Antica Locanda Sturion Hotel

Breakfast overlooking the Grand Canal was a lovely start to the day, and there are plenty of boats nearby for getting around Venice. The hotel is beside the Renata Bridge, with lots of restaurants around it. We skipped the obvious tourist spots because they can be expensive, but found some excellent, fairly priced places just a short walk away. Our room was roomy, clean, and comfortable, and the staff were always kind and ready to help us navigate the city. Great value and a really good base. We'd choose it again.

We had such a nice stay here in October. The location is hard to beat, and the staff were friendly and helpful. Our room was clean and the bed comfortable. Breakfast came with gorgeous views and was delicious. They also had umbrellas we could borrow, which came in handy on rainy days.

The rooms are compact, but work well and are beautifully decorated, and the bed was really comfortable. The location is great. Just be aware that reception is three floors up, so hauling big, heavy suitcases there isn't ideal.

The view of the Grand Canal is striking, and you can see Rialto Bridge if you lean out a bit. But rooms #1 and #2, the Junior Suites with Grand Canal View, sit right beside the breakfast area, with tables just outside the bedroom doors. Room #3 is roughly six feet from reception and the front door. Guests have to leave their old-fashioned metal key there when they go out and collect it again when they return, so there can be people talking there at any hour. The staff seem to try to keep the noise down, but clattering dishes and glasses and loud breakfast conversations are hard to avoid. Breakfast runs from 8am to 10am, so if you want to sleep later or eat elsewhere, a cheaper room or another place to stay may suit you better. We found a brownish red stain on one towel. Another time, with the windows open, a gust sent a lot of dust bunnies from the top of the tall dresser across the room onto us and the beds. That left us with concerns about general cleanliness. The shower is also awkward: the fixed head is about five feet high, the big tub faucet sticks out perpendicular to it, and it's easy to step on the drain and close it. It feels cramped if you're average height. One small plus, they can provide a clothing steamer on request, though there's no iron. We also found it odd that the Venice city tax, 3.50 EUR per guest per night, has to be paid in cash on arrival, even though I understand it's standard for all lodging. Why not include it in the booking fees?