This hotel is one of those places that you keep in a special place of your memory. It is a gem that one only comes across occasionally. I travel to many continents in various hotel types, but a 13nd century palazzo is hard to find in most cities. The rooms are delightful : wonderfully decorated with beautiful furniture, the bath rooms are splendid.
the overall atmosphere is very sophisticated but also hart warming.
Breakfast in the large hall is an absolute delight.
The hotel is conveniently situated not too far from the main streets to the Rialto Bridge and the San Marco square, but it is very quiet, as it is not on the main walkways.
this is our second visit and we will return here, as we find this a wonderful retreat.
the staff is delightful and we were welcomed with a bottle of nice prosecco and fruits in our room.

A wonderful and stylish place to stay tucked away from the desperate tourist crush of central Venice.
We spent three nights is one of the smaller rooms overlooking the canal. As we were so busy sightseeing the room was perfect, the breakfasts were a feast and eating in the garden such a serene beginning to our daily adventures.
We found some excellent restaurants within walking distance and made one booking with the help of the staff, well in advance for a special birthday meal. We loved the area, found the traghetto an economical form of gondola and enjoyed "getting lost".
The passes for both churches "Chorus" and water transport are invaluable as you can hop on and off at will without spending a fortune or wearing yourself out.
We were so well looked after and look forward to another visit.

We made our way up from Naples by train to Venice - a five and a half hour trip.

Hotel was a bit difficult to find in the dark, as we did not have good directions (it was booked at the last minute and so I did not even have the address!). The shopkeepers near the hotel did not seem to know of its existence! It is set back in a little alleyway about 100 metres from the main walkway down the right bank. The hotel is unusual in that, to gain access, you walk in a large gateway into a walled garden, complete with fig trees (and figs). The hotel is a lovely old palace and only has 15 bedrooms. The downstairs is given over to a cosy reception (they did not stint on heating) and a communal area where breakfast is served, in ducal surroundings.

The bedroom was not huge, but not bad by Venice standards. It was boiling hot when I went in and so I turned the heating off and turned the heater in the lovely large bathroom on - this proved to be sufficient to heat the bedroom well. The bedroom had large windows that opened on to the garden. About the only criticism I can find is that the view of the garden was slightly blocked by an awning. Enjoyed a lovely night's sleep in the comfortable bed.

The hotel proved to be very central - 2 minutes from the Vaporetta, 4 minutes from Billa supermarket, 10 minutes from Rialto.

Breakfast was made up of a lovely spread of meats, cheeses fruits, boiled eggs, bakes, cereals. We were served beautiful frothy milky coffee. Highlight of breakfast was an absolutely fabulous almond marzipan cake.

The staff in the hotel could not be more friendly and helpful. They said we should view the hotel as “our home in Venice” - and we do!

I have been to Venice many times and this is the most charming and comfortable hotel I have stayed in there. Very highly recommended.

Like everyone else who stays at the Abadessa, I was completely charmed and utterly satisfied. This is the authentic Venetian experience, with staff as gracious and accomodating as you can be.

We stayed for 6 nights in the President's Suite. If you have the opportunity to do so, it's worth the splurge -- two levels, balcony overlooking the canal in a quiet residential neighborhood (albeit steps from busy Strada Nova and a busy Grand Canal vaporetto stop). The antique decor makes you feel like you are on a movie set. And the breakfast! My partner and I are still talking about it months later -- we loved waking up to that sumptuous spread every morning.

The neighborhood is really the best part of all. Rather than "out of the way" or "off the beaten track," I would actually characterize the location of the hotel as "central" -- particularly if you want to explore the entire city, rather just than the San Marco-Rialto-Accademia triumverate (not that they aren't essential as well!). The Strada Nova is a bustling main street that would be worth visiting no matter where you were staying. And the hotel's Cannaregio location makes it much easier to pick up ferries from Fondamenta Nove to Murano, Burano, Torcello or San Michele (the historic cemetery), or to walk to the main train station for a day trip to Padua.

In other words, it really was a magical experience. And don't forget to take a water taxi from the airport -- the door-to-door journey is also worth the splurge!