Three of us stayed 3 nights (2 rooms) at Padua's Accademia Palace in October, 2006 and even though the hotel was a bit out of the way, the price was unusually low and the food and service were great.

The breakfasts were elegant and delicious, and the restaurant's food and service were excellent; the bathroom, large with plenty of hot water and pressure; beds, comfortable; and heating and cooling, satifactory.

We found plenty of outlets in the rooms and although the hotel internet worked only in the lobby, the staff patiently worked on their system until we were connected.

During daylight hours, we walked from the hotel to the city center or to the train station (we went into Venice twice), and took a cab after dark. There are no sidewalks along some of the streets near the hotel. Even though Italians seem to be actively involved with the traffic every minute they're behind the wheel (talking, yelling, gesturing), they don't hesitate to park alongside the narrowest of roads at all imaginable angles. So pedestrians must always use extra caution.

TIP: Italian restaurants open late by US standards - usually 8:00 p.m., some open a bit sooner. If there is a particular restaurant you really want to try, be sure to make a reservation. It may look like there are more restaurants in a town than there are people, but the better ones can fill up in a matter of minutes after opening.