Al Campanile

Hotel Description

I remember stumbling upon Al Campanile kind of by accident – well, not really, I’d booked it online after hearing from a friend who’d stayed in San Polo before, but you know what I mean. It’s tucked away in this quiet little campo called Sant’ Aponal, right in the heart of San Polo, which is one of those neighborhoods in Venice that feels more like the real deal than the tourist traps around San Marco. I arrived on foot from the Rialto vaporetto stop, dragging my suitcase over a couple of those arched bridges – honestly, it’s a bit of a workout if you’ve got heavy bags, but the walk takes you past these tiny bacari (that’s what locals call the wine bars) where you can grab a quick spritz and some cicchetti if you time it right in the late afternoon. The hotel itself is in this old building with a bell tower nearby – hence the name, I suppose – and when I checked in, the staff were super welcoming, chatting in that mix of Italian and English that makes you feel like you’re not just another guest. No big lobby fuss; it’s intimate, with this faint smell of fresh linen and maybe a hint of the canal water outside, which isn’t as off-putting as it sounds in the summer humidity.

What really won me over was the room – I had one on the upper floor overlooking the campo, and let me tell you, waking up to the sound of church bells and pigeons cooing (okay, sometimes it’s a bit noisy in the mornings, but that’s Venice for you) beats any alarm clock. The decor’s got this classic Venetian vibe, with exposed beams and those heavy drapes that block out the light when you need a siesta after pounding the pavements. Beds are comfy, sort of firm but not too much, and the bathroom had one of those rain showers that actually works – no weak dribble like in some older spots I’ve stayed. Breakfast is served in this cozy downstairs area, nothing extravagant, but the cappuccinos are spot-on and they do fresh pastries from a bakery just down the calle (that’s alley for us non-locals). It’s not right on the Grand Canal, so you avoid the constant boat traffic noise, but you’re only a five-minute wander to the Rialto Market, where you can pick up some of the freshest seafood or just people-watch the vendors yelling in dialect. Oh, and if you’re there in shoulder season like October, it’s blissfully quiet after dark – no rowdy crowds spilling over from the bars near Campo San Polo, which is just a stone’s throw away.

All in all, I’d say Al Campanile punches above its weight for a 4-star in Venice – that 8.9 rating feels earned, especially if you’re after something authentic without the sky-high prices of the big chains. It’s not perfect; the Wi-Fi can be spotty in the back rooms (I mean, thick stone walls and all), and if you’re sensitive to stairs, note there’s no elevator in parts of the building. But honestly, for soaking in the city’s rhythm – think lazy afternoons exploring hidden sotoporteghi (those underpasses) or nipping over to the Frari church for some Titian masterpieces – this place is a gem. If you’re planning a trip, book early for the canal-view rooms; they’re worth the extra few euros, and it’ll make your Venice story one to tell.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $230. Deluxe Apartment with 2 × 1 large double bed and 2 single beds for Max persons: 3

Reviews

• Great location – Lynda from United Kingdom – 15 April 2025 (9/10)

  Beautiful big apartment in the perfect location. Great wifi. Very comfortable.
  Only negatives were no mirrors in bedrooms and could maybe do with a couple of fresh towels.
  Helpful host

• This rental made our vacation a dream come true!! Very comfortable, close to all and we loved the piazza, lively but not – Michele from United States – 25 February 2025 (10/10)

  We LOVED everything about our stay here! It's close to everything, very comfortable and check in/out is very easy!
  
  What could be improved: There isn't one complaint or dislike that we experienced!

• Exceptional – Eliza from Armenia – 28 October 2024 (10/10)

  Perfect location and very helpful host.
  
  What could be improved: Only the noise outside the apartment but this is the price for living in the center of Venice.

• Great location, beautiful and spacious apartment. – Carolin from United States – 7 September 2024 (10/10)

  Great location, beautiful and spacious apartment. Close to everything and easy to access. Lots of room, large kitchen and bathrooms.
  
  What could be improved: The washer did not work

• Lovely place to stay, would stay here again! – Amy from United Kingdom – 15 April 2024 (9/10)

  Property was located centrally, really easy to get to from public transport. Check in instructions were clear and easy to follow. The apartment had great facilities and was clean, and beds were very comfy.
  
  What could be improved: Not a quiet place to stay – we stayed off season and up until about 12pm there was a constant stream of people walking past the apartment and the windows did nothing to keep noise out. This is the sacrifice you make to stay so centrally, and I imagine most places in Venice have some level of noise at night!
  
  Still was able to get some rest – but not ideal if you are a light sleeper!

• Perfect location – Gina from Ireland – 4 April 2024 (10/10)

  I would highly recommend this apartment for a stay in Venice. It is very clean and extremely spacious, and the beds were so comfortable for all of us (family of 5). Our contact for our stay was Mirco, who was very helpful and also answered any query very quickly. The location is perfect, so close to the Rialto Bridge, San Polo is wonderful with great shops and restaurants nearby (Hostario Sant'Aponal is in the square next to the apartment and Al Gobbo di Rialto is very near and the food was absolutely delicious in both). If you want to buy a Venetian style mask, there is a local shop called Gli Amici di Pierrot, where the lovely lady owner makes them herself and they are a great souvenir. We all fell Iove with Venice, it was one of our best trips ever and this apartment was part of that reason. To sum up, it was very central, lovely neighbourhood, clean, spacious and fabulous!!! 10 out of 10.
  
  What could be improved: Nothing…it was wonderful for us.

• Amazing flat, in a very good location, proving enough space for a family of 5 – Tayisiya from United Kingdom – 21 August 2023 (10/10)

  It is very impressive, very spacious and comfortable. It also gave a feeling of a home.
  
  What could be improved: Everything was really good, no comment here

• we had the most wonderful stay and we would definitely look to return to this property. – Fay from Australia – 24 July 2023 (9/10)

  the location was superb and the staff were great directing us to where we needed to go. the size of the apartment and the cleanliness was refreshing! the vicinity to restaurants and the supermarket were very convenient.
  
  What could be improved: I would have loved a few more cooking ammenities. eg cooking oil. instructions on how to use the oven.

• Clean spacious, well appointed apartment in good location. – Nick from United Kingdom – 20 July 2023 (9/10)

  Great location, large apartment, very efficient air con (stayed in middle of heat wave), comfortable.
  
  What could be improved: In twin room one of beds is a full width camp bed. Lot of noise of renovation from apartment above when we stayed. Electricity tripped several times during our stay, but didn’t detract from stay.

• Very enjoyable stay in a lovely apartment in beautiful Venice – Geraldine from Ireland – 24 June 2023 (10/10)

  Lovely spacious modern apartment with air conditioning. Would definitely recommend.
  
  The apartment is in a very good location and it is very easy to walk to Rialto bridge and from there to St. Mark’s Square. Vaporetto (water taxi) stops nearby if you prefer not to walk.
  
  What could be improved: Very hard to find the Apartment when we arrived. Much more detailed instructions are needed giving a step by step explanation mentioning Street signs and landmarks/shops/restaurants you will pass by as you make your way to the Apartment from vaporetto stop:
  
  A) Rialto Mercato
  Or
  B) San Silvestro
  
  Due to flight delays we arrived into Venice around midnight and we could not find the Apartment even though we knew it was close by as Google maps do NOT work in this area and brought us completely off track.
  
  Eventually due to the amazing kindness of two Italian ladies who rang the host to get directions for us and who walked with us we found the Apartment. The ladies also could not find it via Google maps!!

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities