Venice 2009

Best and worst accommodations:

Best: Residenza A Tribute to Music Venice
Why: This small hotel was absolutely amazing! it is not on your book but we really think it should be. Rooms are nice, comfortable and clean with large bathrooms. Breakfast was tasty and plentyful, helpful staff...and, oh the view over San Mark's basin!! We spent hours watching outside our windows enjoying a good glass of fresh Prosecco. Martine and Daniel are so gracious...We can't wait to go back! www.atributetomusic.it info@atributetomusic.it

Gwen in jacksonville, FL USA 08/07/2008

Best: Casa Rezzonico
Why: Our room had a beautiful canal view and would have seemed quite large if there weren't 4 of us in it. The back yard has real grass, a rarity in Venice, where we not only had our breakfast but also our lunch purchased from the grocery store nearby. The area was centrally located and wonderfully quiet and uncrowded in the evening.

Anne Rosenfeld in Seattle, WA USA 07/10/2008

Best: Corte Campana in Venice
Why: We just returned from a 2 week trip to Italy. Our last two nights were spent in Venice at the Corte Campana. I cannot begin to describe how wonderful our stay was, but I will try.

We arrived in Venice by train and must admit, were a bit overwhelmed. But, Riccardo, the proprietor of this lovely B&B, gave us excellent directions to his place including which vaporetto bus to take and we found it without any problems.

The B&B is located about 2 blocks from St. Mark's on a quiet street. It is actually Riccardo’s family home and is quite charming and filled with beautiful Venetian furnishings. Three spacious, clean and air-conditioned bedrooms overlook a quiet courtyard. There is also a computer with internet that can be used at any time as well as a small refrigerator in the main living room.

Riccardo immediately made us feel right at home. On our first evening, we were walking outside and trying to decide where we should eat. We ran into Riccardo and he not only recommended a restaurant, but walked us to it and made our reservation for us. He also showed us an excellent place to buy wine. The wine was in barrels and you could get a 1 ½ liter bottle filled with your choice. Riccardo told us his favorite which we chose and it was the best wine we had on our trip! Riccardo also recommended a place to purchase our Murano glass. The quality and prices were great and when we mentioned that Riccardo had sent us, we were given a substantial discount. Riccardo also gave us helpful tips on the best times to see various sites in the city.

If you want a truly Venetian experience, this is the place to stay! We completely enjoyed our stay in Riccardo’s lovely home. Our only regret is that we didn’t stay longer!

Beth in Brooklyn Park, MN USA 07/01/2008

Worst: Hotel Riva
Why: List ed above.quite simply, we were treated unfairly

Lisa in augusta, ga USA 06/22/2008

Worst: Ca' San Trovaso
Why: We were in the "Annex" -- 1st floor; it was clean and comfortable enough but dark and airless. The Guidebook said it had AC (one of our requirements!), but there was none, and so we had to open the window. The mosquitoes were HORRIBLE. We were covered with bites! The staff was not helpful. There is no radio, TV, clock or phone -- very unusual for 2008. This hotel should NOT be recommended. It is way below the quality of any other Rick Steves' recommendation.

Nancy Casey in Olean, NY USA 06/04/2008

Best: Hotel Riva- Venice
Why: Very friendly staff contrary to other reviews. Elena is sweet with great english and 2 other older staff members greet w/ smile and attempt to communicate. Great location and close to Piazza de San Marco. Ask for room #1 for a million dollar view of two canals. The rooms are small, but all you need when you are spending time discovering the streets of Venice. Great cappucinno's and spent time understanding why the breakfast was only bread and jam- as there is no evidence of refrigeration at hotel riva and all items (food, ice etc) is delivered to store fronts via boat or hand truck and very expensive. I would stay again- charming and affordable.

Holly Carpino in Dana Point, ca USA 06/04/2008

Best: Pensione Guerrato in Venice
Why: Beautiful rooms, excellent location, great prices, friendly staff. Can't be beat. It was our second time to stay there, we liked it so much.

Michael in Seattle, WA USA 05/31/2008

Best: Alloggi Barbaria
Why: Very friendly staff, huge rooms (clean). Not far from St Marks square (10 min). It was nice being away from the action as it was in a very quiet location.

Kate Buechler in Winnipeg, MB Canada 05/22/2008

Best: Alloggi Barbaria
Why: My wife and I stayed here for three nights in May. The price was right, the location was in a quiet neighborhood (easily walkable to San Marco) and the room (one of eight)was very comfortable, with the beds pushed together for king-size effect. The bathroom was clean and relatively modern, and there was a small alcove with desk and a chair, and cable TV. Owners Giorgio and Fausto were very helpful in recommending restaurants and suggesting sights to see. The only improvement I would recommend relates to the breakfasts, which consisted of somewhat stale rolls,pre-packaged croissants, and Tang-like orange juice. We would gladly have paid a couple of Euros more for a better breakfast. But we would still recommend this small hotel to any friends.

John and Angela in Hillsdale, NJ USA 05/21/2008

Worst: Riva
Why: Where to begin? Room - dark, no phone, dirty looking towels, bed that felt like a stone with a pillow like a brick, noisy. Staff - unfriendly, unhelpful, would ignore patrons because they were busy talking with their friends. Breakfast - couldn't really consider this a breakfast, it was more like a piece of bread with coffee. Ammenities - none! no public phones anywhere - we were told to go outside and look for the orange phonebooths, no internet connections, had to ask for a map of Venice and was given one with no explanations of where we were located on it. Did not escort us to our room, we were just told to go up the stairs and follow the signs. All in all, this was a bad price/quality hotel and I'm surprised that it is so highly rated in your guidebook.

Paul CA USA 04/26/2008

Worst: Hotel Riva
Why: Very disappointing. Floor was dirty, shutter was falling off the window, and worse of all were the paper thin walls. We were in Room #30 and could clearly hear the conversations of the people in the next room, not to mention every time they went to the bathroom. The breakfast was inadequate. A hard roll and coffee. Hotel staff was not friendly either - totally different than our experiences in other hotels in Italy. Would not recommend this hotel to anyone.

Eileen in Apex, NC USA 04/26/2008

Worst: Hotel Riva
Why: A bit noisy but manageable. By far the worst breakfast. Juice, coffee and all the buns you can eat. We stayed at the Hotel Centrale in Florence and the Hotel Golden in Rome and had a great breakfast at each. Hotel Riva breakfast was very poor.

Kelly Krug in Nanaimo, BC Canada 04/20/2008

Best: Hotel Bisanzio (Nov. 18 - 21, 2007)
Why: Excellent value (we were late enough to get winter rates) with good accommodations, great location and filling breakfast. Front desk was very helpful for dining recommendations (Al Giardinetto was good and we were the only tourists there) and arranging speed boat to the airport which was the only way to go and since we had 6, it was affordable and fast.)

Karen Nagata in Redmond, WA USA 04/17/2008

Best: Venice Hostel
Why: it was cheap, you get to meet people from all over the world, and really how much time do you really spend inside when your in ITALY!!!

Danielle Remillard in Boston , MA USA 04/15/2008

Best: Hotel Al Piave
Why: To us, expensive, but it was worth it because it was immaculate, pleasant, and the staff was friendly and helpful. Breakfast was nice but I don't know why everyone keeps raving about their scrambled eggs, though, on websites like Tripadvisor, because they were very strange indeed and we avoided them after the first try.

Cheryl Moody in Cheshire, CT USA 03/24/2008

Best: Hotel Campiello/apartment
Why: Our family of four spent 3 nights in August 2007 in one of Hotel Campiello's 3 apartments--The Bucintoro. These apts. were new last April, I believe, and ours was lovely. We had a one bedroom and then a sofa bed in the living rm. Each of these areas also had a flat panel t.v. The bathroom had a hydromassaging shower, a huge separate tub, and 2 sinks. The kitchen/dining area was very nice with dishwasher and microwave. The apts. are just a few steps from Hotel Campiello, which is just minutes from San Marco, and very easy to find. This apt. is located at the ground level so there are no stairs, which was a nice change from other places we have stayed in Venice. It is also air cond. and we were very comfortable here. I believe they also have a 2 bedroom apt. that would accommodate 6.

Janet in Maple Grove, MN USA 03/17/2008

Best: Pensione Accademia
Why: Nice room, with a fantastic location in a (slightly) less touristy part of town near a vaporetto stop. The staff were very helpful, and the common areas were quite luxurious, and the views from the rooms are great.

Brian Gulledge in Woodbridge, VA USA 02/11/2008

Best: Hotel al Ponte Mocenigo
Why: We stayed 3 nights 10/31/07 to 11-1-07.Had a wonderful time. The directions to the hotel were perfect as the the tiny Calle della Campanile is easy to miss.The hotel was booked so we stayed in the Annex.Although the room was smaller we had plenty of room for the two of us( we travel light). The room was beuatifully decorated and very clean. The water presure never faltered and ther was lots of hot water. The breakast was a cold breakfast but very hearty... various cererals, fresh fruit, fruit filled croissants, fresh breads, cheeses,jams and butter. Of course there was a coffee bar. The staff was very nice and accomdating. One morning all the tables were full so they set up a table for us in the very large upstairs foyer.The hotel is close to the San Stae vapporetto stop which is very handy. Sandro was very helpful,patient and fun to visit with.He also was great at helping (and solving) us with a confusing transporation issue. It was a nice and quiet hotel in a local neighborhood- just what we were looking for our trip to Venice. Also,Sandro and Walter were very prompt in answering emails prior to arrival in Venice. We would definately stay ther again.

Shirley Creed in Wichita, KS USA 11/24/2007

Best: Corte Campana
Why: Rooms are huge, as are the bathrooms. Great shower. Quiet, but super-close to everything. East to find if you follow Rick's directions and/or the map on the Corte Campana web site. Riccardo is fabulous, cheerful, helpful -- and he speaks good English. I stayed here for 8 nights in October 2007 & LOVED it! Highly recommended -- I'll stay here again!!

Catherine Aster in San Francisco, CA USA 11/04/2007

Best: Locanda Casa Querini
Why: Great location near St. Mark's, but on a quiet square of its own. Staff is very friendly and helpful.

Michael Sherwood in Prescott Valley, AZ USA 10/29/2007

Best:
Why: n/a

Worst: Hotel Gambero
Why: I think they are charging unreasonable rates because of your recommendations. All the people we talked at the hotel to were Rick Steves travlers.First- no elevator, second the desk clerk was between unfriendly and sour, third the rooms are very small, third the breakfast is basically Dole fruit cocktail and rolls, fourth I think they are trading on your recommendation. They, as a 3* charged us 265E per night. While in Venice we checked with two 4* hotels and their rates were 250E. Despite a reservation, they stuck us on the 4th floor, we were told there was a good view, the view was of adjacent dirty tile roofs. A complete disappointment and I felt way overpriced for what we got. After we complainde, the third of three nights they moved us to the 2nd floor.

Mike Williams in Tampa, FL USA 10/18/2007

Best: Alloggi Barbaria
Why: Fausto and Giorgio answered all our questions and breakfast on the terrace was a delight. The room was large and looked out on a quiet groups of neighbors' terraces.

Jim & Megan Taylor in Seattle, WA USA 10/09/2007

Best: La Locanda di Orsaria
Why: Just about 4 minute walk from train station so you don't have to schlep your luggage on crowded vaperettos. Very dark and quiet at night so sleep was easy. It's in Cannaregio district so when you wander, you end up in neighborhoods with locals and their children, not just tourists. Staff was very helpful and gracious, especially the gentleman who managed the breakfast room-breakfast was very good. Have a copy of the International Herald Tribune available to read every morning. Give a 7% discount for cash. No lift for the 3 story building but not very difficult

John & Susan in St Petersburg, FL USA 10/08/2007

Best: Hotel al Cason, Padova (Padua)
Why: Comfortable room, reasonably priced. The people were very friendly. They served a substantial breakfast. The lady attending the desk was fluent in English. She recommended a restaurant a few blocks away that was outstanding and very reasonable. I neglected to record the name and address so I can't pass that on to your readers. They have a PC with Internet connections available to guests without charge. That beats an Internet cafe.

They also sold tickets to the bus tour of Padua that left from the Railroad Station. Open topped double decker bus, with earphones and multi-lingual translation.

Mike Romanov in Northfield, MN USA 10/04/2007

Best: Ca'Dogaressa - not in book, please consider
Why: Located on the Canale di Cannaregio, we were able to walk from the train station with ease AND were treated to breakfast canalside each day. The rooms were beautifully decorated in Venetian style wiht air conditioning and a good sized shower - a real treat! The hotel is seemingly family run, as our host and his wife, his daughter and her 2 or 3 year old son were often on hand at breakfast. Our room was cleaned both days while we were at breakfast, too. It felt a bit like staying with a family. I really enjoyed the warm welcome AND the location was ideal. We were able to be right on a canal without spending a fortune, off the "main" drag so it was quiet, yet we could walk to the train station as a central point and catch a vaporetto (fast or slow) to wherever we wanted. I'd encourage a look at this hotel for inclusion in future travel books.

Tiphanie Benoit in Macomb, MI USA 09/08/2007

Best: Pensione La Calcina
Why: It was very clean and located in a beautiful spot on the Giudecca Canal in Dorsoduro. For a family suite that slept four of us, the price of 240 eur per night was, in Venice, reasonable. Breakfast on the floating dock on the canal was the highlight of each morning.

Doyle Johnson in Medfield, MA USA 08/27/2007

Best: venicerentals.com
Why: Wanted to say thanks for the great tip on using venicerentals.com for finding an apartment to rent in Venice. Just got back from spending a week in Venice. The guide book alone was such a great tool in our visit to the city. Renting an apartment through venicerentals made the trip just perfect. Denise and Julie were great in finding us the perfect apartment and getting us accilmated to the city. Our apartment was perfectly located between Rialto and San Marco. We found ourselves spending the majority of the week coming back and forth between the sites and our apartment for rests as we walked through the streets of Venice. We felt like one of the locals using our campo and local market. Felt safe and secure using a company recommended in the guide book. What a fantastic week!!

Chris Williams in Laurel, MD USA 08/26/2007

Worst: Fondazione Levi, Venice, Italy
Why: Outrageous cancellation policy in poorly worded English, mailed to you after they have your credit card no. They charge you the full length of your stay if you cancel in less than 15 days ahead of your arrival, even at the height of the tourist season, even if you have a medical emergency (as I did)... I booked a 5-day stay for May and tried to cancel full 3 days ahead...

Gabe Kish in Pacific Grove, CA USA 08/24/2007

Worst: Locanda Sturion- Venice
Why: The stairs took all the energy we had left each day to climb. The staff was not helpful at all. They gave us recommendations to a laundry that was no longer still in business and they couldn’t explain to us why our hotel phone wasn’t working. We had to use our cell phones to make restaurant reservations. That was costly! The place was very smelly, hot and dirty. Our room had moth balls everyplace that stunk up the whole room, making it hard to breathe. We had confirmed reservations via phone and email for a room closest to the reception area and overlooking the canal. When we checked in, we were told it was booked in error and the only room available was one more floor up. You can imagine how emotional draining it was to climb all the stairs just to get into the hotel- reception area only to have to climb another floor to get to our room each night.

Christine Morrissey in Campbell, CA USA 08/23/2007

Best: Albergo Guerrato
Why: Very nice and helpful staff, clean room. We shared a hallway bathroom, which was never a problem. The breakfast was good. In a neat area with cheap pizza and gelato stands nearby.

Devin in Olympia, WA USA 08/06/2007

Best: Hotel Orion
Why: Near perfect location on quiet street steps from St. Mark's. Very clean and comfortable rooms. Nice bathrooms with good water pressure and hot water. Air conditioning worked very well. Nice breakfast included. Note: the first morning our server brought us refills and seconds. The second morning a rude woman server limited our selections. Rest of staff was very nice.

Ann Marzano in Wayne, IL United States 07/24/2007

Best: Hotel Domus Cavanis
Why: Basic hotel, clean, a/c and a t.v.. Use of the Belle Arti Hotel breakfast good. Fine location in Dorsoduro

Craig in Salt Lake City, UT USA 07/11/2007

Best: Albergo Guerrato
Why: I can't say enough wonderful things about Roberto and the rest of his staff. They were friendly, helpful and gave great restaurant recommendations. The hotel was clean and very centrally located. It was a bit noisy with the market setup in the morning but still worth it.

Mendy Droke in Bainbridge Island , WA USA 07/05/2007

Worst: Hotel La Residenza
Why: The Asian owners and staff were very unfriendly. They turned off the air-conditioning when THEY thought it was cool enough in your room. We had to complain on a daily basis about it being hot and then they would turn it off in the middle of the night, we would wake up sweating. Breakfasts were served by the same surly older man who ran the front desk, at his pace, and only one helping of whatever he brought you. When we paid in cash, as they requested, the old man counted each bill THREE TIMES and then held EACH one up to the light to examine it, also THREE TIMES! When he gave me my change, I examined IT! FOUR TIMES! They also tried to push the Murano glass tour on us. Very unsatisfactory, please do your readers a favor and get rid of this unpleasant hotel from your book!

Tony Beccaccio in Fairfax, Ca USA 07/02/2007

Best: Locanda Al Leon
Why: The owners are on premise, and so helpful in every way. It is perfectly situated. Though the lobby seems a bit unseemly, the rooms upstairs are roomy, gorgeous, immaculate and air conditioned. The hotel is in a 600 year old house that has been restored.

stephanie c in towson, Md USA 06/29/2007

Best: Alloggi Barberia
Why: Have to agree with everything Megan Murphy, who along with her family, was at the Allogi Barberia at the same time we were last week. It is easy to get to via the vaporetto. The rooms are amazingly large and Spotless and the ac was a bonus in the city heat. Giorgio and Ivana were great. We would definitely stay here again.

Marilyn Nixon in Pittsburgh, PA USA 06/22/2007

Best: Alloggi Barbaria Hotel
Why: This was the absolute best Inn we stayed in during 10 days in Italy. Fausto was as friedly as family, but not intrusive. The rooms are spotless with LARGE showers. excellent AC, low priced well stocked mini bar and comfortable beds. The price was the best of the trip and it is conviently located to the Vaporetto stop. I would not consider staying anywhere else in Venice.

Megan Murphy in Austin, Tx USA 06/20/2007

Worst: Hotel Campiello
Why: Our room was small and dark and the hotel staff was generally unfriendly. Although they did recommend one good restaurant, they also encouraged us to join a "tour" to a Murano glass factory that clearly gave them a kick back - high pressure sales with prices five times that of other stores. All of this left us with a generally bad feeling for Venice. Please advise your readers to be careful of scams in Venice.

Rose Ann Woolpert in Cupertino, CA USA 06/18/2007

Best: the Campiello in Venice
Why: This hotel, although not inexpensive, has everything one could want.It is located right off the SanZacarria boat dock down a small lane or Calle.Very quiet, air-conditioned, a lovely bathroom,a great buffet breakfast, and a computer to check or send emails. People at the desk are helpful,and thereis an elevator. Perfect.

Jane Davis in Lebanon, Oh USA 06/12/2007

Best: Alloggi Barbaria Hotel
Why: This place was one of the hightlights of our Italy trip. After spending time in Rome, Florence and Pisa, we enjoyed our stay at the Alloggi Barbaria. It was easy to get to from the train station and immediately was greeted by Giorgio. Had communicated our stay via the website via Fausto and the e-mails could not have been easier to set up our time in Venice. The hotel was spotless, the rooms had more amenities than the more expensive high-end chains we stayed at in Rome. The mini-bar was such a bargain. After just a couple of night stay at this hotel, I consider these guys friends and wouldn't consider another spot when returning to Venice

Tom Harwell in Orlando, FL USA 05/20/2007

Best: Casa Cosmo in Venice
Why: I booked Casa Cosmo based on the recommentation from your book and would like to thank you. Davide and his father were VERY accomodating and the simple yet confortable room was a nice deal for the GREAT location. Davide also took the time to answer our questions about Venice and also took us outside to point out some interesting things about architecture in Venice. I would definitely stay there again, thanks for the tip!!

Sloane Gibb in Philadelphia, PA USA 05/17/2007

Worst: Locanda la Corte, Venice Italy
Why: The literature from the hotel and "Italy 2007" guidebook states the hotel is air conditioned. The literature also states that all rooms have "air-conditioning (included in the price)." The staff informed us that the air conditioning will not be turned on until June 1st. We stayed in early May without air conditioning in our rooms.

J P in Tampa, FL USA 05/11/2007

Best: Corte Campana B&B in Venice
Why: Riccardo made our stay in Venice especially memorable. His enthusiasm is infectious and he works overtime on being helpful. His restaurant suggestions were great. Add that to a very convenient, quiet location and you have a wonderful place to stay in Venice.

Kitty Kramer in Centennial, CO USA 05/10/2007

Best: Corte Campana - Venice
Why: The B&B rooms were booked, so we took the 1st floor apartment around the block (b-fast not included for apartment, but grocery store near by - easy & interesting to shop/try). Spacious, comfortable for 4 & very quiet, yet only 3 minute walk from San Marco square. Riccardo was fantastic! We had plane, transportation delays - were about 1 hr late, he was waiting in the street/alley for us (& still smiling). He's funny, pleasant, had great sites & dinner recommendations and made reservations for us. Highly recommended!

Ron & Ann Korzun in Clifton Park, NY USA 04/29/2007

Best: Hotel Casa Verardo
Why: Ideal location, very quiet but welcoming to kids. A little canal outside our window, complete with hanging laundry and pigeon eggs on the ledge. Staff was helpful and breakfast good. Rick calls it a bit of a splash out, but it was ideal for a family who needed connected rooms.

Angela in Sammamish, WA USA 04/15/2007

Best: Albergo Guerrato
Why: Roberto and Piero were wonderful hosts to my husband, me and our two boys. We loved Venice, and the hotel was great. The location was terrific and the rooms were clean, comfortable and easily accessible to everything we wanted to do. As a cook, I loved the Rialto market right outside our window.

Maggie Kilpatrick in Saint Paul, MN USA 04/10/2007

Best: Hotel Guerrato
Why: Roberto and Piero couldn't have been nicer to us. Roberto carried our luggage up six flights of stairs and once when we needed directions to a vaporetto stop, he walked us there! The hotel was unique in that it stemmed back to the year 1200 but was very convenient and accomodating.

Nancy Otto in Austin, TX USA 01/24/2007

Worst: Ca' San Trovaso
Why: Communicated by email to inquire and make reservations. They stopped communicating with me as soon as they received my credit card number and expiration date. Repeated emails and faxes went unanswered. Had to call the credit card company to put an alert on the account. Never got an explanation. BE CAREFUL WITH YOUR CREDIT CARD NUMBERS!

Irene Towers in Cardiff by the Sea, CA USA 01/23/2007

Best: Corte Compana B & B
Why: The location was excellent and accomodations very comfortable. Everything I'd read about Riccardo on this site and Tripadvisor was absolutely true. He was a truely kind, wonderful person who was willing to help with anything. He made our dinner reservations and his recommended restaurants were very good. We paid 140 EUR for a quad room with a bath, which seemed like a good value in Venice.

Terry in Bend, OR USA 01/08/2007

Best: Domus Cavanis, Venice
Why: Much to my pleasant surprise, Domus Cavanis responded to my e-mail last year with a rate slightly lower than the rate listed by Rick Steves!

For a budget room, the room was nicer than I expected. It was akin to an oversized dorm room. Our room happened to overlook a lovely garden that seemed to belong to the adjacent school. (Hotel guests were not allowed to enter.) We could easily hear the teacher - speaking Italian, of course - and sometimes the students. Two or three times, we watched a teacher teaching a class right in the garden. Hearing and seeing the classes was pleasant as the lively students seemed to like their teacher and school.

The location of the hotel was terrific! The boat shuttle from the airport left us off right at the end of the hotel’s street, only a few doors from Domus Cavanis.

The Accademia Bridge area is lovely. We were surrounded by the jaw-droppingly gorgeous architecture of Venice.

Worst: Domus Cavanis, Venice
Why: We had a bad experience at Domus Cavanis that colored our view of the hotel. It wasn’t just that a group of teenagers kept us awake one night with their loudness and running up and down stairs and that the hotel desk (which is across the street at the sister hotel) did not answer their phone and that my husband needed to get up and get dressed and go across the street to even let the hotel know about the situation, much less have them address it. It was that when we talked with the hotel staff about this in the morning and further learned that the group would be leaving at 4 A.M. (Yes!) the following morning, the hotel staff was uncooperative about adequately addressing the situation to see that there wouldn’t be a repeat of the night before. One staffperson implied that tour groups were more important than we were. And we believe that he even lied to us about his communication with another staffperson.

It was nice to have the breakfast buffet included with the room. However, you need to go across the street to the sister hotel for it. And, on several mornings, the coldcuts (yes, served with breakfast) smelled like they were going bad.

Larry & Renee in Syracuse,, NY USA 12/31/2006

Worst: Alloggi Henry
Why: We visited during the "off season" (Late November). We were quickly approached at the train station by Lorenzo who showed us a room and offered a decent rate. It was late, so we took it. We failed to see Lorenzo, or anybody for that matter, the entire 2 days we were there, making it very difficult to check out, get info, arrangements for our luggage, etc. Lorenzo gave us a hard time for wanting a clean towel, stating that its the offseason, business is slow, and it costs money to do laundry. After we left, I noticed that US$40 was missing from my wallet which was in my bag. I would pass on this accommodation.....

Anonymous in Chicago, IL USA 12/10/2006

Best: HOtel Campiello
Why: Thomas is willing to chat all hours of day or night and provide any/all information you need. He will go out of his way for you. The hotel is located in a quiet campiello, but so close to everything that it only takes moments to come out of the haven there and into the hustle-and-bustle.

Kiersten in Elia, PA USA 12/07/2006

Worst: Hotel Ovidius was not the worst but over-priced
Why: Tiny, tiny room. Our 229 Euro per night room was miniscule and on a noisy passageway opposite a restaurant dishwashing and garbage disposing activity. It was warm enough to keep our windows open but too noisy to sleep with them open.

Irene Schubert in Alexandria, VA USA 11/10/2006

Worst: Pensione Accademia
Why: My friend and I recently stayed at the Pensione Accademia (1058 Dorsoduro) and paid $819 for 3 nights (Oct 22-24). We were given Room 29 on the third floor (44 steps up). There were two small sleeping areas with tiny beds, a spacious well-equipped bathroom, and a nice living area. However, the room was uncomfortably stuffy and hot (high 70s to 80s) and the air conditioning was inoperable. When we opened the windows to get air, we were bitten by mosquitoes. After the first night, I complained to the manager. I asked for the air conditioning to be turned on in order to cool the room enough to sleep without opening the windows and letting in the mosquitoes. I was told “the air conditioning was off for the season and could not be turned on again."

These miserable conditions continued for the next two nights and as Venice got warmer, the room got hotter. In spite of my repeated requests, the management would not turn on the A/C. When I arrived home, I was seriously sleep-deprived and covered with mosquito bites.

[Editor's Note: The manager of the Pensione Accademia has replied to us via email, noting that the Italian government mandates when hotel A/C must be turned off for the season and they have no control over this law. Unfortunately, Venice experienced warm weather this year after this date had passed.]

Mary Wilson in Grand Rapids, MI USA 11/06/2006

Best: Venice Rentals, Denise and Maurizio
Why: It was centrally located,(Sant'Angelo apt.. in the San Marco sestiere) spotless, great kitchen, 2 bedroom, 2 bath, large living room/dining room , very comfortable. They were wonderful to work with, they were great local hosts, and the apt. was a great value. They left a beautiful house plant and a lovely note thanking us for renting the apt. It was a wonderful place "to relax, sleep, and "chill out" in between activities.

Sharry and Steve Solomon in Las Vegas, NV USA 10/25/2006

Best: Casa Rezzonico
Why: Most beautiful rooms. And it had the biggest bathroom I've seen in Europe with a full size shower! Everything there was fabulous. The location was great. It was a 3 minute walk to the boat stop but it was very quiet.

Tanya Mulholland in 2211 SW 1st Ave #501, OR USA 10/23/2006

Best: Hotel Galleria
Why: We stayed here during our vist to Venice and found it to be an ideal location at a great price. Staff and owners were very helpful and pleasant.

Ian Nicol in Sherwood Park, Al Canada 10/22/2006

Best: Venice Rentals, Venice, Italy
Why: We followed your advice for an apartment rental rather than the usual hotel option.

Steven Weinreich in St Louis, MO USA 10/22/2006

Best: Albergo Doni
Why: We chose the Albergo Doni based on Rick's recommendation in the guidebook. Nikos, the desk clerk and grandson of the founder, was extremely helpful both before our stay (thru e-mail contact) and while we were there. It is on a quiet canal and the only sound he heard in the afternoon was the singing from the gondollas - we loved it!

Robert in Annandale, VA United States 10/16/2006

Best: Venice Rentals- venicerentals.com- Grand Canal Palace
Why: Excellent service by Venice Rentals and very good value. This home was incredible and absolutely breathtaking! It must have been over 5,000 sq. feet and sat directly on the Grand Canal. We had a party of 8 and enjoyed it thoroughly for 2 full weeks. I believe our price depended on number of nights and number of people, we felt we got a very good deal. We priced out the Gritti and Bauer and Danielli hotels prior, which would have been more than 5 times the price (for half the charm). No problems whatsoever with the electricity nor machines as noted here on this board. We were told the washer had just been replaced apparently it was "too old and confusing to use" they told me, the dryer was brand new and worked great. As for the dishwasher, had no problems as someone stated here on this board, although a bit older, worked just fine. We were told not to run both a.c. units with the washer and dryer at the same time (which we didn't do), therefore, didn't have any problems. You must appreciate that these palazzi homes are very old and often are not updated with modern conveniences as in the U.S. such as an unlimited supply of electricity. Italians are very conservative and don't usually turn on every light and appliance just out of habit. I can imagine that some clients might do just that and end up with power outages. We loved our place and time we spent there and can't say enough about it. Can't wait to return, we've rented it again for one month next autumn for our anniversary!

Rachel Felding in Monterey , CA USA 09/16/2006

Worst: Hotel Astoria
Why: Being difficult to find is not the least of the problems with this hotel. We have stayed in several accomodations recommended by your guidebooks during the last 10 years and feel that this one is not up to your usual standards. The rooms are small. The hotel itself is not very well kept. At the very least it should be noted in the guidebook that there is no elevator and all of the room are two or three flights of stairs up from the lobby.

Judy Peterson in Anchorage, AK USA 08/31/2006

Worst: Hotel Casa Arte
Why: Our room was small, the price seemed high (relative to the room we got), the air conditioning didn't really work, and the room phone didn't work at all. Although the staff was friendly and Venice was wonderful, and the hotel's location was convenient, Hotel Casa Arte was a disappointment.

Howard in Bernardsville, NJ USA 08/27/2006

Best: Alloggi Barbaria
Why: We found our stay at Alloggi Barbaria to be quite nice. The room was cheery and immaculate. It was nice having a mini bar in the room to store our left over pizza! The prices from the minibar are cheaper than buying from a bar! We enjoyed being able to speak English with Fausto and our beginning Italian with Giorgio! It is an easy walk from the boat dock with a grocery store close by. Don't be deceived by the outside appearance! Eating your breakfast on the balcony is a true pleasure!

Suzanne Alotta in San Diego, Ca USA 08/14/2006

Best: Alloggi Barbaria
Why: We (3 women) found this small 6 room hotel to be clean, comfortable and very friendly for our 7 night visit in Venice. It is in a very quiet residential neighborhood just a short walk from the Oespedale vaporetto stop and a small modern supermarket. Although it is on a narrow alley, we felt quite safe walking home at night. It is about a 15 min walk from St Mark's Square, but we quickly learned to find our way around and enjoyed stopping at the small shops and restaurants along the way. Fausto (who is there every afternoon and speaks excellent English) helped us with restaurant and concert reservations and Giorgio made sure we arrived home safely and gave us some very good sightseeing tips. I do recommend this hotel for budget travelers, particularly those want to get away from the noise and the crowds of the cental tourist areas.

Betsy Young in Palo Alto, CA USA 08/08/2006

Best: Casa Arte
Why: Good location at the Academia Bridge vaporetto stop and easy walking distance to St. Mark's Square. However, be aware that the hotel does have another buidling nearby and that was where we ended up for our accomodations. The building was clean and quiet with breakfast provided there each morning by a cheerful lady.

T. Koons in Forest, VA USA 07/22/2006

Best: Hotel Santa Lucia
Why: I don't think this is in the book, but it is a wonderful, clean, friendly one-star hotel near the train station. Very affordable and charming.

Summer Trentin in Cedar Rapids, IA USA 07/16/2006

Best: Venice Rentals' Palazzo Fontana on the Grand Canal
Why: Lovely location, huge spaces, very old.

Worst: Venice Rentals' Palazzo Fontana on the Grand Canal
Why: At the price of USD $4915. a week, we expected the washer, dryer and dishwasher to work without problems. We had to call for instructions to make the washer spin, the dryer caused all the electricity in the house to go off, the dishwasher did not work effectively so we had to wash every dish, pan and piece of cutlery from the cupboards before it was used and re-wash by hand.

Francine Lucey in Venice, CA USA 07/11/2006

Best: Hotel Abbazia (www.abbaziahotel.com)
Why: This is a wonderful hotel in a beautiful old monastery. The rooms are nicely appointed with comfortable beds and a/c. Every morning breakfast is served out in the courtyard - a great way to start the morning. Best of all, the hotel is in a great location. Close to the train station, but very quiet. The water taxi on the Grand Canal is one block away. It was so nice to stay at this convenient location but off the beaten path and in a quiet neighborhood. Highly reommended!

D. Pedde in St. Paul, MN USA 07/06/2006

Worst: Hotel Astoria
Why: We booked three rooms for three nights. After we six finally found the hotel, we all were shown 3 rooms up three flights of stairs. One room looked as if it had been broken into and you couldn't lock the door so we complained and were shown another room up more stairs. That room's shutters were hanging off the window, so you could not close them, thus no privacy. We left out suitcases in the rooms and decided to look for other accommodations. We had trouble locking one of the other rooms as well. The rooms were very basic and not too well kept up. Now we are disputing the charge of the three rooms for one night. I think this hotel should be taken off the recommended list.

Karin Hoffman in Incline Village, NV USA 06/29/2006

Best: Albergo Marin - Venice
Why: Friendly staff. Affordable and clean. Good location, very near Piazzale Roma and Santa Lucia train station.

AC in Los Angeles, CA USA 06/28/2006

Best: hotel campiello
Why: nice staff;good breakfast;clean modern bathrooms; excellent location

andrew forster in CORAL GABLES, Fl USA 06/28/2006

Worst: Hotel Astoria
Why: Room was dirty, bathroom was moldy. Room smelled so bad we had to keep the windows wide open all night and rig the sheer curtains as mosquito netting. We were informed after the first night that we would have to change rooms so we packed everything up, dragged it all down two flights of stairs and stored it in an unlocked closet in the lobby all day only to be returned to the same room that night without so much as an offer to help us get our luggage back upstairs. The staff could not speak English (I'm not sure they could speak Italian) and when I asked for directions to a laundromat the girl at the desk told me she had no idea because she didn't live around there. Breakfast was abysmal. Would not stay there again.

K. Proft in Pleasantville, NY USA 06/19/2006

Worst: Ca' San Trovaso
Why: There were 3 of us traveling and we reserved a single and a double. The single room had no towels and a light bulb was burned out when we first arrived. These were both corrected easily enough, but the blonde lady working the desk at night seemed indifferent and almost irritated when we asked her anything. However, the major issue that came up during our stay was the fact that our travel alarm clock had broken while traveling through Italy. This previously hadn't been a problem for us because the other traveler (staying in the single room) still had one and was able to call us each morning to wake us up. But this hotel didn't have phones in the rooms so we weren't able to get a wake-up call, either from our companion or from the hotel. Furthermore, the double room we were staying in was actually in a different building from our companion in the single room - a smaller annex-type building across from the main hotel.

This was alright until the last day we had to be up very early to make our flight home. We asked the blonde lady if she had an alarm clock we could borrow - she had one, but the battery was dead and she didn't have a replacement. She was extremely rude and uncaring about our situation, claiming the hotel "wasn't a 5-star hotel." We weren't expecting - or asking for - 5-star service. An alarm clock was a basic need for us and we were shocked at how irritated and inconvenienced she seemed with our situation. She told us sarcastically she 'might' be able to come knock on our door when we needed to wake up - but also made it clear she was very busy and might not have time. She seemed very indignant and put-out . . . I understand we weren't staying at "a 5-star hotel" - we didn't want to stay at a 5-star hotel. I didn't think we were asking for anything unreasonable given we had to be at the airport pretty early to make our flight. Not what I call good customer service. At all.

Bill in Dallas, TX USA 06/15/2006

Best: Pensione Guerrato
Why: The location was terrific. We were within an easy walk to everywhere and Piero was a lot of help with restaurants, directions and suggestions!

BARB HOUSEWORTH in ST. LOUIS, MO USA 06/14/2006

Best: Pensione Guerratino
Why: We and our friends had two rooms on the top (4th) floor. It is a bit of a hike up but after a week in Tuscan hill towns we were ready for it. The rooms were large, clean and well furnished. A wonderful breakfast was served at 8 AM just outside the roome to 4th floor guests. We sat around a large table and shared tales of yesterday and plans for today. Breakfast is also available at 7 AM off the lobby. This is a great location, just a few minutes from the Rialto Bridge. A large daily vegetable and fish market next to the Grand Canal is just steps away. What a sight. The view from our window was arcoss the rooftops to the Bell tower at St. Marks. Roberto and Piero could not have been more friendly and helpful. We highly recommend this place and will go again when we return.

Dave MA USA 05/28/2006

Best: Hotel Ai Do Mori
Why: We were in Venice, in this wonferful Hotel, just in these days.We really have to thank Antonella, the manager, and all he staff. There was a bad strike and she gently organized for us the way to get into the city. They all are very professional and especially very very nice to all the guests. We really recommend Hotel Ai Do Mori also for the lovely and clean rooms, for its lovely location but even more for its staff.

Natalia USA 05/24/2006

Best: Corte Campana B&B
Why: Riccardo, great guy... After our long drive from London with our kids, he met us at 2:30 AM to help us navigate to the apartment. He was very helpfull with suggestions and really made our trip much more pleasant. Great location, minutes from everything and a very good deal by Venetian standards. Jack

Jack Barnett in London, UK 04/26/2006

Best: Hotel Galleria
Why: We stayed here in January of 2006. We were able to find The Hotel walking in from the Parking Lot where Ryan Air Dropped us off using your map! (And did not take the expensive Taxi Ride for 45 Euro that we figured was too expensive) The Hotel is very centrally located. The Staff was amazing as my Husband and I both got Food Poisoning while we were here and the staff arranged for a late check out for us and were Fabulous.

KDHJ in San Francisco, CA USA 04/20/2006

Best: Locanda Correr
Why: The rooms are authentic Venetian, the walls are covered with damask fabric similar to the Doge's Palace. The ceilings have wooden beams, and rooms have beautiful handpainted white and gold furniture. The bathroom's are throughly modern, complete with towel warmer. Roberto helped us fine affordable, Ventian style restaurants. A truly amazing accommodation so close to St. Mark's,very quiet,quaint-only five rooms,inexpensive, and spectacularly beautiful! I hope to stay here again. The kids loved their room- a loft! Hard to find at first, so print their directions!

Cheryl Handte in Boalsburg, PA USA 04/09/2006

Best: Hotel D'arte
Why: We called in the morning for a place for five (two adults, three children) when we arrived they took us to a nice, and affordable, two-bedroom apartment where we stayed comfortably.

Brad Benson in Spokane, WA USA 03/28/2006

Best: Hotel Ai do Mori
Why: Rick recommended this wonderful place in pre-2006 Venice guides, but not 2006. Don't know why. We LOVED this place. Nice accomodations, friendly staff, good price, and the perfect location (a block from San Marco, with shops and restaurants all around). The only drawback was climbing 4 flights of steep steps. Old or out-of-shape travelers should find someplace else.

Allen Nyhuis in Indianapolis, IN USA 03/27/2006

Best: Pensione Accademia
Why: Perfect location - we could go up or down the Grand Canal with equal ease and had an easy, fun walk to San Marco. We had a beautiful view of the Grand Canal from our elegant room. I barely mentioned Rick Steve's 2006 Venice travel guide and we were quickly assured we would receive our 10% discount. The price was right for us - we had a fabulous trip, Thanks to you!

Jane Aker in Santa Fe, NM USA 03/27/2006