Help! Looking for hotel advice for Venice!
 

Hi everyone-<BR>We will be staying in Venice for 2 nights in September and I am looking for any advice or reviews of Venice hotels - approx $200 or under a night. So far, I have found availability at Hotel Giorgione and at Hotel Wildner. Has anybody ever stayed at these establishments? I appreciate any input. Thanks.

We stayed at the Hotel Locanda Sturion two weeks ago. It's a few yards from the Rialto bridge, with a breakfast room overlooking the Grand Canal. We paid extra for one of their two rooms with Grand Canal views. Lovely, but everyone can enjoy the breakfast room anyway. Nice rooms, with walls covered in red brocade and Murano glass chandeliers. Great bathrooms for Italy. Friendly staff. Only BUT: three stories up a steep marble stairway to reach the hotel (no elevator). If you are fit enough to deal with this, it's a great choice in your price range.

Thanks for the rec on Locanda Sturion; unfortunately, they have no availability for our dates. Any other suggestions?<BR>Thanks, Adriana

I haven't stayed there but I have this info on the Giorgione in my Venice file;<BR>the first comment comes from this forum:<BR><BR> January 2001 Cannaregio 4587, Campo dei Santi Apostoli "I stayed at the Hotel Giorgione during my 1999 trip to Venice. Although not as centrally located as other hotels (it's in the Cannaregio district and not San Marco). It is quiet at night, and within easy walking distance of the Ca d'Oro vaporetto stop and the Rialto bridge. Since it is not right next to San Marco or the Grand Canal the area seemed more residential, and I felt as if I was one of the locals while staying there. I had a room for a single person, and it was rather small with an attached small bathroom. However, it was clean Giorgione and the bathroom was fairly modern. The other great thing about the Giorgione is that the hotel breakfast buffet was fantastic. They had all kinds of fresh fruits, breads, pastries, juices, jellies, coffee, cold cuts (ham, salami, mortadella), and even scrambled eggs. I usually filled up so much at breakfast, that I could skip lunch and eat an early dinner. I highly recommend the Giorgione, and would stay there again."<BR><BR>From Conde Nast Traveler, Feb 2001 "The Giorgione emphasizes comfort and quality. Reproduction antiques. No restaurant but the Tratorria di Bepi is about 20 yards away, very good food. The Giorgione does have an elegant bar and a patio. Excellent breakfast spread. It has an elevator, neighborhood is outside of the tourist zone, behind Campo Santi Apostoli." Hotel (a 3-star) was also praised in my (1996)edition of the reliable book<BR>Cheap Sleeps in Italy.<BR><BR>The Wildner is a 2-star and the above book says outstanding location and views. "dated" decor (if that's still true) but "clean and livable". No mention of an elevator or a/c.<BR><BR>There may be more comments on both hotels on this forum (do a search on them) and also look in the Rants and Raves section of this website<BR>

Just got back from Venice where we stayed at the Pensione Bucintoro, for exactly $150/night (room #16). The rooms were very plain and simple, but every room has a view and it is located at the end of the Riva dei Schiavoni, away from the hordes that spill out of San Marco. It's about a 15 minute walk to the square. It's right next to the Arsenal vaporetto stop, and convenient to the the little Castello neighborhood off the Via Garibaldi, where you can see how Venetians really live. One thing about having a view... it's like sleeping next to a noisy boulevard. If you like it quiet early in the morning, stay away from this location and move farther back from the Grand Canal. Also be aware, they take only cash and there's no elevator (they have 6 floors).<BR><BR>Here's the hotel info (from TimeOut):Castello 2135, Riva San Biagio (041 522 3240/fax 041 523 5224). Vaporetto Arsenale. Closed Dec &amp; Jan. Rates single L140,000; double L200,000-L250,000. No credit cards. Hotel services Bar. Fax. Garden. Multi-lingual staff. Non-smoking rooms. Safe. Theatre reservations. Room services Hairdryer. Room service (15-hour). Telephone. I sent them a fax to which they promptly replied. <BR><BR>

Locando Leon Bianco is on the Grand Canal and quite affordable. check out www.leonbianco.it also if you do a search on this forum, you'll find many favorable reviews.