Though I am writing this review now, I stayed here for two nights last April... anyway please keep in mind that this is all from a young North American perspective: Great breakfast selection (fruit salad, freshly baked bread, though very much 'Continental breakfast'). A plus: The smell of the sweet bread woke me up every morning...very lovely to look forward to! It's too bad I had to leave in such a rush on my last morning. (Haha, funny story I left in such a rush that the woman at the front thought I was trying to leave without paying though I had already pre-paid when I booked online several weeks prior...awkward but honest mistake on her part.) On another note, I was surprised at how well the front desk staff knew English! They were very helpful and kind in answering my general inquiries.

Anyway, the appearance of the room has a very European and antiquated feel to it, definitely has a rustic charm to it, but if you are used to staying at hotel chains like the Radisson Blu (where I was prior) then this is the complete opposite: a real European immersion. Be prepared like most things in Europe the washroom is TINY and not spacious. The kettle worked fine and the safe is pretty small, holding only very small belongings like your passport, money etc. The internet requires a password from the front desk and they have this policy where you have to leave your key with them when you leave.

Location: This was my first time in Italy, but I thought this hotel nicely situated. The Rialto market is right there near the Rialto bridge and Piazza San Marco is a short walk away. The train station is only a 15-20 minute walk, but I HIGHLY suggest you take the waterbus when you first arrive or else you maybe disoriented trying to navigate all the winding narrow alleys with your clumsy luggage. Much easier of an experience if you get off at one of the waterbus stops nearby.

All in all I would recommend this place because of its proximity to the Rialto bridge and nearby restaurants. The view from the breakfast room is absolutely gorgeous, overlooking the water and canals...I was a little disappointed that I did not get a room with a view overlooking the canals. I'll admit I'm not sure if this place was worth the money (135 euros a night) mostly because I have been studying/traveling abroad this past year and have stayed at places that have given me more "bang for my buck". With that being said, this was one of the few places I stayed on own in Europe and thus I indulged myself to have a reassuringly quiet stay.

The killer stairs: Yes, they are VERY enduring, but hey, if I can make it up there with a 70L backpack then I'm sure you can too.... BUT I would not suggest this place if you are middle aged and like to complain (Sorry, I'm picturing my mother here). This wouldn't be the ideal place as these stairs are a pretty tiring addition after you have traversed the cobblestones of Venice for the whole day with aching feet.

The best quirk: Having chocolate waiting on my pillow when I first arrived.

We chose the Locanda Sturion both because of its location right next to the Rialto Bridge, and because we wanted a room that would accomodate all four or us (Me, my husband, and two adult children 22 and 18). We booked a family room on the top floor overlooking the Grand Canal. It was wonderful, spacious and clean. There was one quenn bed, and two singles and it was very adequate for the four of us. Breakfast was also included and plentiful. The front desk spoke English very well and couldn't have been more helpful. The only drawback was the climb to get to the front desk. We had heard about the stairs and were prepared. They were really not bad, but after touring all day by foot, I must say that I was not thrilled to climb them! Overall, a very pleasant stay and I felt better having the kids in the same room with us in a foreign country.

I knew there were a few stairs, but this was absolutely ridiculous! After climbing 69 fairly steep steps with an overhang, making it next to impossible to pull up your suitcase behind you, you might end up with one of the 2 rooms, that are an additional 12 steps up. With no bellman or elevator, I would say NEVER AGAIN! Of course she offered us room 9. When I told her that I would take any room other than that she asked why, which I told her got a very bad review on tripadvisor. She said that there were no other possibilities. Well, dark, small, and just a dab of a smell in the room (actually a double and a little tiny closet room with a twin). The one nice thing was that the view of the canal from the breakfast room was fantastic, and breakfast was your usual continental breakfast. I would not recommend this hotel to anyone. I should have listened to the reviews!

i've read about the stairs from many reviews here before i decided to book, so i was quite well prepared -- or so i thought. when i arrived, however, i was a bit shocked (not in a good way) to see what kind of stairs i had to climbed up. it's ridiculous, really. not so funny when you just got there and not in your best condition (i was travelling alone and venice was my last stop, so i was tired, worn out and had two luggages full of stuffs from crazy shopping).

it was a hot summer day, i walked up the 4 flights of stairs with two luggages, and when i got to the front desk, the lady informed that the room they provided me with was located in an apartment few houses away from the hotel. i appreciated the apartment (quite spacey with clean bathroom and kitchen) but was quite dissappointed as i wad expecting the experience of staying at the hotel itself -- from what i read, the hotel was a classic and that's the reason why i was willing to ignore the fact about the crazy stairs and its not-so-cheap rate. the apartment smells weird, but i think that's quite common in venice considering the water environment and whatnots. it's a bit spooky though, especially as i was totally alone in the building (when you travel solo it is nice to know that there are othet people staying in the building). breakfast is standard but i dont know if the hotel has rooms with balcony or not (lesson learned: find out if the hotel has balcony, since i see almost no point of staying at hotel on Grand Canal if you cannot really enjoy the view).

having said all of the above, my stay was not bad. the hotel is perfectly located near rialto bridge, many good restaurants and shops aroind the corner. you need to cross the bridge to take vaporetto from rialto stop (which means another stairs journey) so better take it from san sebastian (but bear in mind there is no ticket machine at san sebastian so you need to buy your ticket elsewhere).

overall, venice was a pleasant experience. the food is amazing: fegato, polenta, black risotto. im pretty sure its much better to go there during spring or autumn, it was 37 celcius degree when i was there!