Erbaria Boutique Apartment R&R

Hotel Description

You know, I stumbled upon the Erbaria Boutique Apartment R&R almost by accident last spring, right after hopping off the vaporetto at the Rialto stop – honestly, if you’re coming from the train station, it’s just a quick weave through the crowds over the bridge and into San Polo. The address is Campo Rialto Novo, tucked away in that lively little square that’s basically the backdoor to the old herb market (erbaria, get it?), where mornings smell like fresh basil and fennel wafting from the stalls. I mean, Venice can feel like a maze at first, especially with all those narrow calli twisting around, but this spot? It’s got that perfect balance – close enough to the action without being swallowed by the tourist hordes spilling off cruise ships. My host met me right at the door with a set of keys and a quick rundown in broken English, which was a relief after lugging my bag over uneven cobblestones. No elevator, mind you – it’s an old building, so expect a flight or two of those worn stone stairs, but hey, that’s Venice for you.

What really won me over was how the place feels like a cozy hideaway amid the chaos. It’s billed as a boutique apartment, and yeah, it lives up to that – think exposed wooden beams overhead, soft linens on a queen bed that actually lets you sleep through the night (a rarity in some noisier parts of town), and a little kitchenette stocked with basics like coffee pods and a fridge for stashing market finds. I spent one afternoon just lounging on the sofa, windows cracked open to catch the distant hum of gondola oars slicing through the canal water below – sort of meditative, you know? The bathroom’s modern enough, with a rain shower that blasts away the day’s sweat from wandering, though the water pressure dips a bit in peak hours when everyone’s getting ready. And practically speaking, it’s self-catering, so no room service, but that’s a plus if you want to whip up pasta from the nearby Rialto fishmongers – fresh squid ink linguine, anyone? Oh, and in high season, like July, the square outside buzzes until late with locals grabbing aperitivi at those tiny bars on the corner, but it quiets down by 10 PM, leaving you with that serene, almost ghostly Venice vibe. Well, except for the occasional church bell – San Polo’s got a few that toll unpredictably.

Look, if you’re after that authentic slice of Venetian life without the overpriced glamour of the Grand Canal hotels, this is it. It’s not flawless – the Wi-Fi can be spotty if you’re streaming, and forget about parking (duh, it’s Venice – water taxis or feet only), but at a 3-star spot with a solid 9 rating, it punches way above its weight. I left feeling like I’d actually lived there for a bit, not just passed through, and that’s saying something in a city that can feel like a theme park. Book it for a long weekend in shoulder season, grab some cicchetti from the stands on nearby Calle della Madonnetta, and you’ll thank me later.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $375. Apartment with 2 × 1 large double bed and 1 sofa bed for Max persons: 4

Reviews

• 100% recomended! – Gjokica from Germany – 19 June 2025 (9/10)

  The was very spacious , clean and with modern interior. The kitchen had all the necessary appliances that you need. The beds were very big and comfy. There is no noice in the evenings so you can sleep well.
  
  What could be improved: /

• Great location and very nice apartment. – Mark from United States – 26 May 2025 (10/10)

  Bianca was very nice! She was in communication with us the entire time and met us at the property to go over the information which is very helpful. I was nervous about how to get to the property from the airport. I messaged the property through the Booking.com app and they did a GREAT job of providing directions to us and it was very easy to navigate. The apartment was very spacious and clean! We had everything we needed and it was a very good location, close to the Rialto Bridge and a walking tour we had booked.
  
  Must try the gelato at Gallenetto’s! AMAZING!!! We had it 3 times😂 Also had lunch at the Vino Vino, beautiful back garden with delicious food.
  
  What could be improved: Our son slept on the pull out in the living room. He said it was noisy during the night and also the curtains were very sheer so it kept it too light for sleeping. The bedrooms were not a problem.

• Great location and comfy spacious apartment. – Miranda from United Kingdom – 26 March 2025 (9/10)

  Great location. Spacious apartment with comfy beds. Small kitchen but has fridge hot plate and dishwasher. Also a washing machine. Lovely bathroom.

• Fantastic, modern apartment in a centralized location perfect for exploring Venice – Peter from United States – 25 February 2025 (9/10)

  Great location. Everything is no more than a 15 min walk. Beautiful and well appointed apartment. Felt great to come back to after a day of exploring. Fit our family of 5 well. One of the kids had the pull out couch. If you stay here you have to check out the Rialto fish and produce market right around the corner that opens first thing in the morning.
  
  What could be improved: The Rialto is a high traffic tourist area but the location of the apartment is located in the a square (campi) just off the main area. For the most part was very quiet but there was a little nighttime noise, but not enough to really bother anyone.

• Good stay everything was clean.. great location! – April from United States – 24 November 2024 (8/10)

  Location
  
  What could be improved: After we were there for about 8 hours a stagnet smell from the drains in the bathrooms was prevalent.

• Exceptional – Chee from Malaysia – 1 June 2024 (10/10)

  Elisa is very helpful and friendly.
  She also very patient to assist us.

• Will definitely come back and recommend this one to our friends – Alka from Malaysia – 14 May 2024 (9/10)

  Very central , super convenient to everything
  Smelled very clean and fresh ,
  Bathroom , kitchen , living and bedrooms very neat and fresh feeling
  
  What could be improved: The electric tripping issue – best to have instructions pasted / left in the apartment on caution to not use too many appliances at once , and where to set it right if any problem
  The utility area where the washing machine was can be better organised , it was packed with supplies and this caused the washing machine plug to keep falling off , again causing problem n confusion to get the machine working

• Exceptional – Lorena from Romania – 8 October 2023 (10/10)

  I liked that the apartament was clean and cozy!

• Great location, lovely apartment, would stay here again – Jessica from United Kingdom – 4 September 2023 (9/10)

  This was a lovely apartment in a phenomenal location, central to Venice!
  
  What could be improved: The only downside was that we overloaded the electric circuit without having really anything plugged in, just via our use of the A/C so be super careful about your energy use! It only happened once, so definitely not a consistent problem.

• Quiet apartment in quiet courtyard near Rialto bridge – Gordon from United States – 24 August 2023 (10/10)

  Because Venice has lots of crowds during peak season, this apartment is better accessed via the Rialto Mercato vaporetto ferry station – take ferry #1 from train station, pier 'E'. It is located in a quiet courtyard where there is a restaurant that is popular but never busy. You can always walk out to join the crowds but most tourists just pass this area by. Well equipped apartment, new AC units
  
  What could be improved: Could use some maintenance of the shower cubicle drainage. Some confusion on where the plates are kept.

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities