OK!

Fantastic location, but nothing special. The staff are typically Italian and very friendly. Only breakfast is served which is average. The bar decor is dated as is the hotel as a whole. Service in the bar is exceptionally slow.

The rooms are adequate and clean. The bathrooms really need to be refurbished however. 25% of the rooms can only be accessed by stairs so if mobility is a problem i would think carefully about this hotel. Having said that you cant beat the location as it is literally three metres off St Marks Square and all those lovely designer shops! Good for a weekend but upgrade if your staying any longer!

Overall its not up to the Best Western Standard in America, so dont expect anything amazing.

Great for a winter break

To echo most of the other reviews, this hotel is in a great spot - about 30m from San Marco. The staff are polite and efficient rather than gushing, and there is no attempt to push Murano trips. Breakfast is adequate - which probably counts as pretty good in venice - a buffet of cereals, breads, meat, cheese and pastries, also some fresh and tinned fruit. We had a great room - classified as a junior suite - which had beautiful painted furniture, parquet flooring and a view over the gondola basin and the top of the Campanile. The '3 nights for the price of 2' offer made this quite a snip at just £260 for 2 of us for 3 nights. (We got this through a booking agency rather than direct from BW). With the poor Eur to pound exchange rate at the moment this really worked out as good value. I would certainly stay here again at this off-season rate, especailly as in winter you want to be sure of warmth and plentiful hot water and don't need to worry about having a garden or getting away from the crowds. From the floorplan some of the rooms did look quite small - again this is common in Venice so if you book a 'standard' double you can expect it to be quite cramped - anything big will likely be advertised as deluxe, superior or a junior suite.

Woderful Stay

This hotel couldn't be in a better place. Literally steps to St. Marks Square. The room was beautiful. Gorgeously decorated and spotless. The staff wasn't overly friendly, but I am looking for a nice stay, not new friends. Sitting out on the little terrace overlooking the gondola basin having great drinks from the bar is an experience I will never forget. I was in the annex across the walk from the main building and everything worked fine.

Great location and price

We stayed at this hotel last fall and really enjoy the location. It was clean had the basic things we needed. The room was kinda small and the bed took most of the room but we did not spend much time in our room. We really enjoyed the hotel bar each evening. Their bartender makes great drinks. I recommend the Brown Cow.

Great location

Stayed here in May 2002. Very comfortable and clean hotel. Great location. Just off Saint Mark's Square. Employees very helpful too. Now recommending to friends.

Excellent Location

My mom, younger brother, and I stayed at this hotel right after Christmas. We were pleased with the Best Western, the location could not have been any better only a few minutes from Saint Mark's Square, and the staff was helpful. I think it is difficult to compare American chain hotels with European because the standards are quite different.

The only downside was I felt their was a lot of noise, but we were able bear with it. I would recommend this hotel and would stay here again.

Worst Western

I am shocked that anyone would rate this hotel favorably. This is a "tourist" hotel in the worst sense of that word. Sad fact is that they get plenty of business because of the location and don't need our reviews. Be prepared for 25-year-old decor in the public spaces, tiny rooms and an indifferent staff. The one positive review on this site must have come from the Best Western PR staff. Just think about what you'd come to expect from a Best Western motel in the U.S. Well, that pretty much describes what you'll get here.

Fabulous Location

Excellent position, literally steps away from St Mark's Square and overlooking the gondola basin. This is the oldest hotel in Venice, but it is superbly renovated. Plenty of restaurants in vicinity. Highly recommended.

Great Location, but ...

The hotel has a great location and my room had a good view over the gondola basin. But it does not reach the standard you would expect of a 4 star. There was little space left in my room after the double bed had been squeezed in, and I expect tea/coffee making facilities in a Best Western hotel room - none were forthcoming even after I asked. There was no restaurant and no room service. Breakfast is a buffet and is OK by Italian standards. The worst was when the toilet was flushed in either of the neighbouring rooms, because it sounded like a plane was taking off.

Good location but....

The web site gives accurate information about the hotel. The location is really great for walking about and exploring Venice. The gondola park nearby is busy and interesting if a bit noisy. The room are clean and the staff are very helpful and courteous. The style is a dated 70's mock venetian and starting to get shabby. The breakfast is poor with nearly all packet or tinned food. No real toast. Unfortunately the bar is not a local nightspot and even though the barman is a good host, its dead. In summary its reasonable value but eat out for breakfast.