We stayed in one of the apartments operated by Residenza Ca'Dario. We arrived by train and had to collect the keys from the main hotel (about a 5 minute walk with clear directions). The apartment was just off the main drag near to Canareggio down a little side street. There was a lovely bakery and fruit and veg shop within a few metres. The apartment was one large room with a double bed and a strange bunk sofa that the children slept on. It was really comfortable for all of us. There was a little kitchenette - fine for breakfast/pasta/sarnies but not equipped well enough to really go for it on a self catering basis. The shower was great.

What I loved most about staying here was it's location. We explored Cannareggio - an area we would possibly have ignored otherwise and it really was lovely. We found a great family restaurant with no menu - just pasta/pesto/salad/ice cream/ coffee but as it was off the main rather expensive drag it was a delight. No other tourists and next to a canal with the odd gondolier returning after a hard days work and lots of Italians milling around. Loved it. Just turn left out the apartment rather than right into the main drag - keep going until you reach a little canal - over a bridge and left again and there it is.

Venice is obviously beautiful but staying in this litle place meant that we explored another part of the city as well as all the usual tourist areas.

We booked this hotel as it was slightly cheaper than some of the other hotels and it was in a good location. I wish we'd spent more as the general discomfort and noise at night meant that we were fairly tired and grumpy in the day. The rooms are a decent size but you share a bathroom with everyone else in the apartment/hotel. You can hear everyone else in each of the rooms and you are only allowed the air conditioning on at certain times for ecologoical (not economical of course!) reasons. This meant that we were far too hot in the night. The kitchen was sometimes locked and the breakfast consisted of long life bread you could toast. We travelled from London to Istanbul and back last summer and this was the worst hotel we experienced.

We only stayed for the night. Thank god! After checking in, we carried our cases into another building (the lobby was covered in garbage and household junk); we proceeded to carry our cases to the 2nd floor and to our room, which, was huge, and yet, had no room for a bathroom! Sharing the bathroom was a bit weird considering that for the same price a couple of nights previous we were staying a Palazzo complete with en-suite. Apparently, this hotel the Ca'Dario offered the 'secret garden of Venice' which would have been great if you could go into it (which you couldn't). The air-con was noisy, but at least it was there and the creaking doors from every room on th e floor kept us awake for most of the night.
Breakfast was without doubt one of the worst things I've ever had. I felt like a backpacker again (I'm used to a bit more luxury for the price) and the kitchen was a bit smelling with food seemingly left to rot in the bin and the nearby sink. That for us, was the enduring memory: sweaty bread that we had to toast to make it edible and a capuccion in a plastic cup. Book this place at your peril!!!

I stayed with a friend in Residenzia Ca` Dario for two nights. It was great. Nice and clean room with a small balcony. The only thing that is not so good is the breakfast.