Venice Hotels

[Meadowgrover]

Can anyone recommend reasonably priced hotels in venice or would it be okay to stay in Mestre and if so how long would it take to get in to venice itself?

[elcee45]

Mestre is not far, I stayed there a couple of years back, frequent bus bus service, can't remember how long maybe 20 mins.

[Buenchico]

It takes around 10 minutes by train from Venezia-Mestre to Venezia-Santa-Lucia (with about 5 trains per hour).

Bus service 15 runs frequently from the centre of Mestre to Piazzale Roma (which is as far as you can go by road when entering Venice). The journey takes around 15 minutes.

For reasonably priced accommodation, try this website:
http://www.hostelworld.com/
(Don't be put off by the word 'hostel' in the URL. Simply use the 'Additional search options' to select 'Guesthouses' and 'Budget hotels'. There are several promising hotels in Mestre, with good reviews).

Chris

[coccinelle]

The charm of Venice is STAYING in Venice. When all the crowds leave to go back to Mestre in the evening and before they arrive about 10.30am you have Venice without the crowds. Visitng the Doge's palace at 9am or St Mark's Balisica at 9.30am means you have plenty of time to visit without being pushed about.
During carnival in February we stayed at the Locanda Orseolo right next to St Mark's Square; they're No1 with tripadvisor for B&B and inns. We had a lovely stay and everything you read is true. As we stayed 5 nights we got a good price.

[Lil O'lady]

I agree with Coccinelle - Mestre is a dismal place (sorry to all those who come from Mestre and love it), and depending on how long you are in Venice you don't want to be spending your time travelling out of the city to sleep.
I recently stayed at the casa ai due leoni (Campiello della Pazienza, 565) - a short walk from the main railway station, very small and quiet but solid and good value.
Hotels tend to be a bit over the odds in the city as opposed to Mestre, for a good reason ie you are in the heart of the place you've come to see.
Like Coccinelle, I was also there during the carnival in February, and the crowds surging to and from the main rail / bus interchange were manic. If this is representative of other peak hoilday periods, you might find yourself having to let full buses / trans go before you can get on one. should you opt to stay in Mestre.

[loonytunes]

Just to balance things, I have stayed in both Venice and Mestre. Mestre is Ok as a base and there are some good cheap hotels there and I found a good pizzeria there late at night on arrival. It can be better than Venice which can be a bit up itself and less personal for the tourist. Venice is also further from the airport.