Villa Margherita

Hotel Description

You know, I stumbled upon Villa Margherita almost by accident during my last trip to Venice – I’d gotten off the vaporetto at the wrong stop near the Jewish Ghetto and ended up wandering along Fondamenta de la Sensa, that quiet little canal in Cannaregio where the locals actually live. It’s not the flashy San Marco scene with all the crowds and overpriced gondolas; this is the real Venice, where you hear kids playing in the alleys and smell fresh bread from the corner bakery early in the morning. The hotel itself is tucked right on the water’s edge at number 3138 – a charming old villa that’s been spruced up without losing its soul. Honestly, pulling up to it (well, walking, since parking in Venice is a joke unless you’re a boat), I felt like I’d stepped into one of those hidden gems you only hear about from friends who’ve been going to Italy forever. Check-in was a breeze – the owner, this warm Italian guy named Marco (I think? Or was it Matteo?), greeted me with a espresso and chatted about the best time to hit the nearby Campo dei Mori square, which is just a five-minute stroll away and has that funky statue of the Moors that locals love to point out.

What really won me over, though, was how the place feels lived-in and thoughtful, you know? My room overlooked the canal – nothing fancy, just a cozy space with wooden beams creaking underfoot and these heavy curtains that blocked out the early morning light from the water taxis chugging by. It’s a 3-star spot, so don’t expect spa-level luxury, but the beds are comfy as heck, and there’s free Wi-Fi that actually works (a miracle in these old buildings). Breakfast is simple – croissants, fruit, and cappuccino served in the little garden courtyard out back, where you can hear the bells from Madonna dell’Orto church ringing softly. I mean, it’s not huge, but it’s got that intimate vibe where you might chat with other guests over coffee about dodging the tourist hordes. One minor gripe: the stairs are steep and there’s no elevator, so if you’re hauling heavy bags, pack light or ask for help – they were super accommodating when I twisted my ankle on those uneven cobblestones outside. Cannaregio gets quieter in the evenings, especially off-season in fall when the fog rolls in and everything smells like damp stone and roasting chestnuts from the street vendors near Strada Nova. It’s perfect for wandering to spots like the old Ghetto Nuovo, maybe grabbing cicchetti at a bacaro that’s been there since forever.

All in all, with that 9.3 rating, Villa Margherita is the kind of place that makes you feel like you’re in on a secret – not some sterile chain, but a spot where Venice slows down and lets you breathe. If you’re the type who wants authentic over glitz, and you’re okay with a bit of that historic quirk (like the occasional canal whiff in summer), book it. I left wishing I had more time – next trip, I’m staying longer, maybe timing it for Carnevale when the neighborhood lights up but stays chill. Trust me, it’s worth ditching the main drags for.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $187. One-Bedroom Apartment with 1 large double bed and 1 sofa bed for Max persons: 2
• Estimated price from: $288. Three-Bedroom Apartment with 1 large double bed, 1 double bed and 1 sofa bed for Max persons: 2
• Estimated price from: $236. Two-Bedroom Apartment with 1 large double bed, 1 single bed and 1 sofa bed for Max persons: 3

Reviews

• it’s a good stay for the price!! – Juan from United States – 10 July 2025 (10/10)

  The self check in was very easy. The apartment is very beautiful and very spacious with a small balcony and windows for air and has a full kitchen the bathroom shower, very spacious and it came with a bunch of toilet paper which is great!
  
  What could be improved: it has a lot of stairs, also the washing machine was full of mold we bought some bleach to get rid of it but the washing machine doesn’t work that good as it didn’t really get all the water out of the clothes that came out dripping wet. The location isn’t that good you’re very far from the tourist attractions but there’s a there’s restaurants down the street.

• Perfect calm and typical Venetian experience – Giuliano from Belgium – 7 July 2025 (10/10)

  The location in Sestriere of Cannaregio offers a calm and really Venetian experience, away from the crowd but at the same time close to bars and gelaterias where you can blend in with the locals.
  Enrico, the host, was always available and ready to answer our questions

• Exceptional – Alessandro from Spain – 6 July 2025 (10/10)

  Location, space, cleaness, quality of forniture
  
  What could be improved: N/A

• Loved it; recommend highly. – Randy from United States – 28 June 2025 (10/10)

  Lovely place in a great neighborhood! The host met us and gave tips on restaurants and a nearby grocery store, and followed up immediately the next day on an air conditioning issue. The place and location are wonderful. Be sure to not miss a short stroll to the nearby coast and community center/park. It was nice being just a little removed from the tourist crowds to be able to experience “real” Venice, in addition to all of our tourist activities.
  
  What could be improved: We did agree with other reviewers that it was a bit odd that one bath has only a tub, no shower, but we managed to work around that with two couples sharing the apartment.

• 🩷 – Isa from Germany – 17 June 2025 (10/10)

  Perfect flat to visit Venezia. We loved it🩷

• Nice apartment quiet area – Irida from Italy – 14 May 2025 (10/10)

  The apartment was spacious, with a lot of light, situated in a calm area of the city, but very close to bars and restaurants. The apartment was renovated and it has a big living room with kitchen, a bedroom with wardrobe and a comfortable toilette. We were two people but it could easily host up to four people for a few days. The host was accommodating and helpful.

• Tourists – Balaji from United Kingdom – 6 May 2025 (10/10)

  Near to water taxi stop. Very spacious and clean room. Friendly host and always helpful and available for all our queries.
  
  Our family liked this property and had a wonderful stay.
  
  10 out of 10 and I will visit this property again in my next visit. Hidden gem
  
  What could be improved: Location, property size, facilities and friendly host

• Exceptional – David from United States – 28 April 2025 (10/10)

  Beautiful apartment, very clean and spacious

• Thank you Enrico – Gernot from Germany – 26 April 2025 (10/10)

  Exceptional Location in Cannaregio, very quiet, very nice, and only a few footsteps away from nice Restaurants and lively places. All Four of us very much enjoyed our stay at Villa Magherita and we will love to come again. Very nice and attentive host, super clean appartment with a great kitchen. Although being on vacation and going out a lot we enjoyed preparing a few meals and eating them in the garden. All in all a great place to stay and from there to discover all of Venice, everything is Easy to reach.

• Quiet, clean) – Sergei from United Arab Emirates – 25 April 2025 (9/10)

  Nice location, not noisy. You can go for dinner/party somewhere and come back to the apartment to rest and enjoy quiet location.
  Clean, enough big, good for even week stay for small family
  Enrico is the best!
  
  What could be improved: I considered that the apartment will be with canal view as on booking confirmation was, the view was to the garden in fact. But it was also ok, though canal view I was expecting.
  Washing machine needs to be repaired or replaced, clothes were not spinned at all

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities