My husband and I are driving to Venice and hope to arrive 1st or 2nd June for about a week. I'm sure there are wonderful places to stay - can someone recommend a reasonably priced place that has great atmosphere? We would like to avoid "normal" hotels like Holiday Inns etc. We would prefer something small, more personal and unique.<BR>Thanks very much in anticipation!

Linday,<BR>Since you will be in Venice a week, arriving on the 1st, you have the option of renting an apartment (they rent from Saturday to Saturday). Most are reasonably priced compared to hotel rooms, plus you have the benefit of having a kitchen and being in a Venetian neighborhood. Check out these sites:<BR>www.venice-rentals.com<BR>www.cheapvenice.com<BR>www.holiday-rentals.com<BR>www.newitaltourist.com<BR>www.ancor aitalia.com<BR>If this is something you might be interested in, I wouldn't waste time picking out the ideal place, but contact the agencies and see what they have available at this late date. We booked an apartment for the 2nd week in June back in Feb. At that time our choices were limited, but we found all of the agencies very helpful and responsive. Good luck and have a nice trip.

Dear Lindy,<BR><BR>Can only recommend one place coz that's the place we stayed in exactly a month ago. It's a small, fairly new hotel called Ca'Pisani in the Durosduro area. No view, but more than compensated by the clean, modern rooms and bathrooms which even have a jacussi! The hotel restaurant called 'La Rivista' has some super food - even if you don't get a room there, you should definitely make a booking to eat there. They are closed Mondays. The hotel is just a 15 minute walk from Piazza San Marco and 5 mins. by the water bus. In case you need to contact them, here is their email address: [email protected]<BR><BR>Have a great time in Venice - it is truly a remarkable city.<BR><BR>Varsha

I'd also recommend trying to get an apartment. We stayed here:<BR>www.world-world.com/properties/it-foscarini.htm last november and it was great. It's in Dorsoduro, close to the Guggenheim museum about a 3 min walk from the Accademia. You deal direct with the owner who lives downstairs.

We are going to be in Venice June 2-5. I have done a thorough, if not obsessive, search for a lovely romantic hotel with view 3 or 4 stars Like you I started two weeks ago. Most more "charming "places in those catagores which are centrally located, in Dursoduro or which have views and are listed in Fodor's, Karen Brown etc. are booked. We are staying in a canal view room in the Hotel ALA ( near San Marco at $230/night booked through Expedia. THey seem to have more rooms still available. Other vacancies were Calavetto, Bisanzio, Boscolo dei Dogi ( 5 star georgous at $230/night but very far out in Carneggio. We had also looked at apartments which offer very nice accomodations. I agree you should look through the apartment listing sites. Also you can go to Expedia, type in your dates and they will give you a listing of all available hotets for your dates. Good luck .

We visited Venice over Easter this year and I can second Varsha's comments on La Rivista restaurant, we stumbled across it and had such a wonderful meal we ate their twice in our stay.<BR><BR>I am sure the Ca' Pisani hotel must also be wonderful.<BR><BR>We stayed in a 3 star hotel, less expensive and modern rather than traditional - the Violino D'Oro. It's location is just round the corner from the Hotel Flora (oft recommended here) and we loved it.<BR><BR>I wrote up a lot of detail on it in my trip report, if you want a copy let me know. <BR><BR>The hotel is completely NON smoking.<BR><BR>Kavey