What are the best moderate to very nice hotels to stay at in Venice and Rome in May?

Rome, Teatro di Pompeo, near Campo Fiori, about 150e per night. Great location, staff. It is air conditioned.

Anthony

www.lacalcina.com for Venice

What do you consider moderate?

In Rome, Santa Chiara is a very nice, and very well-located 3*. In Venice, the Flora, als a 3* is charming.

Moderate = 150 - 200e per night

Assuming your screenname indicated this is a honeymoon trip. Locanda Orseolo gets raves in Venice. Look on tripadvisor.com

My other thought is to go for a room with a balcony. There are 2 mentioned in this thread at the Hotel Rialto

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34670551

and some others mentioned here at the Hotel American

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34677376

There are many previous posts here on honeymoon hotels/room in those cities. Try a text search for

honeymoon AND rome hotel

just got back. Stayed at HOtel Santa Maria. read my trip report for more details, price and pictures.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34712930

Also read reviews at tripadvisor.com

Definitely Locanda Orseolo in Venice!

In Rome, the Hotel San Carlo.

BC

In my opinion, the area around Campo Fiori is not exactly desirable. I would not choose to stay in that part of town. We've done Rome both ways - high end hotel and moderate. The moderate was the Hotel Regno on Via di Corso. It is so centrally located near "all" of the sites. The price is in the $200 - $300 range. You also asked for very nice hotels. The nicest we've stayed at in Rome was the Excelsior on Via Veneto. A bit more of a walk to the sites (pretty close to Spanish Steps), but it didn't knock our socks off or make me feel like the $500/nite was all that worth it.