Mestre station (mainland)

a and o Venezia Mestre

★★★★★

For travellers on a tight budget, and for families who want to stretch their money, the a&o Venezia Mestre is about as practical as it gets. It belongs to a&o, one of Europe's largest budget hostel chains, which mixes private rooms with dormitories under one roof, and it sits right next to Venezia Mestre railway station on the mainland, the main junction for trains to Venice, Padua, Verona and the rest of Italy. From the station, trains cross the lagoon bridge to Venice Santa Lucia in a few minutes, so you can be on the Grand Canal about a quarter of an hour after leaving your room, and buses run to Piazzale Roma too. The rooms are simple and functional: single and double private rooms and air-conditioned shared dormitories, all with the chain's straightforward modern design. What lifts it above a basic hostel is the range of facilities: a hotel bar, an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet, a guest kitchen where you can cook your own meals, which is a real saving in a city where eating out adds up fast, a kids' corner, meeting and work spaces, bicycle hire, a washing machine for laundry and free Wi-Fi. There is parking for those arriving by car, and the reception sells tickets and gives advice. It is busy, sociable and sometimes noisy, with school groups and backpackers as well as families and couples, and it makes no pretence of Venetian charm. What it offers is a clean, safe, well-connected bed at a price that leaves more of your budget for the city itself.

Location logic: being beside Mestre station is the whole point. Trains to Santa Lucia run frequently and quickly, and you can easily do day trips to Padua, Verona or Treviso from the same platform. The station area of Mestre is a transport hub rather than a destination, lively but not pretty, so most guests spend their days in Venice and their evenings either in the city or at the hostel bar. Overnight guests anywhere in the municipality, including Mestre, are exempt from the day-tripper access fee, which is paused until the end of 2026, with 2027 dates not yet announced.

Room and booking craft: families should book private rooms early, since they sell out first in summer and during Carnival; dorm beds suit solo travellers and groups. The all-you-can-eat breakfast is good value for hungry teenagers. Use the guest kitchen for some meals and the savings add up. Budget for a city tourist tax per night, and buy a public transport pass if you plan to use buses and vaporetti as well as trains.

Who it suits: budget travellers, backpackers, school and youth groups, and families who prioritise price and rail connections over atmosphere. It is not for those seeking quiet or charm; for a budget stay with more character, the Generator on the Giudecca puts you in Venice itself, at a higher price. Compared with the Novotel in Mestre, it is cheaper and closer to the trains, but has no pool or garden.