Has anyone stayed in Locanda Canal Hotel(close to San Marco) or Palazzo Rosa (a little beyond Ponte di Rialto, coming from San Marco) and if so which do you recommend? They are both in the 155 Euro/night price range for 4 people. Any other recommendations?
Also, from reading about arriving by car, it seems it's best to park in Mestre in July, due to the high volume of cars. From Mestre we could take a boat rather than bus. Any input on this?

I like the San Marco area of the city better than around the Rialto bridge.

Sorry can't really help with your questions, but will top this post for you! Happy planning.

From Mestre (parking is within walking distance of the train station) you take the train to the Venice train station. From there you take water transportation to your hotel. If your hotel is close to the Rialto bridge, you woiuld take the vaporetto to the Rialto and then walk.

Has anyone had experience with Terminal Fusina?

http://www.terminalfusina.it/gb_c_company.htm

"Terminal Fusina Venezia offers touristic transports and parking facilities in the mainland of Venice, in Fusina. Our company manages two public boat lines from Fusina to Zattere. Terminal Fusina Venezia owns a warded roomy parking which can guest up to 500 coaches and 2000 cars. We are a sound, competitive, reliable company which can satisfy any demand of the tourist visiting Venice and its territory."

Thank you. Figuring out the transportation into Venice seems very confusing.

It's the car that complicates things. When you arrive by train to Santa Lucia station then it is quite easy, you either hop on a vaporetto or walk.

susanab--it's really not that hard. Part of the confusion is that there are several practical choices to get into the city when you arrive by car.

1. Simplest way is to drive your car to P. Roma on the west end of historic Venice. From there you walk to your hotel or take the vaporetto (water bus) or water taxi as close as possible to your hotel. Parking is more expensive here.

2. Or you can park somewhere in Mestre--near the train station is easiest. Then you have some choices
a. Train from Mestre station to S. Lucia station in historic Venice. From there walk to hotel or vaporetto or water taxi.

b.Taxi to P. Roma and see #1 above.

c. Bus to P. Roma and see #1 above.

I'd do either #1 or #2a.

susanab, it's not at all difficult. With your car, you go to the Mestre train station (for a map of Mestre showing precisely how to get there see http://www.rosadivenezia.com/_img/kl...en/info_en.pdf). Opposite the station, there is a garage properly named "Stazione". They were charging 4,50 Euros per day when I used it last time, which is really cheap. At Piazzale Roma, the price is about four times higher, and at Fusina, you'd pay the double price or so.
From Mestre, there is no boat to Venice. Best way is not the train (though that's a possibility as well), but bus no. 2, the stop being just across the street from the "Stazione" garage. It's merely a ten-minutes ride to Piazzale Roma, from where to take the vaporetto to your hotel.

But there's nothing exactly like stepping out of the train station and seeing the Grand Canal for the first time.

As for beauty, I fully agree with you, Rufus. When I'm arriving in Venice, though, I must admit that I'm first of all thinking of the luggage that I have to carry, and for that matter, the bus is more convenient - less walking in Mestre, less walking in Venice (the Santa Lucia station being quite large, and from your train, it can be a demanding walk inside the station).

But franco! Venice is made for walking! The train station trek can be training for walking througout beautiful Venezia!! (Just joking.)

I am way past spoiled now. After my first trip to Venice carrying luggage up and down bridges, getting lost, got off at the wrong stop, etc., I now have the hotel or another agency pick us up at the Airport, transport us to a private water taxi, and drop off right at door of our place, or be met by a porter. We actually figure it into our budget. I love to walk and get lost, however, not after a long trip with luggage.

PS. completely agree with staying nearer to San Marco. A great website:
veniceby.com