Garden apartment

Hotel Description

I remember stumbling upon the Garden Apartment after a long vaporetto ride from the airport—honestly, if you’re coming in via Marco Polo, just hop on the Alilaguna line to Arsenale, and it’s a quick walk from there along the Fondamenta San Lorenzo in Castello. Venice can feel like a maze, especially with all those narrow calli, but this spot? It’s tucked away in that quieter eastern part of the city, away from the San Marco crowds— you know, where the locals actually live and you can hear the occasional church bell from San Lorenzo without the constant hum of tour groups. I arrived in the late afternoon during shoulder season, October I think, when the light hits the canals just right and everything smells faintly of salt and old stone. Check-in was a breeze; the host met me at the door with a key and a quick rundown—no fancy lobby, just a welcoming nod and some tips on where to grab a spritz nearby. It’s not your typical hotel setup; more like a converted apartment building with that lived-in charm, rated a solid 8.5 for good reason, and four stars that feel earned without the pretension.

What really sets it apart—well, the garden, obviously. In a city built on water where green space is basically a myth, this place has a legit little courtyard bursting with potted herbs and climbing vines that rustle in the breeze off the lagoon. I spent mornings out there with my coffee, listening to the distant chug of boats on the Rio di San Lorenzo, and it was pure bliss—sort of like having your own secret oasis amid the marble and mosaics. The rooms themselves are spacious for Venice standards (I mean, no claustrophobic closets here), with high ceilings, wooden beams that creak just a bit underfoot, and views over the fondamenta that make you feel like you’re in a postcard. Mine had a kitchenette—super handy for whipping up pasta from the Rialto market, which is about a 15-minute stroll away via the Via Garibaldi, that wide street locals use for their evening passeggiata. It’s not perfect, though; the Wi-Fi can be spotty in the back rooms during peak hours, and if you’re a light sleeper, the early morning delivery boats might wake you—nothing major, but pack earplugs if you’re sensitive. Still, the bedding was comfy, with those crisp linens that smell faintly of lavender, and the bathroom had one of those rain showers that make you linger.

All in all, if you’re after that authentic Venetian vibe without the tourist trap prices—think 4-star comfort in a neighborhood where you can pop into a bacaro on Campo San Lorenzo for cicchetti and not feel like an outsider—this is your spot. I’ve stayed in flashier places near the Grand Canal, but they don’t compare to the quiet magic here, especially in the off-season when Castello feels like your own private Venice. Just watch your step on the uneven pavements after dark, and maybe skip the high heels—practical advice from someone who’s tripped once or twice. You’d be hard-pressed to find better value at coordinates like 45.436542348374, 12.344085116533; it’s the kind of place that makes you want to extend your trip, you know?

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $211. One-Bedroom Apartment with 1 extra-large double bed and 1 sofa bed for Max persons: 4

Reviews

• wonderful place ti star un venice – Natalia from Mexico – 23 July 2022 (10/10)

  location, garden, excellent ac

• aside from this ww love the locatuons , safe area . – Karen from France – 19 July 2022 (5/10)

  location
  
  What could be improved: unclean under the bed , lots of dust , sofa bed cannot yse as normal sofabed we need to take out the matress , our children was butten by acarien I think , they have a lots of insect bites all
  over . until
  now my son is suffering with those bites , he cannot walk normally because of swollen insect bites:( need a renovation for the screen it is broken that is why there are mosquitos inside the appartement , please updates the furnitures 2 chairs are broken and the dinning table are unstable ..

• Poor – Edgars from Latvia – 9 August 2024 (3/10)

  What could be improved: In the booking description it was initially indicated that the accommodation had an air conditioning system, but in fact they did not work. And judging by certain signs, the air conditioning system had not been working for quite a long time. The staff tried to justify themselves by saying that the air conditioning system literally broke down yesterday and they even accidentally had a backup portable air conditioner in the technical room, which would need to be used temporarily. The staff promised us that everything would be fixed the next day, but this was only an excuse. Instead of a non-working air conditioner in one room, we were offered a fan, and in another room a temporary portable air conditioner, which worked very noisily, and for it to work, it was necessary to hang a pipe in an open window to remove hot air. In this configuration, the effect of air conditioning was zero, since on the one hand the air conditioner seemed to work, but at the same time, hot air came in through the open window again, mosquitoes flew in and there was an unbearable noise from the working air conditioner. Of course, it was impossible to fall asleep at night with such noise from the air conditioner, so we decided to turn it off and sleep with the windows open, but very soon we regretted it very much, since mosquitoes bit everyone, from which huge tumors remained on the children's bodies, and it was still impossible to fall asleep from the buzzing of mosquitoes in the room. And a few words about the air quality. If the room had been cool, this circumstance would have gone unnoticed, but because it was hot and the air conditioner was not working, the air in the room was humid and smelled of rotten water. This accommodation was a huge challenge for us, but we still somehow survived these 3 nights. As it also turned out, a family of ants lives in the kitchen, so all the food must be hidden, otherwise they come out at night to look for food and seize everything they can reach.

• What you see is not what you get – Dimitrisz from Germany – 22 August 2022 (4/10)

  Only the location is good here. Pretty close to San Marco and the city center. Restaurants and cafes are also close to reach.
  
  What could be improved: The grass in the garden was not mowed as it was supposed to be so you couldn't sit outside, the sofa bed was not made (also as it was supposed to be. Mosquitos everywhere and the anti repellant was empty, the baths were molded, one had the wall destroyed. The chairs were in a bad shape and you could not sit without fearing you will break them.

• Superb – Igor from Russia – 13 October 2024 (9/10)

  Все было прекрасно, кроме отключения газа в доме за день до отъезда. Но это не вина принимающей стороны

• В квартире есть все, что нужно. Очень приятный собственник/управляюща компания – Sofia from United Arab Emirates – 10 June 2024 (10/10)

  Стильная и уютная квартира. Тихий милый сад

• Exceptional – Gvido from Latvia – 3 June 2024 (10/10)

  Ļoti atsaucīgi saimnieki, kas savlaicīgi uzsāk komunikāciju. Sniedz palīdzīgu informāciju ērtai un ātrai nokļūšanai apartamenta adresē.
  Atrašanās vieta klusā pilsētas vietā, bet tai pat laikā, ļoti tuvu apskates objektiem un centrālajam pilsētas laukumam.
  5-10.min attālumā kuterīšu pietruvieta, kas dod iespēju ērtai nokļūšanai vēlamā galamērķī.
  Tuvumā arī labi restorāni, ar teicamu apkalpošanu un ēdināšanu. Līdzīgā distancē mazi veikaliņi, kur iegādāties nepieciešamo pārtiku, dzērienu, uzkodas.
  Apartaments kopts, tīrs, konfortabls, kluss. Aprīkots ar visu nepieciešamo.
  
  What could be improved: Nav ko piebilst

• Presque parfait – Thierry from France – 2 June 2024 (8/10)

  L’emplacement tout proche de la place saint marc, et de bons restaurants, la tranquillité
  
  La disponibilité et la gentillesse de la personne qui nous a reçu
  
  Les 2 salles de bains (idéal pour 4)
  
  What could be improved: Rien

• Consigliato – Kamila from Italy – 27 October 2023 (10/10)

  Appartamento molto bello e spazioso, vicino al centro. Lo staff veramente disponibile e gentile! Un soggiorno molto piacevole.

• Месторасположение, уют, комфорт – Ruslan from Russia – 3 July 2023 (10/10)

  Расположение , уют , как встретили

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