Fondamenta Zitelle, 86, Venice, Italy | (618) 248-8274
Hip hostel with attractive rates
Quiet location away from mainland bustle but near a vaporetto stop
Spectacular views of the Venice coastline from the hostel
Striking, stylish interiors with antiques and colorful
accents
Clean and well maintained rooms, with security and AC
Choice of private and shared rooms, including female-only dorms
Restaurant serves all meals at reasonable
prices
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Laundry and storage facilities on-site
Must use a water bus to get to main attractions
No guest kitchen
Breakfast is not included in room rates
Elevator only goes to the second floor
Wi-Fi is spotty in some areas of the property
Towels are extra for some shared rooms
The budget Generator Hostel Venice attracts mostly young travelers seeking a hip and
pleasant place to stay on the cheap. This former warehouse on Giudecca island is
accessible from the mainland by a 15-minute boat ride. It was renovated in
2013, but still maintains original features such as exposed brick and wood
beams that are paired with a fun and eclectic mix of vintage
furnishings. The spacious lobby is also home to a stylish restaurant and bar area. The 29 private and shared rooms (235 beds total) are clean and comfortable, though fairly basic and not all have en-suite bathrooms. Laundry facilities and
free Wi-Fi are available, but breakfast is not included and there's no guest kitchen.
For a reasonably priced alternative on the mainland, consider the budget Stella
Alpina Edelweiss, which isn't as stylish, but breakfast is included.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
A fun and funky hostel drawing mostly a young crowd from around the world
This hip hostel from the Generator chain attracts young guests -- most are under 25 -- but it’s not unusual to see couples
over 50 as well as student groups in their teens. While it’s in a quiet setting
away from the bustle of the main island, this hostel can get lively in the evenings as guests settle in for the night around the bar area. The former grain warehouse circa 1855 is a treat for design enthusiasts, but all guests tend to find the interiors striking and stylish. The open-plan lobby/restaurant/bar area is spacious and eclectic, with antiques
and colorful vintage furniture, heavy velvet drapes in rich greens and reds,
and distinctive mosaic tile and hardwood floors. Original wood beams as well as exposed brick walls and ducts running along the ceiling blend rustic style with an industrial vibe, while the whimsical design
accents mix old and new in a fun and funky, shabby-chic way.
Location
On quiet Giudecca island, about 15 minutes from the mainland by boat
The Generator Hostel Venice is located on Giudecca island
and is accessible from the mainland by boat only. Fortunately, the hostel is
situated directly on the waterfront, a minutes' walk from a vaporetto (water taxi) stop. Many of Venice’s most popular attractions are directly across
the lagoon. Giudecca offers a quiet refuge from the crush of tourists in
Venice. There are some other hotels and a few restaurants within a brief walk
of the hostel. Travel times to the
mainland, including St. Mark’s Square, Doge's Palace, and the Guggenheim
Collection, is about 15 minutes. The Rialto Bridge is 20 minutes away, while Saint
Lucia train station, the Grand Canal entrance, and Piazzale Roma bus terminal all
take about 25 to 30 minutes. Venice's Marco Polo Airport is approximately an hour away.
Rooms
Clean and comfortable private and shared rooms of various sizes
Generator Hostel Venice offers 235 beds contained in 29 separate rooms, with a choice of private rooms and shared dorms that have from four to 16 beds. Some of the shared rooms are for women only. Private rooms have en-suite bathrooms, as do some of the shared rooms (others utilize shared facilities). All rooms have enough space for comfort, but are not overly spacious. They're clean and generally well maintained as the
result of a renovation in 2013, with simple yet pleasing decor. Walls
are painted white or beige, but there is some exposed brick as well as original
wood beams across the high ceilings. Floors are hardwood plank, and blackout
blinders cover the windows, which open and offer views of surrounding buildings
or the waterfront. Shared rooms have simple gray metal bunks as well as some single
twin beds in larger dorms. All beds, which guests report to be
comfortable, have reading lights and power plugs, but there's not much else in the dorm rooms besides the metal lock boxes beneath the beds. Private rooms offer desks with chairs as well as
leather armchairs. Bathrooms are bright and clean, though average in size. Some of the white
acrylic vanities have double sinks. Showers are small inserts with frosted
glass doors, while toilets are in separate spaces. The rooms are
generally quiet, but as a hostel, noise is often heard from doors closing and
people coming and going.
Features
Full-service restaurant and bar, free Wi-Fi, 24/7 reception desk, luggage storage, and travel shop
Generator Hostel Venice provides several stylish extra features, starting with dining. The hostel has a full-service restaurant and bar on-site, offering both a buffet and a la carte items for breakfast (not
included in room rates), as well as serving lunch and dinner. The bar is open daily
and features happy hour specials. There's also a travel shop that sells toiletries and other
sundries. The reception desk is staffed 24/7 and guests can book various tours here. Free Wi-Fi is available
throughout the property. Luggage storage is
available, and laundry facilities are on-site, but there are no kitchen
facilities that guests can use to store and prepare their own food.
