I booked the San Clemente for a wedding anniversary trip, staying three nights having flown direct from the UK to Marco Polo.

This is a wonderful hotel - one of the best we've ever stayed in and I highly recommend it if you are looking for somewhere special to stay in Venice. We booked through [--]and the BA flights plus three nights here came to just over £1,000, which honestly wasn't that much more than lots of the average hotels I looked at.

As you will have read, it has its own island, which is a very pleasant 15 minute ride in their luxury, air-conditioned, two cabined boat (the journey time is halved at night when they tend to ignore the very tight speed limits). The boat leaves from right in front of Gardini Reali, which fronts St Marks Plazza - it couldn't be more central. It is also about 20 yards from the San Marco Alilaguna stop - which is the public transport from the airport (although our recommendation is to really consider the very expensive, but sooo much cooler water taxis from the airport to the hotel. Some of the Alilaguna public bus boats only have closed windows that are very dirty from sea spray - they take ages, and for groups of four or more the price difference starts to narrow - it's the one thing we'd have done that we didn't). The boat is very punctual, and if you miss it then there is another in 20 minutes - and given you will either have St Marks Plazza or the hotel's beautiful grounds to wander around while you wait - well, you might find yourself like us, sometimes missing it on purpose!

On arrival our bags were carried to reception as we walked up the pathway through the beautiful wooded grounds to the entrance. We arrived late evening, and there was only one receptionist, so we had to wait a little - but that was the only negative experience with the hotel the entire time.

We received an upgrade from the standard room to a deluxe, and ended up in a beautiful room on the top floor, with views over the grounds and towards Venice (see my photos).

The room was perfect, stylishly furnished, a strong Venetian feel, but not over the top. Comfortable bed, cabinetted TV with good films and usable internet access with an infrared keyboard. The room also had wifi internet access, which appears new. A very nice bathroom with huge shower (pressure was fine, if not very strong), large bath and a delightful set of bath and shower gels. We had very comfortable robes and slippers, and to top it all, a chilled bottle of champagne with a personal greeting from the staff was waiting for us. The room was prepared twice a day, once in the morning, usually while we'd been to breakfast, and then the beds were turned down in the afternoon - very nice.

Breakfast was superb - an excellent range of everything you could hope for, cereal, fruit, continental and cooked (including perfect scrambled eggs - a good thing to judge the cooking by) There was also a bottle of bubbly (to make bucks fizz each morning with the freshly squeezed orange juice), prompt service, and lovely outdoor courtyard if you prefer to sit there.

On our first night we went a little crazy and ate in the top restaurant, the Cà dei Frati. It was the best meal we have probably ever eaten - and one of the most expensive. The waiters were charming, knowledgeable and kept just the right balance of attention and leaving you to yourselves. We went for the fixed price 'Gourmet menu' at 110 euros each, plus wine starting from about 30 euros a bottle (or 10 a glass). This five course meal ended up at about eight courses, as the chef prepares various little surprises that the waiters bring to you with large smiles. The food was superb - and as I looked at the prices, it was only perhaps 20% more than the 'casual' restaurant at the hotel - Le Maschere, which others said was very good too. What Cà dei Frati also has however, is possibly the best view of any restaurant in Venice! Located the top floor of the hotel, in a timber beamed room (it used to be the drying room of the monastery's laundry) it has HUGE windows that look out over the lagoon and Venice beyond. Make sure you book so you are there for the sun setting - it was unforgettable.

The pool was lovely, we snatched some time there on our last day. Very clean, a good temperature and set in beautiful grounds just outside the hotel. They have started doing evening barbecues there which seemed to be the best value eating at the hotel. I had a quick trip to the (free) spa which had a nice sauna and turkish bath area, plus two large jacuzzis. I didn't see the small gym upstairs. Massages start at around 40 euros I think.

The concierges were excellent, confirming our tour of the Doges Palace for us (search the forums for the 'Secret itinerary' tour details, it was a great behind-the-scenes visit for not much extra than the normal entrance price). They also recommended an excellent, classical venetian restaurant owned by a lovely couple, called Osteria Oliva Nera, not far from St Marks, which was delightful for our last night.

I can't recommend the San Clemente Palace highly enough. If your budget can stretch that little bit further, and you can find a good deal, then go for it - it's fabulous, and great value at the price we got. View my photos to get a better idea.