Murano, the island where all the glass art is made, is a quiet and cheaper alternative to the Venice islands for a hotel. There are only two on the islands, both good. Staying on Murano will save you a bundle, as it's off the beaten track, in other words, not right in San Marco!

There was a time when the trade of glassblowing and glass art was dominated by the Venetian Republic, with the factories on the island of Murano.