Fermi had one of the greatest scientific minds of the 20th century, but spending time in Italy is enough to make you question his method of informal approximation. Basically, Fermi argued that one could accurately estimate the answers to complex problems by appropriately analyzing their necessary factors and assumptions. Fermi’s theory has clearly been taken to heart by the people of Italy, because everyone here approximates. Everything. All the time. And, sadly, not always as well as Fermi did.
Directions tend to be kind of dicey approximations—we’re pretty sure that over 75% of hotels in Venice claim to be within 5min. walking distance of the Rialto Bridge. Wi-Fi availability is also a source of wild estimation. If a hotel advertises wireless internet access, what they really mean is that they have some approximation of Wi-Fi—even if it’s only in the lobby and working roughly 3hr. per day. Most restaurants and hotels boast of their A/C, which they definitely have...at least in one room. But it might not be working this week.
There are perks to this system of guesstimation as well. In the states, we tend to think of prices as set in stone, but here, they are simply estimates—estimates that can be recalculated based on how charming a shop owner finds you. The approximation of opening and closing times also tends to work out well: in Venice, you’ll never have a restaurant door closed on you because you arrived 5min. after business was supposed to end. Also, if you sleep past check-out time, don’t sweat it—as long as you exit your room approximately on time.
To strung-out, type-“A” Americans, the blurry lines of Venetian approximation can be frustrating to no end. If you, like Let’s Go researchers, make a habit of hanging around in hotel lobbies, you’ll see plenty of arguments between managers and customers over technicalities to which the customer adheres rigidly and the proprietor, well, not so much. Venice is a wonderful city with a lot to be appreciated, but to most enjoy the city, it’s best to quickly learn how to chill out and take things as they come. And trust that they will turn out right...more or less.
LOCANDO CA’ SAN POLO
Calle Saoneri de la Malvasia 2697
HOTEL
041 24 40 331 www.casanpolo.it
If you want luxurious accommodations in Venice without spending all your money at once, do you (a) seduce a rich Venetian heiress, (b) sneak into Palazzo Ducale and take up residence in the Doge’s Apartments, or (c) stay here? Ca’ San Polo is by far the most legal, moral, and plausible of these three options. With study desks, blackout curtains, comfortable king-size beds, and beautiful views of the neighborhood from the third-floor terrace and dining area, this hotel proves that budget and luxury are not mutually exclusive.
V: San Tomà. Continue north toward Frari, turn right, continue across the bridge, turn right, and take the 1st left; the hotel is ahead on the right. Signs indicate the direction toward the hotel. Breakfast included. Doubles €80-110; triples €100-120; quads €140-180.
HOTEL ALEX
Frari 2606
HOTEL
041 52 31 341 www.hotelalexinvenice.com
A small family hotel just across the bridge from the Frari, Hotel Alex prides itself on offering clean, quiet, and comfortable rooms. Though students may feel out of place in the family atmosphere, quads that go for €20 per person per night make hosteling look like a crummy deal. Consider booking in advance to request a room with a balcony overlooking the street.
V: San Tomà. Continue north toward Frari, turn right, continue across the bridge, turn right, and turn left; the hotel is ahead on the left. Breakfast included. Singles €35-56; doubles €40-120; triples €60-162; quads €80-200.
Santa Croce
Although Santa Croce isn’t known for its budget accommodations, you can find a room at the right price to make the neighborhood your home-away-from-home. Santa Croce is centrally located, with San Marco and the Rialto Bridge just minutes away and the nightlife in Dorsoduro easily accessible. At the same time, the neighborhood enjoys wide, quiet streets that aren’t overrun with tourists. It’s best to stay away from its western side, as you’re more likely to discover good deals in the eastern section.
ALBERGO AI TOLENTINI
Santa Croce 197/G
HOTEL
041 27 59 140 www.albergoaitolentini.com
Albergo ai Tolentini is a small hotel without many different options accommodations-wise, but what it does have is exceptional. Start with what are in all likelihood the largest double rooms you’ll find for less than €100 in Venice, decorated in an elaborate Venetian style and featuring private baths. Add on the hotel’s convenient location, which is about as central as you can get in Venice, and you’ve got the makings of one very serviceable little hotel.
Follow Piazzale Roma east, cross consecutive bridges, turn left, and continue along canal for 3-4min. before turning right away from Hotel Sofitel. Continue for 2min.; hotel is on the left. Breakfast included. Doubles €85-115.
ALBERGO CASA PERON
Salizzada S. Pantalon 84
HOTEL
041 71 00 21 www.casaperon.com
A small, family-owned hotel with tons of personality, Albergo Casa Peron is worth the time to book in advance. A prime location on one of Santa Croce’s main streets put this hotel in our good graces from the outset, but Albergo Casa Peron scores extra points with Let’s Go for its supremely cool owner and the pet parrot who helps oversee the hotel from his shoulder.
Follow Piazzale Roma east, cross consecutive bridges, and continue for approximately 2min. Breakfast included. Singles €30-90; doubles €50-100; triples €80-130.
PENSIONE DA IVANO
Santa Croce 373
PENSIONE
041 524 66 48 www.daivanovenezia.it
Close to Piazzale Roma, Pensione da Ivano possesses a peaceful location, despite being a bit out of the way. The spacious, well-decorated rooms are only brightened by the friendly presence of their dedicated manager, who has owned the pensione and nearby Caffé Las Ramblas for the past 37 years. Feel free to chat him up, as he loves to talk with travelers about his city.
East from Piazzale Roma, turn right at the 1st canal you see and turn right onto Sestiere Santa Croce. Go to Caffé Las Ramblas, where you can be redirected to the pensione (4min. away). Breakfast included. Rooms €45-100.
HOTEL FALIER
Salizada S. Pantalon 130
HOTEL
041 71 08 82 www.hotelfalier.com
Most of the hotels in the Santa Croce area are rather pricey, but Hotel Falier bridges the gap between luxury and budget fairly well. The price of a single room is as far from inexpensive as Venice is from Sicily, but the doubles are a good value compared to some of the luxury hotels in the neighborhood, without any compromise in quality. You won’t be cheated the extra bucks you’re shelling out: the hotel’s phenomenal location is accompanied by an excellent dining room, a desk manager fluent in English, a lovely balcony, and other subtle pleasantries.
Follow Piazzale Roma east, cross consecutive bridges, and continue for approximately 2min. Breakfast included. Singles €100-150; doubles €120-170.
Dorsoduro
Finding a good hotel at the right price can be tricky in Dorsoduro, but if you’re patient and willing to put in a little bit of legwork calling places or checking their websites, you should be able to find a solid rate on a great hotel in the heart of Venice’s best neighborhood.
HOTEL MESSNER
Fondamenta di Cà Bala 216/217
HOTEL
041 52 27 443 www.hotelmessner.it
Described by its owner as “three hotels in one,” Hotel Messner offers one-, two-, and three-star accommodations—great for budget travelers who want to save money but still have the flexibility to choose their room’s amenities. Regardless of star ranking, most rooms are brightened by floor-to-ceiling windows that prove a blessing in the humid Venetian summer.
V: Zattere. Turn right, walk 4-5min., turn left onto Fondamenta di Cà Bala and continue for about a min. Reception is approximately 1min. past the hote
l in Ristorante Messner. Breakfast included. Singles €70-105; doubles €95-160; triples €135-180; quads €150-200.
HOTEL ALLA SALUTE
Fondamenta di Cà Bala 222
HOTEL
041 52 35 404 www.hotelsalute.com
A lot of hotels in Venice overdo the whole Venetian theme, making you feel as if you’re trapped in an antique dealer’s storage facility. Hotel alla Salute, by contrast, presents a simple, modern take on Venetian aesthetics with some of the least cluttered and most beautiful hotel rooms in the city. Given the hotel’s prime location and generous breakfast buffet, staying here is quite a deal.
V: Zattere. Turn right, walk 4-5min., turn left onto Fondamenta di Cà Bala and continue for about 2min. Breakfast included. Doubles €64-95; family rooms (fit 3-5) €75-135.
HOTEL AMERICAN
San Vio 628
HOTEL
041 52 04 733 www.hotelamerican.com
If you can book Hotel American anywhere at the bottom of their price range, we strongly advise you to do so. In addition to its regal old-world-hotel regal air, the American possesses all the amenities you could possibly want from a budget hotel.
V: Zattere. Turn right, walk 3-4min., turn left onto San Vio and continue for just over 1min. Breakfast included. Singles €60-230; doubles €80-370; suite €150-460. Extra bed €20-70.
ANTICA LOCANDA MONTIN
Fondamenta Eremite 1147
B AND B
041 52 25 151 www.locandamontin.com
Although it is less than 2min. from each of Dorsoduro’s two biggest streets, Antica Locanda Montin feels removed from these heavily trafficked areas. This is a small inn that lacks some of the conveniences available at large hotels, but it makes up for this inadequacy with a quaint small-town ambience and excellent values on exceptionally comfortable rooms.
V: Zattere. Turn right, take the first possible left, cross the bridge, turn left, turn immediately right, and the hotel is shortly ahead on the left. i Breakfast included. Singles €50-70; doubles €130-160.
ALBERGO HOTEL ANTICO CAPON
Campo San Margherita 3004
HOTEL
041 52 85 292 wwww.anticocapon.altervista.org
Hotel Antico Capon’s location is both a blessing and a curse. If you want to party every night, the location right in Campo San Margherita, Dorsoduro’s prime nightlife spot, will be perfect. If you want to sleep early, good luck ignoring the din echoing through the square. The rooms here are cheap for a reason: they’re tiny.
Opposite the northeast corner of the square. Breakfast included. Doubles €45-95; triples €60-75; quads €120.
Castello
Castello is bursting at the seams with overpriced hotels looking to exploit tourists who mistakenly believe they just have to be within a 5min. walk of the Rialto Bridge and P. San Marco. Hidden among these flashy establishments, however, are a good number of hotels that are accessible to the major sights but manage to maintain the quiet neighborhood ambience that makes Venice so charming.
LA RESIDENZA
Campo Bandiera e Moro 3608
HOTEL
041 52 85 315 www.venicelaresidenza.com
Every hotel in Venice wants to claim that it is located in a former palace, but at La Residenza, you can tell that they aren’t lying. The regal decor, stately reception area, and magnificently decorated guest rooms evoke a sense of Venice’s extravagant mercantile history. Although this is far from the typical budget hotel, staying here provides a uniquely Venetian experience.
From P. San Marco, walk towards the water, turn left, and cross 4 bridges; then turn left and continue to Campo Bandiera e Moro. Breakfast included. Free Wi-Fi. Singles €50-110; doubles €60-200. Extra bed €35.
THE GUESTHOUSE TAVERNA SAN LIO
Salizada San Lio 5547
BAND B
041 27 77 06 69 www.tavernasanlio.com
Staying in Venice on a budget means foregoing a lot of luxuries that might be taken for granted in American hotels, but if you book a room at the Guesthouse Taverna San Lio at the right time, you can get an incredible room that feels authentically Venetian yet still includes Wi-Fi, A/C, a private bathoom—creature comforts certainly not enjoyed by the city’s Renaissance residents—and, perhaps most importantly, a mouth-watering breakfast.
From Rialto Bridge, go east along Salizada San Lio for 3-4min.; hotel is on the right. Breakfast included. Free Wi-Fi. Doubles €70-150; triples €100-180; quads €130-200.
FORESTERIA VALDESE
Palazzo Cavagnis 5170
HOSTEL, HOTEL
041 52 86 797 www.foresteriavenezia.it
One of the few places in Venice to get a shared dormitory room more typical of a hostel, Foresteria Valdese is an oasis of value in a sea of €90-per-person, one-star hotels. The hotel is run by a Protestant church that maintains the house in which the hotel is located. While the reservation system can be tricky, especially for dorms, Foresteria Valdese offers both a unique experience and a great deal in Venice.
From Campo Santa Maria Formosa, take Calle Larga Santa Maria Forma; Foresteria Valdese is immediately across the 1st bridge. Breakfast included. Dorms €23-29; doubles €78-96; triples €90-111; quads €114-144.
ALBERGO DONI
Calle del Vin 4656
HOTEL
041 52 25 267 www.albergodoni.it
Rooms at the low end of the price range here are an absolute steal. Although you’ll pay for proximity to P. San Marco with heavy tourist traffic and some street noise, the hotel’s 17th-century building features spacious rooms, excellent antique furniture, and even some breathtaking ceiling frescoes.
From P. San Marco, walk toward the water, turn left, and cross 2 bridges; take the 1st left and walk 30sec. Breakfast included. Singles €50-65; doubles €60-120.
CASA QUERINI
Campo San Giovanni Novo 4388
HOTEL
041 24 11 294 www.locandaquerini.com
Situated in a quiet square apart from the madding crowds of P. San Marco, this hotel is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to be near Venice’s tourist center but still enjoy a tranquil stay in a hotel with all the amenities. The decor is a bit minimalist and lacks the same Venetian touch of most other hotels in the area, but with private bathrooms, Wi-Fi, and A/C, this hotel’s comfort-inducing features present a good trade-off for a lot of exhausted travelers.
From P. San Marco, walk toward the water, turn left, cross Ponte della Paglia, turn left onto C. dei Albanesi, walk 2min., and turn left at Campo S. Giovanni Novo. Breakfast included. Wi-Fi €6 per hr. Doubles €110-150; triples €135-175.
Outskirts
By staying in the outskirts, you can upgrade your digs on the cheap or go even more bargain-basement than is possible in the centro. Lido is loaded with hotels that are less expensive than their Venetian counterparts, and camping on the islands or the Italian mainland is a popular alternative for even more saving. While camping might conjure up images of improvised tents and fishing for dinner, Italians campsites offer RV-park luxury, with fully furnished trailers or at least fairly decent permanent tents.
OSTELLO DI VENEZIA (HI)
Fondamenta Zitelle 86
HOSTEL
041 52 38 211 www.hostelvenice.com
Ostello Venezia sets the standard for hostels in Venice. With 260 beds, a restaurant, common room, bar, and state-of-the-art facilities, it’s an incredible value. Located in Giudecca, it’s not too far from Dorsoduro or San Marco. Groups can often book rooms in advance, but outside of those cases, dorms are strictly divided by gender. For those apprehensive about leaving their belongings unattended in a room with a dozen other people, the hostel provides free private lockers with keys and padlocks. Though having to use the vaporetto system can be a bit of a hassle, the hostel’s great facilities and efficient and helpful staff more than make up for any inconvenience caused by its out-of-the-way location.
V: Zitelle, turn right and continue for less than 1min. The hostel is on
the left. Breakfast included. €3 daily surcharge for those without YHA membership. Wi-Fi €2.50 per 12hr., internet terminals €3 per hr. Dorms €22. Lockout 10am-1:30pm.
CAMPEGGIO SAN NICOLÒ
V. dei Sanmichieli 14
CAMPING
041 52 67 415 www.campingsannicolo.com
Lido’s only major camping site, Campeggio San Nicolò is a great budget option. Though the site is removed from Lido’s major vaporetto stops, bike rentals make the island extremely accessible. Tents offer reasonable short-term accommodations, and campers are surprisingly nice given the cost per person. This kind of camping is an interesting and uniquely European experience—something worth trying before you leave Italy (though not cool enough to be attempted when rain is in the forecast).
From dock Lido San Nicolò, turn right, and continue north for about 5min. There will be signs indicating the direction of the campsite. Laundry €3. Parking €2. Bike rental €7. Prices vary depending on what exactly you’re looking for, but will probably cost about €18 per person per night.
Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide Page 139