Pensione Guerrato

Pensione Guerrato is housed in a historic property built in 1227. It was donated to the nuns of St Lawrence who leased its rooms to Venetians and merchants passing through the city in the 1300s. Today, the hotel is popular with both couples and families, and many are return customers. The owners pride themselves on providing a comfortable home-away-from-home and do go the extra mile for their guests. The decor gives glimpses of the property's past with antiques and artifacts from various eras in the lobby and hallways. The atmosphere is quiet, friendly, and relaxed. 

For tourists, the location of the Pensione Guerrato is hard to beat. It lies in front of the Grand Canal and just 100 meters from the famous Rialto Bridge. Next to the building is the Rialto marketplace, where crowds of Venetians gather every morning to shop for fresh fruit, vegetables, and fish. The Rialto Market ferry stop is also here, making it easy to get around the city quickly on water. There are lots of restaurants in the streets around the hotel -- many offering canal-side dining. There are plenty of shops and bars too. For seeing the sights, St Mark's Square, Santa Maria Formosa Church, the Bridge of Sighs, and Querini Stampalia museum and library are all within a 10-minute walk through pretty, cobbled streets and over picturesque bridges. 

The rooms at Pensione Guerrato are brightly painted and classically furnished. They have antique furniture and some include original features like stucco works from the hotel's medieval past. The rooms are extremely spacious and many can accommodate up to five people, so are perfect for families. Although amenities are very limited -- there’s no TV and only limited toiletries in the bathroom -- all the rooms do have air-conditioning. Those that overlook the market square can sometimes be noisy at night as the area attracts crowds during the day and evening. From other rooms though, there are great views of the Grand Canal and the Ca’ d’Oro Palace. Each bathroom is unique, but they’re all modern and spotlessly clean. 

There's no restaurant or bar at the Pensione Guerrato but a buffet breakfast is included and served in the charming breakfast room where the green walls are adorned with paintings and gilded mirrors. There are dark wood tables and chairs, and a Murano glass chandelier. The breakfast is a decent spread of yogurt, cereal, toast, pâtè, croissants, bread, jams, cheese, fresh fruit, and tea and coffee. There is free Wi-Fi here, but reception is better in some rooms than others. It's also worth noting that there's no elevator, so rooms on a higher floor are guaranteed a daily workout.