We were after a hotel near the station, but still wanted that "venice feel" This was an absolutely perfect choice, on a canal, with lovely restaurants a short walk away, and you are not lugging you luggage on boats etc to get to the centre of Venice where ever thing is over priced. You can get a boat into centre in 15 mins or so, and the boat ride is through the canals, so perfect. The room was basic but clean (which is very important to me) and had nice decor, and a lovely "european breakfast" (think dried toast, ham and cheese etc) but i honestly prefer this to a full on hot buffet! I recommend this hotel highly!

Hotel is located in an ideal position if you are coming in via road or rail from Treviso, it is easy to find and saves lugging cases etc for too long,as you do see many people wheeling them all over the city. We stayed in room 34 which was roomy and had double windows with views of the canal below with small gardens beyond, we also had a side view of the grand canal .
Ivan on the front desk in the evenings was a very friendly guy who gave us good tips for nearby restaurant's which were good quality with prices not too steep.He also seems very knowledgeable about most things Venice. Room was clean if basic, but had good shower and bathroom with a very firm bed and very clean sheets, all the essentials one needs when travelling.
Breakfasts were a little limited with no hot food but it was all was very fresh, and waiting staff were friendly. Hotel was usually quiet ay night but was some boat engine noise in the early mornings as small commercial barges and boats used the canal below.
We came at the end of festival time and the last day was very crowded everywhere but all good natured, after the festival ended it became much less crowded and easier to move about especially near St marks square. Restaurant's can be very pricey and it is best to avoid being upgraded by waiting staff with you menu choice as this usually is a very expensive option, we saw various couples throughout our stay that were very unhappy with their bill ,an example being two American/Canadian ladies who were charged 30 euros each for the special sea bass option running that night, so what with cover charges and service charges all added, not to mention separate prices for potatoes etc that came with the fish, and an expensive wine, must have paid in excess of 100euro, and this being a fairly ordinary Trattoria.
All things considered about the Gardena is that it is a very good 3 star Hotel that makes a good base to explore Venice and its surrounding areas and we would certainly recommend it if you are looking for a good clean basic Hotel in a good location and not too expensive, in fact, for what we paid(travel agent rates) was excellent value.

Stayed Monday to Friday during Carnival.Beginning of March 2011. Very cold windy weather which was not usual for Venice in early spring and it somewhat dampened the Carnival atmosphere. Our hearts went out to the marvellous people attired in their magnificent costumes and masks all day long everywhere in Venice including the islands of Murano and Burano. However our hotel always greeted with warmth and comfort. Many thanks to Ivan for all his invaluable help in his restaurant recommendations in the locale of the hotel. All were of the highest standard without breaking the bank. I shan't list them here-ask him yourself! A delightful man to talk to and chat with-your satisfaction is his priority.The hotel is very close to the bus and railway stations. Not very far to drag one's luggage over the bridges. The room that we had (32) was top notch for comfort,cleanliness and well appointed. The view out of the window was directly onto the canal outside and overlooked a garden park area . To the right you can watch the busy NW end of the Grand Canal.There was no welcome tray but there was a well stocked fridge at (as expected) very high prices. A little disappointed that the hotel bar was not well stocked; as we do enjoy a little tipple at the end of a long day getting lost in Venice ,but then again we were rather early in the season in spite of it being Carnival. Breakfast was ample,but no cooked food,i.e.bacon,sausages or toast. No problem though the food on offer was excellent. All the staff were very friendly and the service very good. We would heartily recommend the Gardena to any one looking for a well placed,comfortable,clean,and excellent value for money. ( We booked through Hotels4u-a branch of Thos Cook. We have found this site to be very competitive price-wise compared to all the others by several hundred pounds) So with the Gardena as your base indulge yourself in the fascinating city of Venice. Get lost and enjoy it's calles,campos,piazzas,awesome churches,islands and museums.Enjoy the food prepared in the Venetian manner in the trattorias etc. especially the fish. Invest in a vaporetto pass,buy it on the net before you go,otherwise it will cost you 6.50 euros every trip. You will need at least 4 days in Venice to appreciate just a little of it's dreamlike magic. Wander the streets early morning and late at night for even more mysterious atmosphere. Explore the outer regions to get a tourist free feeling for this historic place. We've been twice and there is still more to enjoy. Wish we had stayed at the Gardena last time!

Stayed one night in Hotel Gardena, Venice - a very well situated hotel with canal views. This small hotel near the railway station is scrupulously clean and we had a good sized room; the bedroom furniture is a little dated but absolutely inoffensive. The room has lovely winter sun all afternoon. The bathroom is big with a lovely full claw foot bath and good quality linen. Breakfast was an excellent continental style spread, generous and far better than others I have experienced with a great help-yourself espresso coffee machine. Staff at breakfast and on the reception desk very nice, informal and friendly. This was not what I expected from a hotel in Venice, far exceeded my expectations.