My husband & I are planning our first trip to Italy which includes 4 days in Venice. In which area would be the best to stay: where major sights are accessible by foot or by vaporetto, where it's lively, & where there's a variety of cafes & restaurants? Any suggestions for accommodations in the 200-250 euro range in the area of choice?

Depends what you like to do. The Lido is nice for R&R but you have to take a launch to get to the sights. We've stayed at the Bauer and the Gritti Palace and like the area as you're close to San Marco, but it's quieter than the area around where the cruise ships dock (e.g. the Danieli hotel). Not sure about budget hotels in the area.

Hi!

We stayed in casa cosmo. real nice place, somewhat difficult to find, but a real oasis in the hustle and bustle of Venice. Great owners. and very clean and very new rooms!

Take a look at the Residence Corte Grimani, in the San Marco section -- we loved it there and would go back in a heartbeat.

www.cortegrimani.com

The hotel Antico Doge. The Suite was very reasonable and the bathroom was large and we had a canal view. The location is wonderful, right off Rialto. Best hotel I've stayed at in Venice for the price. Rialto has lots of bars and restaurants if you look hard enough.

La Calcina on the Guidecca Canal. It is a lovely 3 star often reviewed on this board. It is out of the madness of San Marco but a very easy walk. The boat to the airport stops just a short distance away from this hotel as well.

We really enjoy the La Calcina.
It is situated on the Giudecca.
The hotel used be Ruskin's home.
Lots of restaurants and cafes along the boardwalk. Very close to San Marco.
Vaporetti stop is the Accademia Bridge, which is about a 4 minute walk.
Great breakfast..eggs, cheese, pastry.
The breakfast room (as well as some of the guest rooms) overlooks the Guidecca.

Venice is quite a small area, really. Most hotels will be within a 15-minute walk of Piazza San Marco, which is the center of the major sights. Most of Venice is quite lively and full of tourists, cafes and restaurants. If you want to be very close, stay in the San Marco area. I prefer a quieter, less-touristy area, so we stay on the eastern edge of the Cannaregio. From our hotel there, the Giorgione, it takes us 20 minutes to walk to San Marco, 15 if it's before the other tourists are out. That's probably further than most people want to walk. The Dorsoduro area, where La Calcina is located, is a little less touristy but still centrally located. The Castello area is also very centrally located, and depending on where you are in the Castello, can be very touristy.

Another vote for the Dorsoduro area. The city can get so crowded that it's nice to be able to escape to a gentler area yet be close to everything.

We loved the Pensione Accademia in the Dorsoduro. Lovely hotel and garden. It was nice to get away from the crowds and come "home" to our little hotel.
www.pensioneaccademia.it
In August 2005 I got an online rate of 140 € for a triple that had a lovely canal view.

I like the Dorsoduro and I like Pensione La Calcina located there.

Like others have said, Venice is very walkable, so anywhere on the amin island would be fine.

A very popular place is Locanda Orseolo, close to San Marco square (the "main" tourist spot on the island). We stayed there twice, room over-looking a side canal, very nice and friendly.

But because it's such a small island, I, personally, would be willing to stay pretty much anywhere on the island, if the place looks nice and is reasonable.

Hi 2010,

For us it would depend on the time of year that we traveled. If we returned in the off season, we would undoubtedly stay again at the lovely Locanda Orseolo. Because we were there in the off season, things were very quiet even though the San Marco area is typically a busier section of Venice.

If we traveled there again in high season, I think we would select a hotel that is not so close to San Marco for more ambience and a less touristy feel.

I have a number of restaurant reviews and a review of Locanda Orseolo (which is in your price range) in our trip report, just click on my name and scroll to "Enchanted April...".

Enjoy bella Italia!

Wow! Thanks so much to all for your input! I am leaning towards the Dorsoduro based on the feedback. Will check out the hotels & restaurants there. But have not discounted other areas either - our trip is still in its early planning stages!