Hotel Sant'Elena - Venice, Italy     

Travelled to Venice with Easy Jet through Thomsons city Break. Firstly the best way to arrive at your hotel is by pre booked transfers COST ?21 each way per person, speedy water taxi transfer to your hotel. You can get water taxi on arrival at Marc Polo airport cost 90 euro each way or public water bus ?12 euro(slow journey). Venice if fantastic arrived at hotel at the end of venice island away from the crowds, situated 50 yards from sant Elena water bus stop in a residential area. Hotel room was large with Queen size bed, very clean and excellent air conditioning, very contempary black and white modern. Hotel bar and resturant serving breakfast mostly continental with cooked bacon,toast machine, cereal, yougot, cake ,cold meats, fruit, tea coffee juices. Evening meal are expensive but so is most of Venice, we had a wonderful meal on our first night followed by a stroll to St Mark sq approx 30 mins stroll where Sir Elton John was in concert live outside in St Maro FANTASIC. Venice doesn't smell even at 30 degree plus, stroll around the tiny street, with shops ands stalls, churches, see as much culture and museums as you want or just enjoy Venice as we did. (map require) Get a water bus ticket cost 21 euro 36 hours hop on and off when you like tour the grand canal and if you get lost hop on water bus and back to a point you know. Cross the Ritalo Bridge to the fruit market and stalls, the views are fab. A gondonla is a must 100 euro for 35 mins but you have to do it. We had a day on beach at Lido which was great after a sight seeing for two days and nights walking. 29 euro for 2 sunbeds and umberella but well worth it, there is a public beach (free) no beds. The Lido is 5min water bus from sant Elena. I would recommend this hotel to anyone who likes a be just outside the madding crowd.

Just stayed a week and loved it! BIG bedrooms - it's a ex-convent -and excellent room servicing besides a very helpful staff; free ethernet connection and huge selection on a help yourself buffet for breakfast every day. Wonderfully situated out of the usual tourist areas and only 100 yards or so from the No: 1 waterbus stop which is less than 10 minutes from San Marks Square [and which runs every ten minutes] ; we walked to the Square quite easily within 15-20 minutes. One of the best Pizzarias we've ever been to very close - the hotel will point you in the right direction. Would be very happy to stay there again as we judged it to be a great deal!