Venice-Recommendations for a place to stay for a family of 4 with 2 teenage boys

My recommendation would be an apartment, where you would have more room and can make your own breakfast and lunches. I like the Venice Red House agency for apartments (they are local Venetians and the apartments are well-managed). Marco and Caroline both speak excellent English, as does the agent who will meet you at the vaporetto and escort you to the apartment to help you get settled.

We loved this particular top-floor apartment, where we spent the whole month of October a few years back

https://www.veniceredhouse.com/apartments-in-venice/the-lions-house-apartment-lion-4/

Two bedrooms, two bathrooms (important with teens,), a living room for relaxation, and a nice big bright kitchen with large dining table. There is a dedicated lift that will take you directly up to this 4th floor apartment. I especially enjoyed the rooftop terrace; even in late October it was nice up there. The apartment is very close to Rialto Bridge, on a tiny campo named San Lio. The Salizzada San Leo ( street) leads to a nice Coop grocery store, and there is an excellent gelato shop nearby.

I believe this apartment is €200 a night in November, with a 3-night minimum. I encourage you to navigate around the website to see other apartments available for your dates, and ask questions about the various locations. Other people will have different ideas about the best location. But Venice is quite small, so location is not as important as it might be in Rome, for example.

https://www.sancassiano.it/

This hotel has a quadruple room that would work for your family, is moderately priced, and well located. Listed at 224 euros per night in November. Can be set up with one double and two single beds or 4 single beds.

We stayed here last November, and I think it would suit a family of 4 nicely. The description mentions 3 people, but the bed in the "attic" (not really an attic--just a step up from the rest of the apartment) is at least a double and maybe even a queen. https://www.residenzadelosmarin.com/rooms/valentine-suite-2/

They also have another suite:https://www.residenzadelosmarin.com/rooms/sunshine-suite/

The location is fantastic.

We stayed at the Hotel Flora. It was a lovely hotel near St. Mark’s Square. We just did 2 rooms.

In terms of location, the area around Campo Margherita / Campo San Barnaba is good. Campo Margherita is very active, lots of places to eat, a couple pf places doing pizza by the slice. It’s where the student population of Venice hangs out.

Most reasonable places for lodging are near the main train station or near the parking lot across the canal from the station.

hey hey wendy
we stayed in this 2 bedroom apt (la levantina venice), in cannaregio, down from the train station. we absolutely loved it and the area.
cross-pollinate.com
click venice and look at the apartments that are available.
cabadoer-veniceflat.it
look at the family apartment and email them if the 4 of you can stay here. (states 2/3 people), never hurts to ask.
few years back we stayed in the west studio and absolutely loved this place in san toma area, near frari church. the couple that own and operate it are great people, speak english, let us leave luggage since we were early on arrival, small elevator for 2 people. small washer and we hung our clothes where we could.
the golden appartment venice (booking.com)
booking.com
click apartments and see what there is and what suits your fancy and budget.
enjoy your vacation and have fun looking. remember to read fine print, arrival and departure times and if too early is there luggage storage, what floor and if lift/elevator, how many steps/stairs to climb. so many alleyway and deadends with the canals, bridges to cross over, getting lost which we call on an adventure. any questions ask for other things to do on island, been three times and just love it.
aloha