You know what they say about fast marriages: marry in haste, discover horrifying truths about your spouse at leisure. The most recent revelation in our relationship: my other half has never, ever been to Italy. Since I consider this to be very nearly criminal negligence, I've been planning to whisk us off to either Rome or Venice as soon as possible.

Hence my interest in CNTraveller's promise of Venetian restaurants and hotels that "won't break the bank" - although at this point I'm more interested in not breaking my poor bank manager. For those who can't quite rally up the dosh for the ultimate suites at the fabulous Gritti Palace, a former Gritti family mansion is now the far less expensive La Residenza, with rooms going for a middling rate of 160 euros per room per night. For those looking for modern Venice, the contemporary DD.724 offer boutique hotel chic at a comparatively modest 250 euros per room per night.

All in all though, I think the budget picks on this list are probably not all that budget, especially when you consider that any room with a view in Venice is a fabulous room (health hazards excepted). A far, far better bet is the under reported Veneziasi - the Venetian Hoteliers' association's free search and booking system. You can use their website to find rooms from 400 hotels for as little as £45 per room per night in the off season. Even better, Veneziasì is fully staffed by actual, lovely humans who will help you find the perfect room within your budget and within your exact requirements. Their services are absolutely free of charge and they add no booking fee to help you make reservations.