I just joined the Fodors.com message boards on Italy travel. We are planning on spending 3 days in Florence, 2 days in Venice and 3 in Rome. Can any one suggest good accomodation in the above three cities (approx $100 per night) close to train stations and close to all major attractions.

We are also planning on travelling between the three cities by train. Does anyone know if we can get a train pass valid for 3-4 days. I have heard euro rail has such passes.

La Residenza in Venice is an ancient palazzo converted into a hotel. It's on a lovely little piazza not far from San Marco & Grand Canal but truly quiet! My husband and I stayed there a couple of years ago and loved it.

The website venere.com is a good place to "shop" for hotels. You can type in your travel dates & find out what's available (& prices). $100/night will probably buy a 1-2* hotel. Also make sure to look at pensiones and B&Bs(listed separately on that site). Staying in convents & monasteries is another option for keeping accomodation costs down. You should have a look at the Fdoors hotel section here as well.

As a practical matter you can't be near all major attractions AND the train station.

I'm not well versed in train travel so I'll let others help you there.

As a new poster you should be aware you can access previous posts that will have info for you by typing subjects in the text search box above. For example, if you post Rome AND inexpensive hotels you'll get previous threads thta discuss this subject. WELCOME aboard.

Sorry for the typos.quot;> I meant if you TYPE Rome AND ...in the text search box. Look at FODORS hotel section.

Running a search on this forum can be challenging as information isn't as organized as many would like it to be. Because I've been a reader of this message board for way too long, I'll guide you to a few threads that can answer your queries.

Let's start with the train travel. I've travelled on those routes and unless things have changed dramatically, it's best to buy point-to-point rather than purchasing a pass (in Italy, I think's there's a Flexi-Pass). You will want to travel on the Eurostar trains for these routes and a comprehensive thread on this topic is: Eurostar Italia -- just click here > http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34419647

Here?s a few possibilities in Florence; they?ve been mentioned on this forum and are considered to be in the inexpensive range, but I?m not current on exactly what the prices are.
Hotel Adam
Hotel Casci > (www.hotelcasci.com)
Albergo Pensione Centrale
Hotel Giada
Hotel Mario

For a few other threads, check out:

REALLY inexpensive hotels in Florence
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...mp;tid=1332963

Decent hotels in Rome, Florence, Venice
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34420389

Did anybody stay in a good quality&cheep hotel/B&B in Rome clost to a subway/train station?
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34422197

And should your next question be suggestions on inexpensive restaurants, then ?. >>>
Little Wonder Restaurants of Florence & Venice
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34412926

One other suggestion -- run a search using the words "trip report" AND "Florence" OR a search with "just back" AND "Venice" -- this will pull up recent postings of which people recap their travels; some writers share elaborate detailed reports and you can extract alot of good information from their good/bad experiences.

In Venice, you aren't terribly far from the major attractions no matter where you are in the historic city. But if you are near the train station, you are about as far as you can get from the major attractions and still be on the main island(s).

Rome: Pensione Panda, a couple of blocks from the Piazza Spagna, less than 100 euro. I stayed in a single with the bath next door at Pensione Paradiso at the Levanto Metro stop last spring for 32 euro a night. You can access the latter through Panda. Panda has a website.

Florence: Hotel Casci, a couple of blocks from the train station and the Duomo. Around 100 euro for a double with bath. They have a website.

Venice: Hotel Galleria at the foot of the Accademia bridge. About 100 euro andd right at the stop of vaporetto #1 and #82. They have a website.

I wouldn't fool around with rail passes. I buy my tickets from the automatic machines in the stations. Eurostars are best and first class isn't much more than second.

Its all fun. Ciao.

Hi,
I don't think you want to buy a railpass. ES* ist cl ticket Rome/Florence is 43E, Florence/Venice is 39E. 4 day FlexiPass 1 cl is $203.

see www.trenitalia.com for train schedules and prices. see http://www.eurorailways.com/rail/scp/italy.htm for flexipass.

.
VENICE: Hotel Bernardi-Semenzato
Can find comments about this hotel on this forum and also on the Trip Advisor (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...ce_Veneto.html)

yesterday someone said he/she did a google search on the Hotel Bernardi-Semenzato and found "mixed reviews."
just fyi

Here's another vote for Hotel Galleria in Venice...we stayed there for two nights in May and paid 95 Euro a night...it was gret! Very convenient and close to everything.