ABOVE: Venice is only about twice the size of New York's Central Park or London's Hampstead Heath, but it feels much larger if you need to get from one end of town to the other with a heavy suitcase.

In the photo above, the cruise terminals, railroad station, and Piazzale Roma bus and car terminus are on the left side, about halfway across the city from the Piazza San Marco (which is below the word "Venice").

We hope you'll forgive the scary headline, and we don't want you to start your trip planning on a negative note, but we aren't kidding. We really do have a "No. 1 Warning" for travelers to Venice, and here it is:

Know where you want to stay!

As we explain in "Top 11 Tourist Mistakes (and how to avoid them)," we often receive e-mails from readers who have booked hotels through travel agents, airlines, cruise lines, or other sources without knowing where the hotels are or whether the hotel locations match their needs. We get questions like:

"What's an easy way to get from a hotel near the Rialto Bridge to the cruise port by public transportation?"

Answer: There isn't an easy way. You'll need to walk a long distance or fight the crowds on a public water bus, which isn't easy if you have more than a small suitcase. Or you can spend €40 (maybe more) on a water taxi, if your hotel is near a water-taxi landing.

"How can we get to the airport from a hotel on Giudecca for a 7 a.m. flight?"

Answer: You'll probably need to spend at least €110 for a private water taxi.

"Can a water taxi get to our hotel?"

Answer: Maybe, or maybe not. Many of Venice's canals aren't navigable by water taxis, most hotels don't have boat landings, and the closest drop-off point may be several blocks from the hotel.

"How close can we get to our hotel by Alilaguna airport boat?"

Answer: That depends. Some hotels are within a block or two of an airport-boat landing, but other hotels require long walks down narrow, crowded streets with bridges to cross. Check the hotel Web site's "location" page before booking.

Our advice: Plan ahead! For many travelers, a hotel's location isn't critical, but certain situations require careful thought in a city of more than 400 footbridges where walking is the primary mode of transportation:

If you're loaded with luggage, stay at a hotel near the Piazzale Roma (airport buses and taxis), the Santa Lucia railroad station, or--if you prefer a location closer to the Piazza San Marco--an Alilaguna airport boat stop. Otherwise, you'll be struggling like the travelers in our Perils of Overpacking blog video.
If you're arriving or departing on a cruise ship, stay at a hotel near the Piazzale Roma (Marittima terminals), the San Basilio pier, or--less conveniently--the Piazza San Marco, where you can catch an Alilaguna Blue Line boat to the Marittima basin. We discuss these and other options in our article about Venice Cruise Terminal hotels.
If you've got mobility problems, stay at a hotel that's close to public transportation, or you may find yourself struggling up and down the steps of pedestrian bridges.

If you're sleeping in Mestre, on the mainland, choose your hotel carefully so you'll be in downtown Mestre--within 10 to 12 minutes from Venice--instead of being trapped in an isolated, depressing motor inn on the road to the airport. (See Mestre-Marghera Hotels for specific recommendations.)

Above all, don't let someone else make a booking decision for you! If a travel agent, airline, or other resource has already booked you into an inconveniently-located hotel, cancel the reservation and make your own hotel decision (unless you're stuck with a prepaid, non-cancellable booking).

For more detailed advice on where to stay, see the articles below. And while we'd obviously love it if you booked your hotel through the links on our site, we hope you'll heed our No. 1 Warning even if you find a room by other means.

- Durant and Cheryl Imboden, Venice for Visitors

General advice:

Where to Stay in Venice

NEW: Aerial Venice Hotels

Venice hotel recommendations by area:

Piazza San Marco

Venice Marco Polo Airport

Venice Railroad Station

Venice Cruise Terminal

Mestre (Mainland)

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Hotel Advice:

Location can be important in a car-free city with 400+ bridges, especially when you're walking with luggage. Before you book, see:

Hotel Recomendations by Area
Find hotels that are handy to the airport, railroad station, cruise port, or Piazza San Marco, and in Mestre.

Aerial Venice Hotels
Read our tips on choosing the right sestiere or district. Then view individual hotels and their surroundings in large satellite photos and aerial close-ups.

MSC cruise ship in Venice

Venice for Cruisers:

Venice canal reflections

From our Venice Travel Blog:

A water taxi ride to Venice Airport
A warning about water taxis
Venice Railroad Station: a vaporetto view
Long lines at Venice Airport
Free boat trips to Murano
Need to pee? Prepare to pay
Crime in Venice
The perils of overpacking
Venetian daily life

Maggie in Venice

From Maggie in Venice:

A dog's life in Venice
A Beagle boards a water bus
Maggie in Venice video clips