace in Venice is great. Find a hotel you like and "book it, Danno." Nothing wrong with Best Western if you see one you like; they are individually owned and the company is well-established in Italy.

San Marco Noisy? It depends, some "calli" (streets) are quiet, some less so due to foot traffic of hordes of tourists. Is east ....? Actually the entrance of Venice was originally the Adriatic Sea, therefore it's closer to that. That area is less touristy, more locals. Any sestiere (district) is good, but I wouldn't stay in Giudecca. How...Mestre?
Not inconvenient but staying in Venice is better. You'll experience the magic of the city more. Staying in Mestre will make you feel like a day tripper. Don't lock yourself to familiar names (like Best Western). Explore. I hope you are not going to Italy and eat exclusively at McDonald's because it's familiar to you, are you? All hotels have showers, sometimes shared among more hotel rooms in some budget hotels (haven't stayed in those since I was a student). Overall I wouldn't worry too much about lack of water in Venice.

Michael mentions Casa Rezzonico , I agree ! We stayed there in october and loved it . Just off Campo St Barnaba , convenient and quiet. ( ask for a back room ) . If you know the the film " Summertime " , this is the spot where Katharine Hepburn falls into the canal .

Thank you!! Michael, I just emailed both of those hotels, they look perfect! Sasha, great advice! - "book it"!! Roberto, haha. you never fail me :) Steven, I've not seen Summertime, I'll have to check it out. Thanks for the confirmation.
I'm very grateful.

If you want to stick with Best Western, you can't do better than the Bisanzio. On the Castello-San Marco border a block off the Riva behind the Chiesa Pieta. There is a Best Western in St Helena, further away. But I swear by the Bisanzio. They are showing rates within your budget in July and August (depends on what is going on in town)

Just curious why do you like Dorsoduro? I know everyone has their preferences. Just curious. I didn't know if it was too far ( or rather further for evening activities or train station etc ) Thanks I am going in October and had the sane question as to where to,stay and where not to stay Thanks mstacey

Hi Cat. Try B&B 3C. It's definitely within your range & is rated very well on Trip Advisor (currently rated #5 of all B&B's in Venice). It's very convenient & close to St. Mark's Square yet quiet. I haven't stayed there but had booked them for my trip in 2012 & then unfortunately had to cancel. Don't lock yourself in to Best Westerns or to an American chain for that matter. Consider smaller establishments such as B&B's and hotels. We've found the mom & pop proprietors in Italy to be very generous and friendly and they've added to our overall enjoyment of our past trips. As others have already said, don't stay in Mestre. We stayed there for 1 night on a past trip to Venice and hated it. As for wanting a "comfy bed", be aware that most of the beds in Italian hotels, b&b's, etc. are on the firm side. If you like a firm mattress, you'll be in heaven. I found the mattresses there to be much firmer than I like but I rolled with the punches & made the best of it. Have a great trip.

If you Re checking hotel reviews, look at booking.com - their reviews are written only by guests who have stayed recently and booked through their service, eliminating special interest and out-of-date postings.

In October, I stayed at Hotel Campiello. It's about two blocks from St. Mark's square and the Doge's Palace. It was very quiet.

We've stayed at Al Campaniel B&B all 3 times in Venice - convenient, well priced, nice breakfast, wonderful owner! Ranked #63 on trip advisor with lots of great reviews and...a chocolate shop RIGHT THERE across the alley...Less then a minute to San Toma vaporatto stop.

You're seeing that there is no shortage of great places to stay in Venice. (You will have a harder time finding a bathtub in Italy, fwiw. Probably because they take up so much room and use a lot of hot water.)

Stacey: I'll give an answer to your question about Dorsoduro. I stayed there a few years ago, and liked it a lot. It's quieter than some other parts of Venice because it's not in the direct path of most visitors, and has only a few designated "attractions" (mainly the Accademia and the Peggy Gugenheim Museum). You will see some actual Venetian residents, not just tourists. I remember seeing a store that refilled printer ink cartridges, and another store selling socks (not shoes, just socks). On the other hand, it's a quick walk (5-10 minutes) to busier areas. In "southern" Dorsoduro, the Zattere vaporetto stop has fast connections to San Marco, and "northern" Dorsoduro is on the Grand Canal and near the Accademia Bridge. So, I found it a perfect mix of convenience and ambiance.

Hi Friends, Thank you all, I looked into every recommendation, all looked fantastic! I've narrowed my search down to 4 options, all available (currently). None are chains, Roberto;) Two are quite close to San Marco - Locanda Casa Verardo or Campiello Two are in Santa Croce, very close to the train stop - Hotel Papadopoli or Hotel Arlecchino. Any final advice?
Thanks.

Not a direct experience but looking at the website they all appear way more luxurious than the places where I stay. I'm not young anymore but I still rough it as if I were a student. You'll do fine with any of your choices. You just have to decide whether you'd rather be near the station (more easily accessible when you arrive and depart) or closer to the areas where you'll likely hang out most.

Yea, I decided to have Venice be my "splurge" location, being the first stop on the trip. My thought was it might help me acclimate if I'm very comfortable (I sold myself on it that way). I was able to find discounts for all 4 though!! :)
Seems like closer to the sites makes more sense overall, but I imagine how tired I'll be, and that makes the Santa Croce appealing...

I like Cannaregio; its well located for walking to Rialto and San Marco. There are lots of restaurants from touristy to local, a supermarket and other stores. I have stayed at Laconda Casa del Melagrano; its a few minutes from a Vaporetto stop that goes to San Marco and from Venice's closest thing to a main street. The single I stayed in was small but had everything I needed and was clean and most important, looked out on to that rarest of Venetian things, a garden! A nice spot for breakfast or a place to relax after sightseeing.
It is situated alongside a narrow canal and the front rooms could be noisy with boat traffic or with people walking along the calle - but you will get that anywhere in Venice.