Convenient area to stay for three days in Venice

We will be making our way to Venice from Barcelona and flying back a couple of days prior to our transatlantic cruise.

Thinking it makes sense to be close to an area that will give us the most cost effective and ease of travel to and from the airport. Any recommendations?

Also trying to get a sense of ease of seeing the sights from the same area. I have done lots of reading here, so much to consider. Would like to keep costs down somewhat, as much as one is able to in Europe, but still feeling safe and comfortable. Trying to decide among different viewpoints RE travelling in the main area. Worth getting some kind of transit pass or just pay as you go because lots of sites are walkable?

Any advice greatly appreciated, thanks.

Venice is quite small ... you can walk from Piazzale Roma (the last point of land travel within Venice) to St Marks in under an hour. So any location is convenient. If you're not a walker, the Grand Canal is within a 10 minute walk of any location so you can ride a water bus instead.

The ATVO express bus is only 6 or 7E pp from the airport to Piazzale Roma.

If you're looking for budget accommodations, they can be found in Venice. When are you travelling .. do you need A/C, private bathroom, elevator? B&b's might be a good option for you if you don't need a tv, elevator etc. I checked out Hotel St Lucia near the train station for a possible future stay ... looks clean and comfortable, no frills but a nice little place. I'd stay there.

Use venere to locate some small hotels, B&B's

http://www.venere.com/venice

You might also look into an apt .... the minimum is usually 3nights. Try the venice forum of tripadvisor. My last apt was only 250E per night for 4 of us.

Another option ... look at Mestre which is just across the bridge from Venice. It's about 10-15 minutes away by bus or train. Less than 5E for the ride. You get a lot more hotel for your money but it's a commute.

As for a pass, it depends on how much travelling you plan to do. If you enjoy walking you might only do 2 trips on the Grand Canal ... one by day to see the architecture and another by night to see the lights. OTOH you might want to visit Lido, Murano, Burano......

http://www.veniceforvisitors.com

I found Ca Doge to be a nice, clean, and affordable hotel. It is not large or lavish, but it has what you need. It is located directly on Piazzale Roma and doesn't have a particularly good view of anything from your windows. While it is not extremely close to San Marco Square (this makes it more affordable), it is located on the main transportation hub of Venice. This means you can catch any number of vaporetto lines from here to get anywhere you want to go. It is also where buses and land taxis would depart for the airport. It is also a short walk from the train station is you decided to use that to go inland for some reason. And as mentioned above, you can walk to most all the major sight seeing locations in Venice in 10-30 minutes or so, depending on where you want to go. I purchased the 3 day vaporetto pass and used it many times to get wherever I wanted when I didn't feel like walking it.

we did a cruise out of Venice in 2004..stayed at the Hotel Belvedere on the Lido. Island right across bay from St Marks. Close to a vaperetto stop and our room had a great view of the bay. lot cheaper than Venice proper. only downside was getting luggage on water bus to go to cruise. so area around Piazza Roma likely easier for this. vaperetto passes come in various lengths. we got 72 hour one which was great. try and get on the circle route around sunset.

also check out the secret tour of the Doge's palace. Casanova's cell etc.

We stayed at Hotel Olimpia near P. Roma last year on the back end of the cruise and Hotel Moresco at the front end of the cruise. Both were very close to P. Roma and I highly recommend them. Staff at both was very caring and friendly. This year we are staying near Termini train station at Hotel Principe.

Thank you all so much for the replies.

I had also read something about trying to get accommodation that would minimize number of bridges to cross with luggage.

Do any of these hotels/B&B's fall into that category?

We both do love exploring on foot as it is a good way to discover more so we will likely do a lot of walking, just not keen on a long difficult haul with our luggage.

Thank you all so much for the replies.

I had also read something about trying to get accommodation that would minimize number of bridges to cross with luggage.

Do any of these hotels/B&B's fall into that category?

We both do love exploring on foot as it is a good way to discover more so we will likely do a lot of walking, just not keen on a long difficult haul with our luggage.

Best Western Hotel Olimpia has only one bridge to cross. It's just about as conveinient as you could get for all forms of transport in Venice, including the people mover.

I personally would stay in Venice rather than Mestre. If I remember correctly it takes about 20-25 minutes on the bus but it is nearer to the airport. However the benefit of Mestre is that the hotels are a lot cheaper. We stayed in the Best Western Quid and it was lovely. The area is more industrial although there is a nice shopping centre/restaurant area within walking distance. The other times we have been in Venice we have rented apartments. There are lots of very nice apartments in the centre. You can "hire" a man with a trolley to transport your baggage over the bridges to your hotel/apartment. I'm sorry but I don't know how much it costs.

Thank you all so much for the replies.

I had also read something about trying to get accommodation that would minimize number of bridges to cross with luggage.

Do any of these hotels/B&B's fall into that category?

We both do love exploring on foot as it is a good way to discover more so we will likely do a lot of walking, just not keen on a long difficult haul with our luggage.

If you open the link I provided earlier there is a listing of 'hotels by number of bridges to cross'.

Also, there is a left luggage facility at the airport and at Piazzale Roma, so you can ditch your large bags and just take a carryon to Venice (also in that link). That would open up many more locations for your lodging, and cheaper options. The Piazzale Roma area is convenient because it's where taxis, buses, car, etc must leave passengers arriving in Venice, and it's also close to the pier so a popular area for cruisers. But you pay for that convenience ......

and who's to say you will arrive at Piazzale Roma?

Arriving to Venice by boat would be quite an experience so you may choose the Alilaguna service from the airport to Venice, In which case your first stop won't be PRoma, and since the orange line travels down the Grand Canal you could stop anywhere along the way. Use the veniceforvisitors link and there's a 'bridges to cross for alilaguna stops'.

(the alilaguna charges for excess luggage so you may want to leave a bag or 2 at the airport. It was 5e per bag, per 24 hrs when we used it)

Or maybe you'll spring for a private water taxi to arrive in style, 110E !

We have stayed at the hotel Santa Chiara located a short walk across the place where the airport bus lets you off. We loved it there. No bridges. View their website.

We have stayed at the hotel Santa Chiara located a short walk across the place where the airport bus lets you off. We loved it there. No bridges. View their website.

I stayed here too and thought it was very nice. It is quite quaint but has everything you need including an elevator and complimentary breakfast. We took a cab from the airport and the driver even carried our luggage into the hotel lobby. It is an easy walk to shops, restaurants and access to the water bus.

http://www.hotelsantachiara.it/en/

I had booked Hotel Tritone in Mestre, then found the venice for visitors website and saw the Ca' Doge and fell in love. It's a smaller hotel (looks almost like a bed & breakfast instead of a hotel. I changed my booking and stayed at Ca' Doge. It is definitely a small quaint hotel. They do not have an elevator, but carried our luggage up two floors for us, so all we had to worry about was getting ourselves up the stairs.

We are two older ladies with mobility issues, so the stairs were quite arduous for us. But the convenience of being so close to the transportation hub of Venice was great. Taxis, vaporetto stop, bus to airport, peoplemover from the port all take place here. We did notice Santa Chiara across the parking lot and as stated, it does have an elevator. I believe these are the only two hotels that do not have any bridges to cross, it is a level parking lot. And the COOP stores are an easy walk for any snacks, wine, etc. you may want to purchase.

I pre-booked a couple of tours on viator dot com, paid for in US $ before we even left home. We were able to do a couple of walking tours (one included a gondola ride), then we also purchased a 72 hour vaporetto pass and went out to Murano and Lido. It was rainy, windy and cold the day we went to Murano, and the trip to Burano was cancelled as the lagoon was just too rough.

Have a Plan "A", and a Plan "B" for when A falls apart. Then still be prepared to just go with the flow when everything falls apart. It happened to us a number of times on our 21 day trip. Have fun planning, then taking your trip.

I loved this hotel on the Grand Canal. It is at a wide area of the canal and across the bridge is the train station and the place to get tickets for the water bus.

http://www.hotelantichefigure.it/en

Edit to add.... what we did with luggage is hired a couple of guys on a boat to take our luggage across the canal to the train station from the hotel. The gentleman at the hotel called them for us. There are also water taxis in addition to water buses.

Would always recommend Hotel Papodopli close Piazzale Roma. Easy to get anywhere via water bus or water taxi, or walk.

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We have never been big fans of Mestre (especially for multi days) since its not in Venice. It is similar to visiting New York City but staying over in New Jersey.

As to convenience in Venice, without a doubt the most convenient location when it comes to the cruise port and airport is the Piazale Roma. Our personal home away from home in the P. Roma is Ca Doge, which is more like a small inn then a hotel. And the other obvious options here (previously mentioned) are the BW Olimpia and Santa Chiara. Otherwise you need to consider more bridges or other transportation options.

Hank

1st time in New York drove. stayed in Jersey cause parking at hotel was FREE.

 

Or maybe you'll spring for a private water taxi to arrive in style, 110E !

This would be my suggestion. We did this and it was great, as we did a tour/transfer combo. We got the water taxi at the airport, and the boat went around the island and then all along the grand canal, finally dropping us right by our hotel.

You can save $$$ by staying close to the Piazzale Roma or the area around the main rail station.

We stayed in Mestre once and missed being in the city. Not impressed with Mestre.

You can save $$$ by staying close to the Piazzale Roma or the area around the main rail station.

 

We stayed in Mestre once and missed being in the city. Not impressed with Mestre.

I really can't understand staying in Mestre. Yes, I know it's cheaper, yes I know people are are strict budgets. But you travel ALL THE WAY to Venice...stay in Venice. Anywhere if that's what it takes - as long as it's in Venice. You can find something to fit the budget.

Okay, I am convinced, Venice proper it is. I know, we always end up staying right in the city we are visiting as a rule.

I guess just thinking of $'s spent moving to another home in the last weeks, we considered saving a bit on hotels. No way was I going to cancel our trip!

We will just continue our membership in the SKI club. (Spending our Kid's Inheritance)

Thanks for all the suggestions.