"Perfectly ok........" Alloggi Marinella Tip by leics

This is a conveniently located hotel/guesthouse about 5 minutes walk from Piazzale Roma (buses and main vaporetti ticket office) and 10 from the train station. You can walk to Piazza San Marco in about 20 minutes, so it's a good base.

It's on a 'Rio Terra', a street which is a filled-in ex-canal: very wide, residential, quiet.

Rooms are clean and pleasant, as are bathrooms (see photo). Television, fridge, room safe included. Air con too (not used when I was there...and it was a bit chilly, to be honest). Breakfast consists of cereal and a croissant, with factory-produced packeted biscottes/pastries. Good coffee, and a choice of juices.

There are no public rooms other than the breakfast room, but (unusually) there is a table with English books to borrow: a nice touch. There is a little garden (breakfast served there in summer) which leads onto a grassed courtyard area shared with adjoining houses.

Service was courteous and helpful. There is only someone on the premises from 8 until 3, however; you get your own key to the front door (as well as the room and the safe) so bringing a keyring or suchlike is a good idea. There is a mobile number which can be called for emergencies.

For Venice, this is a good value base.

Unique Qualities: I arrived in a raging thunderstorm with lashing rain, so it wasn't easy to find the hotel! Hence the need for detailed instructions here:

Get off the airport bus (from either airport) and walk straight ahead, under the bus sign and down the steps by the public toilets (see photo). Turn right, go up and over one bridge. Walk straight on, and take the next on the right (Rio Terra dei Pensieri). The hotel is about halfway down, on the lefthand side.

If you arrive by train, cross the bridge outside the station, turn right and walk down to the second canal. Turn left here (Fondamenta Papadopoli) and then cross the next bridge on your right. Turn left, walk a little bit and take the first right into Rio Terra dei Pensieri.

Address: Rio terra  dei Pensieri, Sestiere Santa Croce 34
Comparison: about average
Directions: See above.
Price: US$120-180
Theme: Hotel