Four of us (adults - or at least old enough to be adults!) are arriving Venice at 8:50 am on a Tuesday and have until about 11 am on Friday to explore. All of us have spent spent time there several years ago and are comfortable using the water taxis and wondering through the Square and city.

We need suggestions as to a good three star or better hotel available between $150 and $325. If any of you have Priceline successes were would like to know what Priceline uses as 4 and 5 star options. The hotel should be within a few minutes walk of the Square but does not have to be on water or have a special view.

We would like to hire a private guide for 4 hours on Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning. On Monday we will be leaving home at around 9 am and catching our overnight flight at 5 pm with two in business and two in coach. We might do better Wednesday morning although usually I am ok the afternoon of arrival (We are the business class couple though).

Any suggestions as to a good private guide for a walking tour with stops at points of interest? No glass factories please.

Wednesday afternoon we plan to visit the old Jewish quarters and ride the water taxis. Thursday afternoon (starting around 1:30 or 2) we will have commitments for the afternoon and evening. Friday we will have until 11 or so free. We likely will wonder the city and enjoy the small shops and restaurants Thursday and Friday.

We'd appreciate advice as to good breakfast places and where to do dinner on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. Last time there we just found small places several blocks or more off the Square and dropped in. We were pleased with most of our meals.

We have read First time in Italy - Feedback please (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/italy...itinerary.html) and find the advice there sound. But we are lookinh for more specific recommendations and thought it best not to add to that posting.

We arrived on the AM flight from PHL, which was about 2 hours late. We stayed far from where you suggest to make it easier on our departure day (cruise) -- I don't know where you're going at 11 am Friday. We stayed at Hotel Principe near the train station. Hotels closer to St Marks will be much more expensive. We found that part of the charm of Venice was walking around, getting "lost" on the way from the hotel to the sites and discovering smaller, very nice restaurants that had better food for less money than those packed into the tourist areas. We didnt mind at all the 20-30 minute walk to St Marks -- that was a great part of the day.

I'd get an idea of the Vaporetto routes in advance; find a guidebook you like with a good map -- I assume thats what you mean by water taxis, since the vaporetto is the Venice version of the bus system (on water) and is affordable, daily passes are available, etc. There are water taxis, but boy are they expensive for routine travel.

As far as functionality on the day of arrival, for us we took the Alilaguna from the airport to the island (Vaporetto didnt go to the airport when we visited, not sure if it does now), and it dropped us off right between Principe and the Jewish Ghetto. We dumped bags and spent the day in the sun walking the ghetto, doing the museum/synagogue tour (easy to find; there's really only one main square in the ghetto, no reservation was needed), and walking down the big pedestrian street that runs Southeast from the ghetto (I forget the name). We went to bed a bit early, quite tired, and woke up the next AM ready to go. From a neurologic standpoint, staying up later is the better way to adjust your sleep wake cycle over going tobe earlier...

If you want to visit the Doge's palace, book in advance. There's a hidden secrets (or something liek that) titled tour that I wish we'd done. Get to the Cathedral early or suffer long, long lines.

On one walk back to the hotel from.... somewhere touristy, we tripped over a great restaurant. Didnt eat there that time, and it took 2 more tries to find it again. If I can figure it out, I'll post it. It was on the left side of the river, in a nice campo wtih a nice church, somewhat off the beaten tourist path on the right side of the river.

Clarification: a water taxi is an individual boat for hire; what do you mean by "ride the water taxis" they are quite pricey (c. 100 EU from the airport to city center)

A vaporetto is a water bus; the tickets range in price, a regular one way ride is about 6 EU; you can a longer passes (12 hours, 24 hours, etc..)

Many of your other questions (esp. re: dining) have running threads on this forum

Water bus was what I meant.

Check www.betterbidding.com out for your question on which hotels show up via Priceline bidding. There is a search box top center of the page. Just plug "venice" in.

If you want to continue on that site asking for some bidding advice, they will want your specific dates and desired star level. Based on what you've seen in the above search, you likely will have nailed it down to which star level you'd prefer.

Romelle

Do look into some sort of "all you can ride" ticket for the vaporettos.

http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/ has lots of good detail, although there are many other similar sites.

When we were in Venice we used Silvia Donaggio (she is a Dr. of Art History) for our private guide on land. She is a Venetian who is a certified guide (in Venice that means you go to the head of any lines) and is well-known. We are going back in June and using her again. Her e-mail is [email protected]

We have been in touch with Silvia and will likely use her. She has already been helpful. Thanks for the reference.

You can get a really nice hotel in a great location with breakfast included for about $130 for a bid for a 4* in Venice on Priceline. Don't bid for 5* or you will wind up on an outer island at the converted flour mill. See www.Biddingfortravel.com

FYI: the "converted flour mill" is the Molino Stucky Hilton, - and is considered one of the nicest hotels in the city.

Furthermore the Hilton is located on Giudecca, which is most certainly not an "outer island"

Outer island to me means that there is no bridge to the main attractions as the inner islands have. It's just a warning to be prepared to travel.

That's fine if that is your definition it just isn't consistent w/what we actually define as outer islands.

there is a lot of waterbus from the hilton. 2, and 41,42.

do not know what they offer in the way of private transport.

the Hilton has two launches than run from about 7 am to midnight.