Hi to all:

I need some help in planning my wife's 40th B-Day. After much research on this website, I've narrowed down the two cities that I want to take my wife to see: Rome and Venice. Airline miles can get us over and back. I want to find nice and inexpensive places to stay in Rome and Venice. We're looking to fly to Rome during the 2nd week of May 2009 and stay roughly 2-3 days in Venice and 3-4 days in Rome. We'll fly to Rome and go immediately to Venice and then come back to Rome to round out the trip.

Any ideas on romantic and inexpensive places that I should look at? Is $200 per night about right for decent places? I want to stay away from the Marriotts so we can enjoy the true culture of Italy.

Thanks,

CharlotteJoe

Al Campaniel
www.alcampaniel.com
Campo San Tomà, 2889
30125 Venezia (Veneto), Italy
+39 041 275 0749

just 5 min off San Toma Stop, is a simple B&B remodeled. 72e per night for double this past September. Not fancy, just simple and very very clean. Contact above Marco runs the place. Cash only.

Unless you have to fly into Rome (for FF miles or something), flying into Venice Marco Polo and then out of Rome is very easy.

charlottejoe,

Your lucky wife! This is a very short trip, so if you can fly in to Venice and out of Rome, you will save quite a few hours of train time.

I would go for the 3 nts Venice and 4 Rome, especially if most of your first day in Italy is travel to Venice.

You might look at Hotel Giardino Rome, a nice little ** in a great location, very reasonable, super nice owner, Katy who answers e mails promptly. Hurry - it's not too early to get a booking there.

Buon viaggio!

Flying into Venice would probably make more sense. I'm sure it would save at least 4+ hrs on the train ride to Venice. I'll look into that idea.

Thanks.

CharlotteJoe

www.lacalcina.com in Venice, is my recommendation. Lovely hotel, great location, breakfast included, in your price range.

Can also recommend La Calcina, on the Dorsoduro canal in Venice. Our family stayed in 2 terrific apartments the hotel offers, though took breakfast in the main hotel. Staff couldn't have been more friendly or helpful. Perhaps ten minute stroll to San Marco piazza.

Enjoy your trip.

We stayed at La Locandiera in Venice, spotless hotel not fancy but very comfortable it is located in a quiet piazza about a 5 minute walk to St. Marks, if you like it try to book the reservation directly trhu them. We had a lovely stay there (4) nights.