Venice: low-cost weekend breaks

1. Hotel San Cassiano Ca' Favretto £468
A favourite with upmarket UK tour operators, this is a small (36 room) converted 14th century palazzo quietly located in Santa Croce with a pretty breakfast room overlooking the Grand Canal and Englishspeaking staff. The best room is the main suite (or pick a superior double overlooking the Grand Canal), though some other doubles also have a view (make sure to ask for one of them).
Magic of Italy
(08700 270500; www.magictravelgroup).

2. Hotel Canal and Walter £339
An alternative name might be Canal and Water, given its position on the Grand Canal in Santa Croce. A little way from the centre of the action and close to the railway station (15 minutes to the Rialto Bridge), this restored 32-room palazzo is designed in traditional 18th century Venetian style. Family-run, it has a garden of climbing roses, wisteria and a central well, good for breakfast and evening drinks in the summer. Rooms are baroque in style, some with canal views, some with garden.
3. Sovereign
(08705 768373; www.sovereign.com).

Tintoretto £362
Next to the bell tower of the 15th century Church of Santa Fosca in the residential area of Cannaregio, the Tintoretto is a small, family-run hotel: 17 bright and simple rooms have views onto the Canale San Felice.
Italian Journeys
(020 7370 6002; www.italian-journeys.com).

4. Arlecchino £413
Close to the Gothic majesty of the church of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari in Santa Croce, with its Titian altarpieces, the Arlecchino has 30 smart, modern rooms with views over a canal and footbridge, and an American-style bar.
Cresta Holidays
(0870 161 0970; www.crestaholidays.co.uk).

5. Locanda la Corte £442
A small hotel housed in a 16th century palazzo in the Castello district, the family-run Locanda la Corte is centred on a traditional Venetian courtyard shaded by trees and filled with flowers, good for breakfast and evening drinks. Rooms (only 16) are traditionally furnished with Venetian chandeliers and rich fabrics and some overlook a small side canal.
Citalia
(020 8686 5533).

6. Bisanzio £483
Formerly the home of the sculptor Alessandro Vittoria, the Bisanzio is just around the corner from the more famous - and much more expensive - five-star Danieli and 50 yards from the lagoon waterfront. Quiet, unassuming, but very good value for the location (off Riva Schiavoni in Calle della Pietà), the hotel is a 45-room restored 16th century building run by the Busetti family. Rooms are decorated in Venetian style, with fine original paintings throughout.
Kirker Holidays
(020 7231 3333).

All prices are per person for three nights' B&B at the weekend in May, with return flights.

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