Locanda Leon Bianco - Venice, Italy 

'A Gem of a Place' was how the Venice Travel Guide described the hotel. It was our first time to Venice, so we wanted something special. We decided to splash out on a hotel on the Grand Canal, the view from the room made up for the noise from the Canal all night long, so if you are a light sleeper be warned, it is very noisy. At 220 euros a night though, it was an expensive view. We paid the extra to stay in one of the 'better' rooms. There was no tea or coffee facilities in the room, breakfast was the usual basic croissant and bread roll, plus glass of orange and tea/coffee. I was convinced we had booked a room with air conditioning, if I did then it turned out to be an electric fan and my partner spotted flea's! Having said all that, the location was great, directions from the hotel perfect so we found it easy. The couple who managed the hotel were very friendly and on our last day we had a very early flight and she came from the mainland to make us a cup of tea. Would we go back to Venice again, definitely! Would we stay in the hotel again? Probably not, we would find a hotel off the Canal and if we went in June again, would double check the airconditioning unit was not a fan!

We arrived at the hotel at 3:30pm - exhausted - and dragged our bags up the beautiful old stone stairs to the reception noting that they'd recently been restored. We'd passed another couple waiting below in the dark entryhall with their luggage - and wondered what it was they were waiting for. A very nice, effervescent lady in exhuberant colourful clothing - later to be known as Leila - offered us the sofa in the reception and rushed down the marble stairs. A minute later she was back up the stairs hauling one of their large cases - which wasn't much smaller than herself. "That's why I advised you to wait for me" she said to them, puffing slightly with a broad smile. This immediately impressed us - particularly as many times in Italy we'd been led, unaided, luggage in tow, up flights and flights of stairs without the slightest possibility of a helping hand from the perfectly groomed staff vigilant not to break a sweat! The other couple were probably on the road since the early hours like ourselves. Inbetween dealing with the other couple Leila stole a moment to thrust a bottle of water into my wife's hand. Then it was our turn to be received. To our further surprise she said "We have three rooms that we can offer you. I'll give you a look and you can tell us which one you like the best." The basement one was recently refurbished and featured three windows letting out onto the Riva S.Apostoli. Remarkable. We could if we wished lie in bed and watch the Gondolas slide by at eye level. The next room - upstairs was less plush but also large with a good bathroom. It overlooked the same canal as the basement did and if you looked out the widow, to the left you could even see the Grand Canal itself. We were already impressed before she showed us the next - with some trepidation referring to it as the "Funny Room". A huge space with a bizarre mural featuring some moorish looking scene with camels! We were once again - to her astonishment - impressed. This room overlooked the rear of the hotel and the small campo. She left us then to ponder our dilemma. Each room was great in different ways - even the 'funny one' ("What - you mean you like it?"). After 20 minutes We went for the 1st floor one overlooking the rio. We ended up having a very nice stay and really feel that we'd return to the hotel on another trip. The breakfasts were monotnonous but it's pretty standard fare in Italy: overly refined croissants, rolls and jams. Italians don't really go in for breakfast anyway. 'When in Rome...' Leila even asked us that evening if "you'd like more hot chocolate in the morning" - we hadn't asked, she just thought to offer extra. The stairs where two steep flights. Other reviewers here have complained about them but if you're of average fitness there's no problem. It's all fun. My only quibble would be the wonky connection in the bedside lamp and the fan which didn't work in the bathroom. These are a minor number of faults based on previous experience and to be fair we forgot to to tell the hotel so they may not even be aware of them. It's amazing the number of faults you find in some places! We enquired on the last day about the Ca' DeMosto next door which was the original Albergo Leon Bianco and if TV presenter/Architect Francesco De Mosto might have bought it back to restore it. It looked from the outside as if an attempt to restore had got underway and then halted. They weren't sure if he now had it again - but that the De Mosto family had sold it way back in the 15th Century. Apparently it was the first palace on the Grand Canal and later a very famous hotel. Our hotel was a part of it during the 19th Century; JMW Turner the painter staying in Room 4 and the Emperor of Austria booked the whole building for himself. Behind the hotel, near Strada Nuova is where the ill-fated Doge Marin Falier had his palace before being executed for treason. The 'Unluckiest Doge'. We were sad to leave and I think if the basement room is anything to go by the rest of the hotel is probably soon to be renovated. Meaning, perhaps that it will become more expensive to stay in. We definitely recommend the Leon Bianco. It proved to us that the quality of the staff is, in a way, everything. Perhaps some day we'll get a front room over the Canale Grande.