A wonderful and stylish place to stay tucked away from the desperate tourist crush of central Venice.
We spent three nights is one of the smaller rooms overlooking the canal. As we were so busy sightseeing the room was perfect, the breakfasts were a feast and eating in the garden such a serene beginning to our daily adventures.
We found some excellent restaurants within walking distance and made one booking with the help of the staff, well in advance for a special birthday meal. We loved the area, found the traghetto an economical form of gondola and enjoyed "getting lost".
The passes for both churches "Chorus" and water transport are invaluable as you can hop on and off at will without spending a fortune or wearing yourself out.
We were so well looked after and look forward to another visit.

We made our way up from Naples by train to Venice - a five and a half hour trip.

Hotel was a bit difficult to find in the dark, as we did not have good directions (it was booked at the last minute and so I did not even have the address!). The shopkeepers near the hotel did not seem to know of its existence! It is set back in a little alleyway about 100 metres from the main walkway down the right bank. The hotel is unusual in that, to gain access, you walk in a large gateway into a walled garden, complete with fig trees (and figs). The hotel is a lovely old palace and only has 15 bedrooms. The downstairs is given over to a cosy reception (they did not stint on heating) and a communal area where breakfast is served, in ducal surroundings.

The bedroom was not huge, but not bad by Venice standards. It was boiling hot when I went in and so I turned the heating off and turned the heater in the lovely large bathroom on - this proved to be sufficient to heat the bedroom well. The bedroom had large windows that opened on to the garden. About the only criticism I can find is that the view of the garden was slightly blocked by an awning. Enjoyed a lovely night's sleep in the comfortable bed.

The hotel proved to be very central - 2 minutes from the Vaporetta, 4 minutes from Billa supermarket, 10 minutes from Rialto.

Breakfast was made up of a lovely spread of meats, cheeses fruits, boiled eggs, bakes, cereals. We were served beautiful frothy milky coffee. Highlight of breakfast was an absolutely fabulous almond marzipan cake.

The staff in the hotel could not be more friendly and helpful. They said we should view the hotel as “our home in Venice” - and we do!

I have been to Venice many times and this is the most charming and comfortable hotel I have stayed in there. Very highly recommended.

Like everyone else who stays at the Abadessa, I was completely charmed and utterly satisfied. This is the authentic Venetian experience, with staff as gracious and accomodating as you can be.

We stayed for 6 nights in the President's Suite. If you have the opportunity to do so, it's worth the splurge -- two levels, balcony overlooking the canal in a quiet residential neighborhood (albeit steps from busy Strada Nova and a busy Grand Canal vaporetto stop). The antique decor makes you feel like you are on a movie set. And the breakfast! My partner and I are still talking about it months later -- we loved waking up to that sumptuous spread every morning.

The neighborhood is really the best part of all. Rather than "out of the way" or "off the beaten track," I would actually characterize the location of the hotel as "central" -- particularly if you want to explore the entire city, rather just than the San Marco-Rialto-Accademia triumverate (not that they aren't essential as well!). The Strada Nova is a bustling main street that would be worth visiting no matter where you were staying. And the hotel's Cannaregio location makes it much easier to pick up ferries from Fondamenta Nove to Murano, Burano, Torcello or San Michele (the historic cemetery), or to walk to the main train station for a day trip to Padua.

In other words, it really was a magical experience. And don't forget to take a water taxi from the airport -- the door-to-door journey is also worth the splurge!

The Palazzo Abadessa offers much for the visitor to Venice for the first time which we were. I'll attempt to answer the questions I had when looking for hotels in Venice.

Access. As far as getting to the hotel from the airport it is convenient from 2 approaches. If you wish to keep costs down, you can find your way to a vaporetto and exit at the Ca' d'Oro stop. A Google map will show you the way from there to the hotel. It is a short walk and for a minimally physical able person a breeze to get to. We elected to hire a water taxi and once in Venice -- climbed aboard what I'd call a "speed boat" that took us right to the canal entrance to the hotel. We climbed from the boat and walked into the lobby. Same for our departure from the hotel to the ships port. You may want to look into sharing the cost of this as it is not inexpensive but very convenient.

The location is good although not in the mainstream area of Venice. It is close to many restaurants, shopping and the vaporetto. It is and within a reasonable walking distance to for starters, the Rialto bridge and area. I'm not the greatest at walking distances yet we found the distances very acceptable. We even did a walking tour on our own from St Mark's Square back to the hotel. My point here is that while I had concerns initially about location -- that concern was totally unfounded.

The hotel itself is what it is. It's an old palace. To us it was charming and interesting. The morning breakfasts included were ample and we loved sitting in the private courtyard which is peaceful and inviting. We sat there often upon returning from our excursions into Venice. We had a suite on the 2nd floor. The room was huge with a fresco painted on the ceiling. You do need to climb stairs to get to the 2nd and 3rd levels. Noise level? Not an issue. Service? Outstanding as the people go out of their way to assure your stay is acceptable.

We had dinner one evening at Osteria Ca' D'Oro (La Vedova). You can check out reviews on Trip Advisor and decide for yourself. We loved it. Don't be reluctant about this hotel as it is a good choice. I'm sure there are others that offer comparable accommodations - - - but this is among the good ones.