Find out whether it's cheaper to stay in Venice or Mestre and get inspired by our tips for cheap and quality hotels.

Where to stay in Venice

Whenever you travel to the 'city on the lagoon', the big question is whether to stay in Venice or Mestre on the mainland. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.

The historic centre of Venice

Historic Venice is small and there is no need to subdivide it into other areas. The advantage is obvious - you'll be living right in the centre of the action and you won't have to move anywhere in the morning and evening. You can easily walk everywhere and enjoy the true atmosphere for the whole stay. The disadvantage of high prices is something you can deduce for yourself. In particular, the accommodation around Santa Lucia Station and St Mark's Square is among the most expensive in the world.

You will experience other minor problems when travelling with a suitcase on wheels. The streets of Venice are not a very good place to handle luggage.

View prices and availability of hotels in Venice

Below are just the hotels you'll find right in the historic centre of Venice.

Cheapest hotels (approx. up to 100 eur)

• Albergo San Marco - A beautiful hotel very close to St. Mark's Square, one of the cheapest in the area
• Hotel San Gallo - quiet smaller hotel on the main pedestrian route between San Marco and the Rialto Bridge
• Hotel Gorizia a La Valigia - a hotel decorated in the style of old Venetian apartments on the main pedestrian route between San Marco and the Rialto Bridge

Standard 3* hotels (approx. up to 120 eur)

• Grand Canal Suite - views of the Grand Canal and a great location by the station
• Residenza d'Epoca San Cassiano - 4* hotel right on the Grand Canal with furnishings evocative of old Venetian apartments, but modern and clean
• Ca Dell'Arte - stylish guesthouse near the Ponte dell Accademia bridge with beautiful rooms and great breakfast

International chains (from 110 eur to 200 eur)

• BW Premier Collection CHC Continental - one of the cheapest multinational concept hotels, in a great location by the Grand Canal and the train station
• NH Venezia Santa Lucia - another classic right overlooking the Grand Canal by the station, which never surprises
• Hilton Molino Stucky Venice - the cheapest 5-star hotel on Giudecca Island, overlooking Venice and with its own water bus station

Luxury hotels (above 200 eur)

• H10 Palazzo Canova - 4* hotel on the Ponte Rialto with a beautiful roof terrace overlooking the Grand Canal
• Hotel Londra Palace - 5* luxury hotel in a very quiet location with breathtaking views of the sea and the church on San Giorgio Island
• Radisson Collection Hotel, Palazzo Nani Venice - If you prefer well-known 5* hotels, this Radisson near the station on a quiet canal side is the ideal choice

Mestre on the mainland

The town of Mestre offers ideal value for money. Mestre itself is an industrial town with no notable monuments, so it really only serves as an overnight stop.

Commuting to Venice is described in the Transport chapter and is not the slightest problem. If you add trains, buses and trams together, there is a train between Mestre and Venice roughly every 2 minutes.

The best place to live is around the main station or the historic centre of Mestre. If you're really going hard for the lowest price, choose a location where one of the direct public transport links to Venice passes through.

View Mestre hotels

Hotels near Mestre Station

You'll have the advantage of frequent train and bus connections to Venice, as well as direct buses to both Venice's Marco Polo and Treviso airports.

• Staycity Aparthotels Venice Mestre - Popular chain of simple but modern and fully equipped studios with kitchens, prices from 75 eur
• Campanile Venice Mestre - well-known chain of simple, modern and clean hotels, prices from 80 eur
• Hotel Plaza - a classic 3-star hotel with excellent ratings couldn't be closer to the station, as it's right across the street from the station building, prices from 80 eur

Hotels in the centre of Mestre

Not happy with the area around the station and would like to stay in the pretty centre of Mestre? Here, hotels are even a little cheaper than near the station and there is a direct tram line to Venice.

• Villa Crispi - Simple guesthouse with all the necessary facilities 150 metres from the tram stop, great prices from 35 eur
• Hotel Garibaldi - A traditional 3* hotel that doesn't disappoint just a short walk from the centre and 200 metres from the tram stop, prices from 45 eur

Accommodation near the Venetian beaches

Want to combine a trip to Venice with a swim in the sea? Then focus your attention on the island of Lido di Venezia, with its several kilometres of sandy beaches and the 15-minute water bus ride to St Mark's Square... Expect even longer and livelier beaches on the more distant Lido di Jesolo, from where it takes about 40 minutes by bus + water bus to the centre of Venice.

• Beachfront hotels on Lido di Venezia
• Hotels by the beach on Lido di Jesolo

Islands on the Venetian lagoon

Finally, if you'd like to stay away from the main tourist centre, but on romantic islets with canals, small houses and a peaceful Venetian atmosphere, check out the hotels on the islets in the Venetian Lagoon, from which you can reach the historic centre by water bus in under an hour.

• Accommodation on the island of Murano, an islet famous for its glass production, is more touristy than the others, but you'll find plenty of quieter spots than in the centre of Venice itself
• Accommodation on the island of Burano - a hidden treasure of Venice, a small island with colourful houses along the canals, which is touristy during the day, but in the evening you will soak up the authentic atmosphere of old Venice

Accommodation prices

Venice itself is logically one of the most expensive cities. Space is scarce and tourists are plentiful, so hotels are never short of clients and nothing forces them to keep prices down. When staying in a regular hotel in the centre, expect to pay around the same price per night for two 120 eur.

On the other hand, mainland Mestre is on a par with any other city in Europe, here you can comfortably fit in 75 eur for a room.

In Venice, prices are very sensitive to the seasons.

Expect to pay up to 40% more during the holidays (especially in August, when Italians go on holiday in droves) than you would in, say, November. The same is true in February, when the city hosts the Venetian Carnival, and in late August and early September during the Venice Film Festival. If you're planning to go during these periods, don't leave booking to the last minute, but plan at least 2-3 months in advance.