Lanterna di Marco Polo

It's a quirky old place with plenty of character, and the location is fantastic. Don't expect any luxury, but it worked really well for a one-night stay in Venice, especially since many places require at least two nights. Check-in and check-out were a little odd. Some other guests struggled to reach the host while locked outside, though we had no trouble.

We had to wait outside with our suitcases for over 20 minutes after arriving after 1pm. My partner and I kept calling the contact number before someone finally answered and gave us the front door code, so check-in was a pain. The hotel's location is fabulous, and the rooms are good value. It feels dated, but that gives it some character and charm.

There was no one at reception after 2 pm when I needed help with the unhygienic sheets and blanket in my room. During my one-day trip to Venice, staying here was horrible. The rooms and furniture were very old, and although I asked for a lower floor because I couldn't drag my luggage upstairs, they gave me a room on the 4th floor anyway. There's no 24-hour service. If you want to haul your bags up a narrow staircase and have the worst travel stay, this is the place for you.

The location is really good, but I don't think this deserves 3 stars. Reception is open only five hours a day, and there's no lift. We knew that before booking, but the cramped stairs still made it really hard to carry heavy luggage up to the 3rd floor. The safe was falling apart and unusable, and the air conditioning was poor, took a while to start, and had no remote. Dust was still in the room corners, and the dusty mirror "art" looked awful and unhygienic. There are no mosquito nets on the windows, so mosquitoes get in. The entrance sign says lost keys cost 150€, which is absurd.