Casa San Giovanni e Paolo

Casa San Giovanni e Paolo Overview

First Impressions

Walking through the narrow streets of Cannaregio to reach Casa San Giovanni e Paolo, you honestly feel like you’re discovering one of Venice‘s best-kept secrets. This three-star boutique hotel sits tucked away on Calle della Testa, and I mean tucked away — you’ll walk past it twice before spotting the discreet entrance. But that’s part of its charm, really. The moment you step inside, there’s this immediate sense of calm that’s pretty rare in Venice, especially during peak season.

The Perfect Venetian Hideaway

What strikes you first is how the hotel manages to feel both intimate and spacious at the same time. The common areas have this lovely mix of traditional Venetian elements — think exposed beams and terrazzo floors — with modern touches that actually work. You know what I really appreciated? The staff genuinely seems to care about making your stay memorable, not just checking you in and disappearing. They’ll give you those insider tips about which bacari serve the best cicchetti, and honestly, their restaurant recommendations were spot-on every time.

Location That Can’t Be Beat

Here’s the thing about Casa San Giovanni e Paolo’s location — it’s absolutely brilliant. You’re in Cannaregio, which means you get that authentic neighborhood feel without being stuck in the tourist chaos of San Marco. The Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo is literally around the corner, and it’s one of those grand Venetian squares that somehow stays relatively peaceful. I found myself grabbing morning coffee there almost daily. Plus, you can walk to the Rialto in about ten minutes, but when you want to escape the crowds, you just slip back into these quiet residential streets.

Comfortable Rooms with Character

The room I stayed in was on the second floor — and yes, there’s no elevator, so pack light if you can. But honestly, the space more than made up for the climb. High ceilings, original details that haven’t been renovated into oblivion, and a bathroom that’s actually functional (not always a given in Venice’s historic buildings). The bed was comfortable, and the windows opened onto a quiet courtyard, which meant I could sleep without earplugs. Small details matter here too — good lighting for reading, enough outlets for your devices, and storage space that makes sense.

Why Guests Love It

Look, Casa San Giovanni e Paolo isn’t trying to be something it’s not. It’s a well-run, thoughtfully maintained hotel in an exceptional location, and that combination is harder to find than you’d think. Couples especially seem to love it here — and I can see why. There’s something romantic about staying in a real Venetian neighborhood, away from the day-tripper crowds but still close enough to everything you want to see. The value is solid for what you get, and the location score speaks for itself. When you’re planning your Venice trip, you want a place that feels like a discovery rather than just another hotel booking — and this place delivers on that promise.

Best hotels in Venice blend frescoed salons, marble hammams, and rooftop altanas for prosecco sunsets.

Casa San Giovanni e Paolo Accommodations

Reviews of Casa San Giovanni e Paolo

• Mindaugas from Lithuania – 7 February 2025 (8/10)

  What could be improved: The host was not very supportive and customer friendly.
  Would appreciate free wifi.

• Yury from Belarus – 19 November 2024 (9/10)

  The apartment is very conveniently located. You can walk to St. Mark's Square or to the Rialto Bridge in 10-15 minutes. There are several minimarkets (COOP) with groceries close to the apartment. The apartment is (in Eastern European terms) on the third floor (or on the second in European terms). The stairs from the entrance to the house lead straight to the third floor. The rooms are very clean and tidy. The equipment of the apartment is very thoughtfully done. The interior of the apartment is done with taste. Indeed, there are many rules and conditions for using the apartment. You need to spend some time to study these rules. When a person is in the mood for relaxation, studying the rules and following them can be somewhat difficult and uncomfortable for him. But this way you can feel a little like a local resident, not a guest. 🙂
  
  What could be improved: The disadvantage of the apartment is that there is a bakery on the ground floor of the house. The bakery is located right under the bedroom windows. They can start working there at 6 am – they start rattling trays. On one of the days of our stay in the bakery, they started rattling trays at 3 am. It was impossible to sleep. You can go to sleep in the living room, since the living room is a little away from the bakery and the noise is not as audible as in the bedroom. But this is inconvenient.
  In the bathroom, the glass curtain is made in such a way that every time there is a fear of breaking it, and this is uncomfortable.

• Gesine from Germany – 1 November 2024 (9/10)

  Die Lage ist toll. Die Wohnung sehr schön gelegen, hell und geräumig.

• Frédérique from France – 6 October 2024 (9/10)

  L'emplacement de l'appartement est idéal.
  Très bien aménagé et très propre

• Malte from Ireland – 10 September 2024 (4/10)

  Please read before booking. Place was good located, apartment was clean – cleaning fee: 250€.
  
  I have been renting private accommodations for over 15 years across the globe, and this was by far the most painful booking process and the rudest host I have ever encountered. I felt unwelcome from the first email and throughout the entire stay.
  
  First, the host made us sign two pages of unbelievable house rules, including penalties for failing to meet them. I had to answer 4-5 emails before getting the booking confirmed and check-in information. This was a red flag, but by the time I went through a lot, placed a deposit, etc., so we proceeded.
  
  The host charges an outrageous €250 for cleaning, which I suspect is due to not paying taxes on rental income – tax fraud, perhaps? He also asked for a security deposit of €400, which I’ll come back to later. Additionally, we had to pay €30 extra for additional bed sheets, and the beds were not even made. While this wasn’t a major issue, it felt off considering the extra charge.
  
  What could be improved: Check-in was tricky; we let the host know that we would arrive in the morning, however, we were not allowed to arrive before 5 PM, even though check-out is before 10 AM. When we arrived, the code for the main door didn’t work. We were lucky that a neighbor opened the door after 10 minutes. When I mentioned this to the host, he casually replied, “Oh yeah, I might have to update the code,” with no apology whatsoever. Two days before our arrival date, the host “reminded us” that we were supposed to meet with another guy in the apartment – promisingly at 7 PM on our day of arrival, so 2 hours after the late check-in. Not knowing why, we would have to meet this guy anyway, I suggested 4 PM the next day as we wouldn’t be at the place on this evening. The proposed time didn’t seem to work for Giovanni – so we left it there. In his ‘review’ on booking.com, the host mentioned that we didn’t want to meet with this guy?!
  
  I had planned to work for half a day from the apartment until I realized there was no Wi-Fi included. I would have needed to inform the host a week in advance – with a daily charge of €5 for Wi-Fi. The place itself was clean, but it was warm as only the A/C in the hall was working. When I mentioned this to the host, he responded that the A/C in the living area hadn’t been working for a long time and that the hall A/C was more than efficient to cool down the entire apartment – well, it wasn’t.
  
  We left the place tidy, with the garbage of one honey melon and some leftover olives in the trash bin from the night before. When asking if everything was fine with the place a few days after, I learned that the host claimed to charge an additional €50 for leaving the trash in the bin? I agreed to pay the additional fee just to get over it.
  
  Overall, this was the worst rental experience I’ve ever had. I would strongly advise against booking any property with this host. Sincerely, Malte Gausemeier

• Annika from Estonia – 7 September 2024 (9/10)

  There is plenty of space in the apartment. There were three of us. It was great that the teenager could have a separate room to be on their own. The location is very convenient – everything you need is close by.
  
  What could be improved: It seems like it's not possible to install mosquito nets on the windows of this apartment – so a few hungry mosquitoes managed to get inside.

• Yannick from Germany – 25 May 2023 (2/10)

  What could be improved: Host was very unfriendly. In an initial messages exchange in a chat(!) she demanded to be addressed with her name in a very unfriendly way. Furthermore she charged 50 euro for leaving a few pieces of paper in the garbage. Hospitality seems to be a foreign concept to her. No proper duvets and beds must be made on your own. Wifi costs money and needs to be requested a week in advance. Lol. Can't give a proper invoice either. Don't sleep here!

• Krzysztof from Poland – 10 November 2022 (9/10)

  Great location, apartment is big, good enough for 4 people. Nice kitchen and bathroom. In a perfect spot from where is easy to explore the city. Recommend. Easy late checkin.

• Ina from United Kingdom – 11 September 2022 (9/10)

  It was perfect – lovely apartment in a perfect location to explore Venice!
  
  What could be improved: Nothing really

• George from Bulgaria – 15 May 2022 (9/10)

  Perfect place and wonderful host
  
  What could be improved: Everything was perfect

Surroundings

Facilities