Venice

Hotel Al Piave is a nice hotel, nearly all 5 star reviews on Trip Advisor and had the nicest and most friendly staff we met on our trip to Italy.

I just booked B&B 3C (for Sept 2012) which is near St. Mark's Square. It's in the price range that you mentioned and is highly rated on Trip Advisor. Their web site is: http://www.venice3c.com/?lang=ENG&id_hotel=53&id_offer= Another hotel that I considered was Ai Tagliapietra B&B (http://www.aitagliapietra.com/position-ENG2010.htm). Their rate is less expensive than B&B 3C & the reviews on Trip Advisor are also very favorable. I've seen this B&B suggested on this forum as well. Ai Tagliapietra looks to be basic but very clean and the owner is very helpful.

We are staying a 15 minute boat ride away in Lido at Villa Albertina. Seems o.k. after my review study.
We like our sleep. And ventures seperate.;)

Hi - We booked Hotel Alla Commedia, its a couple of streets from St. Marks and got great reviews on hotels.com. From what I understand, trip advisor lets anyone post reviews on their site, which means that the hotel/restaurant owners or managers can go in there and post favorable reviews on their own establishments.
With hotels.com you can only post a review after you have completed your trip, so I tend to pay closer attention to those.

This past May we stayed at Ca Furlan in the Castello section of Venice. Right around $200 a night. Quiet location about 10 minutes from St Marks. Room was large overlooking a small canal and super clean. Pleasant staff but the breakfast was just okay. We would stay there again.

I was just there about 2 weeks ago on a RS tour and we stayed at Hotel Mercurio. I was really close to St Mark's and roomy for a European hotel. Not sure of the price but was very easy to find from St Mark's-like 5-10 minute walk

we recently stayed 5 nights in the Mori flat, booked through Albergo Doni (find it in Rick's book) and about one minute fr hotel and its free wifi. Flat is not charming or cozy (and you won't mistake it for a 4 star place), but has 2 great things going for it: Location: 2 min from St. Mark's Square and sev. vaporetto stops, overlooks a small canal...and....pretty spacious for the price, which was only 110 euros per night. We rested mid day there and saved lots of money shopping at nearby market and making 2 meals a day in flat, then eating one out. Bathroom and kitchen were okay, plus one HUGE room that is bedroom and sitting area. I think the place could actually sleep 4-6 people. Note: Alb. Doni hotel has English book exchange. Bring one in and you can take one out. Book shelf in lobby. Go to St. Marks square and other major spots very early or late to avoid huge crowds, then wander all the other streets in town from end to end and take fun vaporetto rides. Biggest surprise: Frari church, recommended in RS book but has much more to offer than we expected. 3 euros to get in.
Murano also lovely.

We stayed in June 2011 at the Hotel Fontana which is just a short walk to St. Marks Square and very close to the San Zaccaria water stop. It's a small family run hotel and was clean with comfortable beds, nice breakfasts and a wonderful location.

I stayed this past summer at Hotel Al Piave and enjoyed it. It is 5 minutes to St Mark's and 5 minutes to the Rialto Bridge, great location. Nice breakfast and staff. Would stay again.

We just returned from Venice, and we rented an apartment using FlipKey ... lots of ion in all areas, and lots of ion in that price range. We much prefer the apartment idea over hotel .. more space, more freedom to relax, much quieter. Unless you have walking problems, don't be too quick to insist on being near St. Marks Square. The vaporettos are easy to use and quick. And this is just about the most walkable city anywhere ... completely flat, small ... you can't walk off the island (as the book frequently mentions). Around St. Marks it is extremely crowded, noisy, and expensive. Just a bit off that hub things change completely, and you actually think you are visiting in Venice, instead of a suburb of some US or UK city.

"lots of ion"?

The Helpline editor automatically deletes letter combinations which it perceives as possible commands by malware. That is why some of us purposely spell words in an unusual way, to avoid the purge but keep the meaning. If you delete selekt from selektion (replace "k" with "c") you wind up with ion. OK?

sorry but "near St Marks Square" and "good location" are not compatible

I will second the Hotel Fontana. I think it's just what you're looking for. 5 min away from St. Mark's Square. Clean and quiet. Air conditioning if your going in the summer. We were there June of 09 and did need the air. I still remember the lady who served in the breakfast room. She remembered I liked hot tea for breakfast and after my first morning and would get it for me. She spoke little English and I no Italian but we somehow sublimely communicated with smiles and gestures. I think we may have paid more than $200. a night but there were 4 of us in the room. We took both our daughter to Italy as a college graduation gift. I do remember walking around St Mark's Square late at night with my husband eating gelato and listening to the music. So easy to do as it was so close. Left my daughters at an internet cafe e-mailing there boyfriends back in the states!

Venice is so compact that "near St. Mark's square" would include about 1/3 of Venice, imho. And with your budget you'll have TONS of options. We like Pensione Guerrato, a perennial RS favorite, featured in some of his TV shows. It's near the Rialto and the staff couldn't be more helpful.

I would have to agree with Michael. Access to St. Mark's Square is relative. We, also, stayed at Pensione Guerrato for four nights in September. Very clean rooms, good breakfast and hospitable staff. What more could you ask for?...oh yes, a 10 minute stroll to St. Marks.

Alice, we stayed 25-27 September,2011 at a wonderful hotel that we found through Rick's Venice 2011 guidebook, Locanda Querini. Lovely, comfortable rooms and bathrooms, helpful, friendly staff, great breakfast. We also thoroughly enjoyed sitting out on the little piazza with wine and snacks that we purchased just around the corner. When you say you're looking for a room at $200/night, do you mean the total for a double and do you really mean in US dollars or in Euro?