Hotel ai do Mori (Venice, Italy)

You couldn't dream of being better located than two minutes from St Mark's Square - at least without paying a small fortune. Guests love that the main sights are within easy reach and there is a water-bus nearby to take you anywhere else you want to go.

Guests get the feeling they have unearthed a little gem. The hotel may be basic, but it is bursting with character. The rooms are very clean and if you're lucky to have a view from the top floor over the Basilica, the climb up the many steps will feel even more worth it!

Guests are pleased with the nice reception they get from the owner and the staff. They are very friendly and keen to give you advice about your trip.

The whole place is narrow and feels cramped to guests from the moment they enter. First, you have to tackle the tight and steep stairs - between two and four flights of them – before you arrive in your small rooms. Some of which barely have enough room to fit in the bed.

The lively streets around the hotel, packed with restaurants, can test your patience at night when you want nothing more than to sleep. Then there are the bells. You wanted to be right next to the Piazza San Marco? Well you're going to have to enjoy the sound of the bells ringing every hour then – even throughout the night.

If you simply have to be in such a prime location, it will cost you. Guests find the prices to be pretty expensive for what is a basic hotel. They are realistic to realise though that they are paying for the location and not much else.