Hotel Rio

Spread over four adjoining buildings and dotted around narrow corridors, the 18 rooms of the Rio are surprisingly chic and comfortable after a recent makeover. Friendly young staff and services such as beverage-making equipment in a small common room compensate for downsides such as tiny bathrooms. Some rooms sleep up to four people. The hotel’s position is perfect for intense sightseeing, just minutes away from St Mark’s square and very handy for a busy vaporetto stop.