Casa Banon

A good-value spot for a night or two. The mattress was comfortable, everything was clean, and the place was quiet thanks to the car-free city. You can leave the €4 city tax in cash in your room, which was convenient. There’s a fridge, kettle, tea, and air con in the room, plus soap and shampoo in the tiny, somewhat worn bathroom. The rooms are small but still comfortable. It’s a narrow building on one of Venice’s famous narrow streets, just behind San Marco plaza, and the location is handy for a reasonable price. Inside, the decor has an old-fashioned Venetian feel, including fabric wallpaper on the staircase. Communication through WhatsApp or booking was easy, and self check-in suited us.

We had a lot of things in our room: a big bed, clean shower and toilet, towels, hair dryer, electric mosquito swatter, fridge, small table, kettle, two little cups, two glasses, and plenty of tea and sugar. There was also a balcony and a lovely view from the window, across to the other side of Palazzo Ducale. It was on the 4th floor, but that was fine for us, and San Marco is very close. The price was really good for what we got. I’d seen plenty of bad reviews, but nearly everything was very nice for us. The trouble was the mosquitos. On the first night, the noise and bites made it hard to sleep. The next night we shut the door and windows and used the electric swatter.

The location, right by st Marco, gets one star from me. The room was dirty, there was no service, and it was so cramped you could barely move. The lighting was very dim, and there was no bathroom mirror. There’s no lift, just a narrow little staircase. Anyone with a disability should be aware.

The room was unbearably hot, and the air conditioning was noisy enough that I couldn't leave it on overnight. Ants were crawling across the floor, and the place didn't feel safe. There were coffee stains all over the walls and beds, plus a lot of mould in the bathroom. We only booked one night and couldn't manage to stay comfortably. Mosquitos flew around and bit us all night. I woke up with at least 10 bites all over my body, and we wanted to get out as soon as morning came. If you want a good night's sleep, please don't stay here.