Biasutti Villa Ada - Venice, Italy 

Attached to the main hotel of the Biasutti group - owned by Best Western, this hotel provided standard accommodation in a great location. I didn't see any of the rooms in the main hotel, but the Villa Nora is attached to it by a ground floor bar. The decor was a little old but I didn't go to Venice for the decor of the hotel room! Our room was two singles pushed together, with their own linen. As mother and daughter, we were fine with this arrangement. There was a large en-suite bathroom with a powerful shower over the jacuzzi bath (the jacuzzi jets spurted out dirt when used). The hotel breakfast was very good in comparison to most I read on tripadvisor. It was a buffet arrangement, where you could choose from a selection of sweet pastries, croissants, toast, scrambled or boiled eggs, a selection of different sliced ham and a plentiful quantity of coffee or juices. The desk staff were very friendly and helpful, though they directed us to tourist restaurants even when we said we preferred more traditional fare. In a few minutes you can be at the beach, most of which, in that area, is private, with a small rubbish-strewn area for the public. The hotel have an arrangement with another hotel chain (?who), for you to hire a beach hut. I was quoted €48 for half-day but we would have to share with others. We didn't take them up on it. The hotel is situated just a 3-5 minute walk from the ferry dock, where you can board the waterbus to almost anywhere - travelling in a clockwise or anticlockwise direction of Venice itself. This area of Lido was also popular with Italians. There are plenty of bars and restaurants (offer standard tourist menu's). If travelling for more than 3 days, I recommend a travel pass (we bought an Orange pass) which allows travel on any vaporetto around Venice - including the Lagoon boats and Lido buses. Some also offer free admission to some of museums. We got free entry to the Palazzo Ducale - well worth the extra euro on the travel pass. We got a great deal from statravel, but Best Western prices on-line were very similar. Elaine :)