Venice help weekend after next please

[lingle]

hello there,

After a conference in Bologna, DH, the Dss (9 and 6) and I would like to spend the nights of 17th and 18th March in Venice.

I just don't know where to start. Our hosts in Bologna recommended a place that was full.

We would like to just be somewhere fairly central, take boats and amble about for a weekend for very little agenda.

I'd appreciate advice on bits of Vence to stay in and also on a good booking site. I went to what I think was the official tourist information site for Venice - it just gave me 561 pensiones to choose from..... the first three weren't even open in March...

Hi,

Can't help with recommending a hotel as only been there for a day, but for booking sites you could try expedia, bookings.com, venere.com. I have used all of them with no problems. trivago.com is also useful for price comparisons but will only give you a double or single room choice (as far as I can see) - but you can then go to the hotel website (the links are on trivago) and have a look there if you find anything you like.

Good luck with finding somewhere!

Hotel Ketts, close to St Marco Square, very clean, lovely staff.

Advice, do not buy knock off hand bag
Gondolas expensive, masks are beautiful and very good price, glass work is wonderful, Ice cream is a MUST. It get very bust at the main tourist sites so go early and be ready to queue, large bottles of water are much better value to buy, Signs are misleading, you will get lose

right.
bookings.com and bring your ice-cream appetite.

sorted, thanks ladies.

Hi I lived in Venice as a student, so know it reasonably (long time ago now!).
Don't get too hung up about staying somewhere 'central' in Venice pretty much everywhere is central as it is so small and easy to walk everywhere or get the vaporetto (water bus) which is a great experience, and far more authentically Venetian than a gondola - the kids will love it. Part of the joy is just wandering and seeing where you find yourselves, stopping for lots of ice cream and thick hot chocs on the way.
When DP and I stayed about 5 years ago we stayed in Hotel Dolomiti which is unromantically near the station, but family run, been there for years and has a particularly good environmental record - which sounds a bit extreme-green, but the health of the Lagoon is really important to the health of the city. It isn't luxury though. You can get the vaporetto to the Rialto or San Marco in 2 mins walk.
Have a fab weekend, I am very green!