Uncharted Venice – Ca’ Santa Croce

Hotel Description

I remember stumbling upon Uncharted Venice – Ca’ Santa Croce almost by accident last spring, right when the cherry blossoms were starting to peek out along the quieter canals. I’d just hopped off the vaporetto at Piazzale Roma – you know, that bustling spot where the buses and trains dump you into Venice proper – and it was only a short wander down Sestier Santa Croce to number 1797. Honestly, it’s tucked away in this residential nook of Santa Croce, away from the mad rush of San Marco, but close enough that you can stroll to the Rialto Bridge in about 15 minutes if you dodge the tourist packs on Rio Terà San Leonardo. No cars to worry about, of course – that’s Venice for you – but watch your step on those uneven cobblestones, especially if you’re hauling luggage after a long flight. Check-in was a breeze; the staff, these warm locals who actually live in the neighborhood, handed over the keys with a quick chat about the best nearby bacari for cicchetti – little wine bars like the one in Campo San Giacomo dell’Orio, just a five-minute walk away, where you can snag cheap spritzes and avoid the overpriced spots by the Grand Canal.

What really got me about this place – it’s a 4-star gem with that high 9.1 rating for a reason – is how it feels like stepping into a lived-in palazzo rather than some sterile hotel chain. The building’s got this historic Ca’ vibe, with exposed wooden beams and creaky floors that whisper stories from centuries ago, and my room overlooked a tiny side canal where you’d hear the gentle lap of water against stone in the mornings – sort of soothing, unless a gondolier belts out an off-key tune at dawn (which happened once, but hey, that’s authentic Venice). The beds are plush, with those crisp linens that smell faintly of lavender, and the bathrooms? Modern enough with rain showers that actually have good pressure – a rarity in these old buildings, I mean, well, you get used to the quirks. Breakfast is served in this cozy courtyard, nothing fancy but fresh cornetti and cappuccinos that hit the spot, and it’s quiet here at night, away from the party crowds in Dorsoduro. One minor gripe: no elevator, so if you’ve got mobility issues or heavy bags, pack light or ask for a ground-floor room – they were super accommodating when I mentioned my sore knee from all the bridge-hopping.

Look, if you’re after that uncharted side of Venice – the one where locals actually outnumber the selfie sticks – this is your spot. It’s not smack in the middle of the action, which means you can escape the midday heat and hordes by ducking back for a siesta, then venture out to hidden gems like the natural history museum nearby or a quick ferry to Murano. I’ve stayed in flashier places before, but there’s something honest and grounding about Ca’ Santa Croce that makes you feel like you’re part of the city, not just passing through. Worth every euro, especially off-season when rates dip and the fog rolls in, turning the whole area into a dreamy watercolor. You’d be smart to book it – trust me, it’ll linger in your memories way after the gelato hangover fades.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $243. Apartment with 2 × 1 large double bed and 2 bunk beds for Max persons: 4

Reviews

• Comfortable and clean property in a great Venice neighborhood. – Kea from United States – 27 June 2025 (10/10)

  Charming, unique home that is perfect for visiting Venice. Plenty of space for our family of 5. The air conditioning worked wonderfully and kept us comfortable. The host provided excellent directions on how to walk to the home.

• Recommend for a large family like ours- sleeps 6 in real bedsso good for ifcome over from the states and need a place ri – Karrin from United States – 18 June 2025 (10/10)

  Clean. Nice location as quiet. They were very kind to let us drop off our bags at 10:30 am while they were cleaning so helpful!!!!! Thank you! Great communication too.
  
  What could be improved: Unfortunately one of the bunk beds was broken and had had one kid in the kitchen – went ok but if there longer would hace been difficult – I think if you just put it in the common area upstairs it would be a better location if not fixed asap. But don’t hesitate to book because of this.

• Comfortable stay in great location. – Russell from United States – 14 June 2024 (9/10)

  The place was very comfortable with plenty of room for a family of five. It’s close to a COOP grocery store in a piazza with plenty of restaurants and families playing, eating and enjoying appertivos.

• Exceptional – Izabela from Poland – 10 March 2024 (10/10)

  Apartament is verty good!! Great location, clean, spacious, dry and warm. In the kitchen all you need for cooking. Very friendly personel, easy contact. Comfy beds, two bathrooms.
  It was a perfect stay in Venice. We were traveling with kid and he enjoyed the space he had for his toys:)
  
  What could be improved: I would just add some hangers for coats next to the entrance doors.

• Exceptional – Bahus from Romania – 5 October 2023 (10/10)

  All
  
  What could be improved: the neighbor below is very disturbing

• Superb – Rafal from Poland – 11 May 2023 (9/10)

  Good location, enough space for 6 people. Spacious apartament, clean and tidy.
  
  What could be improved: Please look for details in first floor bathroom, there is a bit of work there to bring it back to shape. Few more wine glasses would also do. Maybe anti mosquito mesh into window frames could also help.

• Superb – Pnikolov from Bulgaria – 17 April 2023 (9/10)

  location
  
  What could be improved: the gps location was wrong, but the host write me where to go

• Amazing time in Sweet Home Venice – Maya from Bulgaria – 4 March 2023 (10/10)

  We had wonderful time. The apartment was clean, worm and comfortable. It was very suitable for our group of 4 adults and 2 kids. The girls were happy to have their own room. The 2 bathrooms are very good for 2 families. The apartment is close to the center. We went on foot. There is a cafe, pizzeria, shopping center very close. We resieved full instructions from our host about everything. Everything was great. Thank you very much.
  
  What could be improved: I think that the lock of the upper bathroom was damaged and it couldn't be locked. This is not a big problem but it might be confusing.

• Superb – Artem from Israel – 24 February 2023 (9/10)

  everything was amazing
  
  What could be improved: I didn't like that I had to take out the trash as there are no trash cans in the city.

• Superb – Avigail from Netherlands – 25 October 2022 (9/10)

  Nice apartment, good location – not far from the touristic attractions but still quite.
  Very clean! Helpful hosts. – checkin was easy and on time.
  
  What could be improved: No washing machine, stove or sofa large enough for a family, but these are small things that did not ruin our stay (I just think others should be aware of them).

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities