Venice, Italy, is a beautiful city to visit. If you're on a budget, a safe and cheap hotel in Venice can be difficult to find, particularly if you're not familiar with the country. When visiting, you may need to change your expectations of what you want from a hotel to find Venice accommodations within your budget.
Read online Venice hotel reviews submitted by travelers to set your expectation level. When looking for a cheap hotel in Venice you may expect a room in the $100 to $150 range that is comparable to a standard American hotel room; this is an unrealistic expectation. Numerous hotels in Venice appear to be former homes that have been converted into hotels. Guests share bathrooms, and the rooms are tiny compared to what you may be used to. The furniture is usually older but functional. Once you have become comfortable with that concept, use the TripAdvisor website to read reviews and target cheap hotel rates that fit your budget.
Call for information. After you have identified a list of hotels in Venice that look promising, start calling their front desk staff for information on room availability and size. Use Skype on your computer to call the hotels inexpensively. The calls give you a level of awareness of whether English is spoken at the front desk of the hotel as well as an idea of what types of rooms are available, especially when you are booking at the last minute. Many smaller hotels do not have elaborate websites with provisions for booking online. Ask about where the hotel is with respect to the main Venice attractions. Cheaper hotels are available a bus ride away from the attractions; however, it may be better to get a hotel in walking distance from the attractions if you are going to be pressed for time.
Once you are comfortable with which hotel you want to stay in, you likely be asked to send your credit card number by email to the hotel staff. You may be uncomfortable with doing that for security reasons but it is a normal practice in Italy so go ahead with it after doing some research on the hotel. You should receive an email confirmation of the reservation after you provide your information.
Upon arriving in Venice, be prepared to walk with your luggage to get to your hotel. Wear comfortable shoes and travel light. The architecture, ambiance, coffee, food and shopping are world renowned, so use your hotel as a place to sleep and spend your precious Euros on exciting activities.
