Hotels in Venice

With the accent heavily on tourism where Venice is concerned, in fact almost totally, it is logical that there are simply hundreds if not thousands of accommodations of all shapes, sizes, qualities and descriptions, what with three million visitors per year on average.

All Venice’ six sestieri (neighbourhoods) have hotels, B&B’s and lodgings of all kinds of course, and there is no guarantee that a pricey flash hotel in one of the tourist hot-spots will prove to be money well spent any more than a cheaper alternative in one of the other districts of the city. There are undoubtedly some luxurious abodes which cater for the well-heeled and rich and famous, set in prime locations, but there are also many gems to be found in the city which prove good value for many and are sound bases from which to explore the city.

The grandest establishments are centred around the San Marco area unsurprisingly but areas on the other side of the Grand Canal such as San Polo, Santa Croce and Dorsoduro have many places full of charm and comfort. It’s a more residential side to the city but slightly further away from the crowds and a good bet during high season.

Remember, Venice is relatively easy to get around so anywhere in Venice is unlikely to be too much trouble to get around and it’s a pleasure to make your way to where you want to go by taking in the sights and sounds on foot or by boat in any event.

Venetian accommodation has a reputation for being more expensive generally than its counterparts elsewhere in Italy and to class anything as a bargain is perhaps slightly ironic. This may be due in part to the city selling itself on its name and reputation alone but also probably due to high costs with all deliveries and goods requiring to arrive by boat thanks to Venice’ uniqueness.

If you are looking for a comparative ‘bargain’ still, Lido island or even Mestre on the mainland are close enough to enjoy a decent standard of hotel for something less than a lodging in the city, with easy access nonetheless.

Did you Know?!?

Hotel Cipriani in Venice is easily one of the world’s most exclusive and expensive hotels. Situated on Guidecca Island, just a short boat ride from St Mark’s, it didn’t quite make it into Forbes magazine’s most expensive hotel list in 2005, but would have done had meals and other costs been factored in.