The best cheap hotels in Venice

It’s just a one-star and rooms are basic, but they have pretty terrazzo floors, are spotlessly clean and bright, come with a fridge, fans and free wi-fi, and are in a great location between Piazza San Marco and the Rialto Bridge. Rooms from around £100 either overlook a typical Venetian alley or a peaceful internal courtyard; either way, there’s no lift so be prepared to haul your wheelie up the stairs of this historic building; you can fortify yourself with free tea and coffee between 8am and 2pm.

Elegant individually decorated rooms with antique pieces, wooden floors, free wi-fi and canal views, some from balconies, make this a lovely choice for those on a budget – especially as they can be had for as little as £60 in low season, rising to just £100 in high. Breakfast is free, and served in the bright kitchen of owners Marco and Alice.

Basic decor in six doubles, two singles and dorms sleeping up to six are what’s on offer at this nice hostel, housed in a girls’ school where Vivaldi once taught music. The rooms, all with AC, satellite TV and free wifi, are set across the two top floors of an elegant palazzo, so have great views, only topped by those from the rooftop terrace, where free breakfast is served in summer. Private rooms in high season cost as little as £75.

Six basic rooms with free wi-fi, AC and colourful bedding are what’s on offer at this quiet guesthouse off the Riva degli Schiavoni in the Castello district. The best is the one that includes its own private terrace, but all offer easy access to the Grand Canal and St Mark’s Square, which is less than a ten-minute walk away, and start from less than £90 a night.

A five-minute walk away from the Rialto Bridge and spectacular Ca D’Oro lies this one star spot, but don’t be fooled by that one star. This is a beauty of a little hotel, its rooms featuring the kind of traditional décor and original features you’d expect to find in much more expensive hotels, as well as free wifi, AC and tea- and coffee-making facilities. Some rooms have canal views too, and high season prices start from around £125.

Eight rooms are simple but clean and colourful in this little university district option, where bustling campo Santa Margherita provides heaps of good eating, drinking and shopping spots. Colourful accents are offered in the bedding, but otherwise rooms are plain white and sparsely furnished, but bright and equipped with free wifi and AC, plus they all have balconies, some with views over the Grand Canal – which, for less than £100 in summer, you wouldn’t have thought possible.

Located in Santa Croce close to the railway station and Piazzale Roma, the selling point for this simple hotel are the ten white minimalist rooms, all en suite and all sporting nice individual touches like antique headboards or . Some have balconies and views, all have AC, TV and free wifi, and they start from around £100 in high season. Breakfast (extra charge) is available too, though in this location there are plenty of good options nearby.

Hard to believe you could get a room for around £100 in high season set in a gorgeous former Augustinian monastery, especially when that gives you access to a lovely peaceful courtyard garden with tables and chairs, where a free breakfast is served in summer. The modern rooms aren’t to sniffed at either, with functional décor, free wifi, AC and fridge in all of them. The location, one minute from the San Tomà vaparetto stop and five minutes’ walk from The Accademia, is pretty perfect too.

If you like the idea of getting away from the crowds, this stunner could well be the answer. Set on the island of St Erasmo in house that looks like something out of ‘Little House on the Prairie’ from the outside, brightly coloured rooms are basic but clean and sweet. All come with free wifi and private bathrooms, and some have balconies. Start your day with a continental breakfast, grab a free bike to explore the island, get back for an Aperol at the bar before dinner in the restaurant and you’ve no need to leave the island at all – though as you’ll be paying just £100 in high season you may well want to go out and spend, spend, spend.

This always reliable and fun budget/hostel chain offers a whopping 240 beds in doubles, triples, family rooms and dorms sleeping up to 16 (some single sex) in a former waterfront warehouse in the heart of La Guidecca. The hip décor and funky restaurant and bar give it a lively ambience, while smart rooms (with free wifi) featuring a bit of exposed brick here and elegant rug there come in at well under £100 in high season.