LESS EXSPENSIVE LODGING IN VENICE AND FLORENCE
 

i will be traveling to Bologna in May and have a place to stay, but will be taking side trips to other places and I am wondering if anyone knows of cheaper, but clean and safe places to stay in venice and florence, someplace that speaks english and is more homey than a hotel.... thanks

Try the Villa Albertina at Venice Lido---great little B&B. In Florence, lots of options but the
Casci is good value. I think both have web sites.
Do a search and you will find either or both.

We just booked hotels in Florence and Venice through "Small Italian Hotels". "Less expensive" is a relative term. These two were 2 star for less than $125 & $140 a night for a double with bathroom and breakfast. Web site for above: www.travel-italy.com They are located in Missouri.
I can't yet vouch for what these hotels will be like but hope I helped.

You might want tocheckout Frommer's 98 Europe from $50 a day. They list many hotels in a variety of European cities - even in Venice, they have hotels with private bath to choose from for under $100. In some other cities they list hotels as low as $30!!

I've booked my hotel in Venice (about $85). It's the Hotel Galleria on the Grand Canal at the Accademia bridge. Check out the Frommer's budget book and Rick Steve's book.

We stayed last month in Florence at the Morandi alla Crocetti, a converted convent - 9 rooms, English-speaking, very comfortable accomodations in the university area about 5 or 6 blocks north of the Duomo. Our room was about $106 US per night. It's in most of the major guide books. Highly recommend it.

I can vouch for the Hotel Galleria in Venice--great location, and clean, with bath and breakfast for L140,000. In Florence try the Hotel Il Perseo it is about two or three blocks from the Duomo. We loved it. Room with bath and a great breakfast was L120,000. At both hotels English is spoken. The owners in Florence are Australian. Prices given were summer '97.

When you come out of the railway station in Venice, you walk down a set of steps onto a boat landing. But if you cross a little bridge, you will soon notice a sign set into the pavement in mosaic tile: to Hotel Basilea. Walk only a few dozen yards and you are there. It's a small place, attracts travelers from all over (especially from Britain when we were there...twice), and is everything you ever dreamed of. Intimate, clean, no noisier than any other canal hotel, and in a great location. I haven't a clue what they charge today. Italy has become so expensive compared with, say, 10 years ago. But what hasn't? In Florence, we stayed in a little hotel run by a family only a couple blocks from the Piazza Signoria and the Palace of the Borgias, called Pensione Gioia (the jewel). It was clean, quiet (it's in the middle of a block, with buildings all 'round). Back then, nobody could speak English, but we got along OK. They put us onto the Basilea in Venice (cousins, we suspected), phoned ahead, and we lived happily ever after. We got Pensione Gioia's name and address out of Frommer, I recall. Good luck!

Wayne,

The directions for Hotel Galleria are off the vaporetto stop and to the left. On the map I have, it shows the Accademia straight ahead and Palazzo Brandolin Rota on the left. Is it in that building or is my Frommer's book map not detailed enough. Did you have a room with a canal view? How was the noise level? Do you have any special retaurants you enjoyed while there you could recommend? I'd appreciate your suggestions. Thanks!

Venice - Casa Verardo, Castello 4765, phone 041/5386127. Wonderful little family run place right on the canal, nice-sized rooms. 150,000 lira for huge and beautifully decorated room # 1. I believe there are cheaper rooms available also. English-speaking.
Florence - Albergo Centralea, V. d. Conti 3, 2nd floor. 055/21-57-61. Spacious and nicely decorated rooms, comfortable, welcoming staff, good and plentiful breakfast included (as in Casa Verardo mentioned above), in an old palazzo. 130,00 lira. Super close to duomo, easy walking distance from train station.

It's been a while since I was in Florence, but my friend and I stayed in this terrific pensione very near the Florence train station - it's on Via Fiume and it is called Hotel Desiree. Very homey and not "hotel-like" at all - beautifully furnished with high ceilings. I don't know what the price is now, but 15 years ago, when I was student, it was very affordable.

If you want a fantastic place 15 minutes far from the city-centre, very good and cheap for Florence,
I suggest you Hotel Villa Natalia. Web-site: www.firenze.net/villa.natalia/descri.html
Have a nice holiday!! Ciao, Steve. Italy.