Like any top tourist destination, in Venice it’s also hard to find a good hotel at decent prices. Due to the specificity of the city, hotels in the tourist center can be incredibly expensive.
If we take into account that Venice is a small town compared to Rome, Naples or Milan, which have enough space to build hotels, things get complicated. Currently, on Booking.com, about 2,700 accommodation units are available in Venice, unlike Rome, which has over 10,000…
Moreover, starting with 2017, Venice has forbidden the emergence of new hotels in the historical center, to cope with the growing wave of tourists. Old buildings can no longer be converted into new hotels, and annexes to old buildings are not allowed anymore.
But let’s not panic. If we take into account some aspects, we can find cheap and good hotels, just as we like it.
1. DISTANCE TO THE ST. MARK’S SQUARE
The farther the hotel is from the city center (San Marco Square), the cheaper it is. In Castello, in Dorsoduro, Santa Croce or Cannaregio (areas farther from the Rialto Bridge), hotels will always be cheaper than in San Polo or San Marco.
In the same way, hotel prices decrease as you move away from Venice’s historic center. Cheaper hotels are found on the other islands of the lagoon – Lido, Murano, Burano or Giudecca. The cheapest hotels are, of course, on the mainland, in Mestre or Marghera.
Disadvantage: The farther you are from San Marco Square, the more it will take you to get there…
2. BEST TIME TO VISIT VENICE
In summer or near major events in the Venetian calendar (Venice Carnival, Festa della Sensa, Venice Biennale), hotel rooms reach astronomical prices. And Venice has a lot of such events, very desirable for tourists. If you want a hotel during these periods, it would be better to book ahead of time.
If you choose winter for your vacation in Venice, you might find a cheap hotel, but you can also find a flooded city (Aqua Alta = High Water). And it’s not fun to visit this town in rubber boots pulled up to your knees.
Perhaps, the best time to get to Venice is spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October), when the weather is beautiful enough to walk on the streets, and the number of tourists is lower.
Disadvantage: In spring or autumn, you will not participate in Venice Carnival, and this kind of event is not to be missed…
3. EXPECTATIONS
It’s nice to stay at a 5-star hotel in the center of Venice, but what about a bed and breakfast? Or a hostel? Or even a camping?
In Venice, besides hotels, you can find numerous hostels, B&Bs and even camping sites on Lido and Marghera. If you do not mind sleeping in a shared bedroom or in a tent, you will definitely find cheap accommodation in this city.
Disadvantage: The cheaper the accommodation, the longer the bathroom queue…
4. DISTANCE TO THE HOTEL
Because Venice is built on water, and in the historical center you can not find cars to take you from one place to another, be prepared to walk a lot and be sure to calculate your route to the hotel prior to your arriving.
By bus, you can reach as far as Piazzale Roma, on the outskirts of Venice. From here, you will have to take a water bus, which is usually very crowded and expensive (a 60-minute trip costs 7€). Of course, you also have water taxis, but, in this case, the transport price will increase even more.
Disadvantage: If your hotel is more than 100 meters from a water bus station, you are likely to look like a porter on the streets of Venice, pulling large heavy luggage after you…
In conclusion, when planning a trip to Venice, you have to consider the area where you will stay, when you will be there, and last but not least, how easy you can get to the hotel.
A hotel near the Mestre train station, from where you can get to Venice in about 10 minutes, it may be more suitable for you than a hotel near San Marco Square – an expensive and crowded area. After all, it’s just your decision, and if you haven’t decided yet, use the links below:
Hotels in Venice | Hotels in Lido | Hotels in Murano | Hotels in Burano | Hotels in Mestre | Hotels in Marghera
