If you're after a budget trip to Venice but still want to stay in a good boutique hotel, then don't stay in Venice.
Stay in Padua (Padova) instead, which is an infinitely sweeter, friendlier and cheaper city. It's only a half-hour and a few euros on the train and, to be honest, you can do Venice in a day trip and head back to Padua for dinner, drinks and sleeps.
Despite the warmy goodness we feel when we think of Padua, one of the strangest hotels we've stayed in is the Methis Hotel in Padua. ]]>