Antica Locanda Sturion

Nice and clean! I’m sitting here in my bed now. Room 2 has the most amazing view of the Rialto Bridge and Grand Canal. A/​C is not on so must leave windows open. Very comfortable until 4:30 am when the river wakes up and workers are busy. Sleeps 3 comfortably. Room 3 is very nice with a view if the alley. Sleeps 2. Stairs are not a big deal. Would not suggest for an elderly couple or overweight people.

Can you handle stairs? This historic hotel is situated directly above the Grand Canal with a view of the Rialto Bridge at greatly discounted rates.
Remember the realtors’ age-​old saying about property value: location, location, LOCATION! In other words, finding hotel accommodations in this part of Venice is like finding an apartment in midtown New York City — you’re going to spend a lot of money for a small room and even less amenities. This is particularly true for the few hotels near the Rialto Bridge.
The area’s proximity to the world-​famous Rialto Bridge, its marketplace, and its centralized convenience to all points Venice makes this prime real estate in the heart of the city. Factor in actually being on the Grand Canal’s waterfront itself plus high-​floor visibility of the same and now you’re starting to skyrocket the prices (just like midtown NYC) into several hundred US$ per night for a room barely large enough for your valise and a place to rest your head — horizontally, hopefully!
Here’s where Antica Locanda Sturion provides real value. You get the great views and location for a fraction of what you’d expect to pay — the catch? Stairs. About 3 flights worth. No elevator. No porter for your baggage. Just you, your luggage, and 3 flights of stairs. As a result, rooms here fare on average about € 100 less that all other hotels in the immediate vicinity. Come on now — after a few days stay, you’ve saved enough to pay for a fitness club for a year! ;)
So if you’re still reading this then you must be up to the challenge or simply a glutton for pain! Whatever the case may be, let’s talk about the hotel itself.
Antica Locanda Sturion can trace its history back hundreds of years to the days of the mighty Venetian Empire. Needless to say this is a very old, historic building.
The public areas and rooms are clean, well-​maintained, tidy, tastefully furnished and decorated.
We stayed in one of the two rooms accessed via the dining area. They both have their own bathrooms. Remember, especially in the older buildings and hotels of Europe, if a private bathroom is important to you, you need to ask if your accommodation has a private, shared, or hallway bathroom.
I’d say we were height-​wise about 4 standard American floors up — these are some tall floors! Therefore the view of the Grand Canal directly below is commanding. Because the walls are extremely thick and old school, you have to actually stand at (or sit in) the windows to see anything. You can gaze upon the Rialto Bridge on the far left of the view. We mainly enjoyed watching the canal traffic: garbage scows and delivery boats in the morning, throngs of water taxies and water busses maneuvering into the Rialto stop directly across throughout the day, and lines of gondolas into the evening. Now this is the life — sipping on Italian coffee while taking all this in right from the privacy of your own room.
The hotel of about 10 rooms offers daily breakfast service in the dining area of about 6 tables (which serves as a lounge the rest of the day and evening). Breakfast is in the typical European style: a selection of cured meats, cheeses, breads, cereals, Nutella. For all you Americans, don’t expect the hot, hardy, heart-​clogging breakfast buffets we’re so used to in this part of Europe. You do, however, get your fill of carbohydrates to get you through your busy morning.
Hotel service was conservatively friendly and English-​speaking making it really helpful when you have questions.
One final note: don’t bother with the pushy waterfront restaurants on the ground floor. They’re much too expensive and you’re paying for real estate more than food quality. There are so many choices throughout Venice (about 750 actually — no joke). Yes, yes, yes, if you simply must dine along the Grand Canal (which smells like poo when the water settles down at night, by the way) in view of the wonderful Rialto Bridge, then you must pick one of these few options. At least make an informed decision — read their menus (and prices), observe the food coming out and customers’ enjoyment (or lack thereof), demand to sit where the view is, and ask how long the wait is. Would they be willing to hold your spot while you go do other things instead of waiting right there? Remember, depending on the exchange rate you may be spending over US$ 200 for this dining experience. And don’t ask this hotel staff — they’re working in cahoots with the restaurant downstairs.
If you’re looking for a terrific meal nearby, visit OSTERIA AE SCONTE about a 5 minute walk across the bridge in the general direction of San Marco Polo. If you can only try one restaurant in Venice, that would be my absolute «must do» recommendation for Venetian seafood. See my review on Unilocal as well.
So, for terrific views, convenient location in the heart of Venice, and you don’t mind working off those pounds on the stairs to save a gondola-​load of money, try Antica Locanda Sturion!