40.17 San Marco

The canal-facing room was a real pleasure, with a lovely view over the water. It had the charm and furniture I’d expect in Venice, and the directions for finding the place and getting in were excellent. This is called a guesthouse rather than a hotel because it has six rooms and no 24-hour reception. That worked fine, though: someone was there during normal working hours, and a camera lets you speak with someone if you arrive at another time. The location is hard to beat, quiet and right in the center, two minutes from Rialto Bridge (Grand Canal) and four minutes from San Marco square.

A lovely little gem in central Venice, and a beautiful place to spend our first night in Italy. The entry instructions were great, and the room had loads of charm, including upholstered walls. The shower was extremely small and its doors squeaked, but it still did the job.

The large hotel room was beautiful, and the place is quite central and walkable. Getting there was tough with heavy check-in bags: there’s a small bridge with several steps, like many places across Venice, then lots of stairs to the room and no elevator. I don’t know why the city has no ramps over steps for luggage or wheelchair access. There isn’t a 24/7 front desk, and most of the time I saw a computer screen. The wifi wasn’t great, and it kept freezing when I tried to ask questions. I wish I’d known about the direct Alilaguna boat from Rialto to the airport, instead of needing to take a bus. The restaurant suggestions were expensive, so I’d recommend la Fettunta to guests. If rain is expected during your stay, bring high rain boots or similar.

Great location, comfortable beds, and it was easy to get in touch with the staff. All at a very good price.