Venice - Italy - page 275

Seasonal Fluctuations
Venetian hotels have one of the most convoluted seasonal pricing systems
in the world, all because of the nearly endless popularity of the city.
Generally speaking, high season runs for as long as business permits,
stretching over the Christmas-to-New-Year's period, then from February 13
to 24 (or whenever Carnevale is scheduled), April 1 to July 21, and August
28 to October 31. Low season runs from January 4 to the end of March,
excluding the busy Carnevale period, and again from November through
Christmas. There's a quiet “middle season” when many Venetians pack up
and go on holiday themselves, from July 22 through August 27.
You can generally expect room prices to follow these seasonal patterns,
often doubling when there's an important festival. Venice's low seasons
are generally coupled with soggy, chilly weather and the inconvenience of
the acqua alta (see “ Acqua Alta & Sirocco,” above). Bear in mind that
these are also the times when tourist numbers are down, meaning you'll
be paying less to have more of the city to yourself.

Fortunately, a room in Venice doesn't need to be more than a place to lay your
head after an exhausting day of rewarding experiences; there's just too much out
there for you to worry about the state of your hotel. Venice does have some afford-
able rooms, however, as well as a number of hostels and a fairly extensive range of
apartments for rent. It also has a selection of bed-and-breakfasts, where you'll not
only save cash but have an opportunity to schmooze with locals, and take advan-
tage of their insider tips and recommendations. I've included a number of these
B&Bs below.
In general, all hotel rooms have air-conditioning, a television (usually tiny and
sometimes only capable of receiving Italian broadcasts), and bathrooms that range
in size from tiny to small. If you find yourself in a room that feels like the small-
est space on earth, well . . . that's pretty much the norm in Venice. Breakfast is
included in the rate, unless I've noted otherwise.
LIVING LIKE A VENETIAN: FINDING A
SELF-CATERING APARTMENT
The best way to get a sense of Venetian life is to stay in an apartment where you
can prepare your own meals and occasionally share an elevator or stairway with
“locals” rather than with other foreign guests. Start out by contacting Venetian
Apartments ( % 041-5226441; www.venice-rentals.com). This well-established
operation has around 85 very different apartments on its books. Operated by a
London office, it provides a relatively hassle-free method of finding a place that's
right for you. The price? You're looking at paying anything upwards of 900 per

week for a fairly simple place, while a midrange flat with a view and perhaps a ter-
race will cost around

€

€

1,300. It sounds like a lot, but it breaks down to as little