Venice Beach Villas, Venice

Loved this place. Very close to the beach. We found lots of shells and shark teeth. They even have beach chairs, bucket, shark tooth baskets, coolers, bikes, a vending machine that has Pepsi in it(Pepsi is hard to find in the south..and I am a Pepsi drinker), washer, dryer etc. at no extra charge you just have to bring it back. You need to provide all of your shampoo/conditioner personal items, they will provide toilet paper and towels. This is a villa not a hotel and it is a wonderful place to stay. I would recommend it to anyone. Wish we had more time to spend here. Thanks for the wonderful memories.

My mother, two kids and I stayed at the Venice Ave location and were extremely surprised by how spacious and well equiped the 2 room villa was. Plenty of clean linens, dishes, etc. Also, provided beach chairs, biles, etc at no cost. Would definitely return. Only 5 minute drive to Casperson Beach -- which is a hidden gem. Great swimming, sharks teeth galore, beautiful shells.

Our family (7 of us from out-of-state plus 2 friends) were attending my father's funeral in Venice over the weekend and needed a clean, reasonable place to stay. We read the Venice Beach Villas website and gave them a call. The owners answered all of our many questions and assured us that the units had recently been upgraded and were mold-free (some of us in the group are extremely allergic to the ubiquitous mold and mildew in humid Florida). We wish we could have stayed longer than four days! Not only were the units clean and comfortable but the location was perfect! We could walk to the beach kiosk for breakfast (or take-out a delicious lunch from the beach kiosk the day we left and headed to the airport) plus we could walk to the restaurants and P.O. downtown. If we had been in the frame of mind to grill or cook our own meals, there was access to grills. Also, beach towels and fossil collecting equipment was available as were laundry facilities and bicycles. It was just a great, quiet place run by very nice folks!

We have stayed at Venice Beach Villas repeatedly since we found it and it is our first choice every time we visit Venice. Lori & Kevin are both great - very helpful and friendly. The rooms are very clean with all the amenities. All kinds of extras are also available for enjoying the outdoors, such as bicycles, a heated pool and a patio with gas grills. Also available are books, movies and computer access. Venice Beach Villas is located just blocks from the beach and it's an easy trek down to watch the gorgeous sunsets!

Based on reviews on this site and others, we chose this property but we were disappointed with some aspects.While there are many good aspects to this hotel, it also has its down side. First, the good news. The rooms, pool, lobby, and property in general was kept clean. The linens were above standard. It is located within easy walking distance of both the beach and the old areas of Venice. Breakfast was predictable, but fine. The hotel offers complimentary bottled water, which is nice since the local water has a noticeable aftertaste. However, we went to this hotel as a beach destination and paid extra to have a “beach view.” When I made the reservation, I discussed this issue in detail, which is why I was particularly annoyed to find that I paid extra for a view of a couple of hibiscus bushes, a stairwell, and a parking lot. I had specifically asked for a room on the second floor since I have been burned on this issue before. While the receptionist may not have guaranteed a second floor room, she told me there were two units of the type I was requesting still available and saw no reason I shouldn’t be able to stay in one of them. When I arrived and saw the set up, I immediately asked for a regular room so that I would not be paying extra for a beach view but was told none were available. Also, I had given up a king or queen bed and took two doubles so that I could have the “beach view.” Putting that aside, though, this location should not charge extra for the ground floor rooms that indeed face the beach but require standing on tiptoes to even be able to tell there is a body of water out there. As for the lovely sunsets, from my “balcony” I couldn’t see a sunset because of the stairwell. The manager himself came to hook up a DVD player for us, so I stood with him in front of the windows in our room and (nicely) confronted him about the issue to no avail. Other aspects of this hotel that are below standard for the rate include: rooms with a kitchen are barely more than the size of a regular hotel room, no oven in the “full kitchen,” chairs for sitting outside are simply chairs outside the room, there is no “balcony,” pool and pool area are small and were sometimes crowded, grounds itself were tidy but it is mostly concrete with very little green area. We were there at prime time, so I am sure I paid the highest price for the room, but I thought the hotel was overrated and overpriced compared to many others where I have stayed on both sides of Florida. The beach itself is two-tiered there, but that may be thanks to the hurricanes from a couple of years ago. It is not the classic beach you will find around Siesta and Longboat Key or on the east side of Florida. If you are passing through Venice and need a room for the night, this is a pleasant place away from the interstates, but as a beach destination, it was a big disappointment.

We stayed at Menendez street and loved the quiet, yet with great access to beach and downtown Venice! The grounds and rooms were well kept but retained that old florida feel. We will go back again.

We chose to stay at Inn At The Beach because of the location and the good reviews that they had from others. We wanted to check out the beach and go kayaking and diving near-by. We found much more than expected. All of their staff were very pleasant! They were so nice to us, and they treated our children with such kindness. We have never seen hotel staff like this anywhere, and not just one or two but all of them. They were genuine, helpful, caring, and considerate - real hospitality without being "coin operated" like most other places. That was very refreshing. The rooms were very nice, the entire place was clean and cheerful, and the pool is better than first thought. The area surrounding this hotel is full of really nice little shops and fun places to visit. Venice Ave is a unique and beautiful street, full of beautiful trees and peaceful grass areas. We originally stayed there because of location, but found it to be so nice that we have plans to go back often as a great family get-away.

We are returning for our third stay at this wonderful little getaway. The room we stay in is perfect for travelers that like their own snacks and hate to eat out for breakfast. This is the only place to stay in Venice with any class. The nearby beach is great and the area is very quiet. The Inn is very professionally run. You will not be disappointed. Bob & Jill

THE LOCATION WAS FANTASTIC, THE STAFF VERY FRIENDLY AND CO-OPERATIVE. COULD NOT FAULT THIS HOTEL. VENICE IS A LOVELY PLACE AND WOULD LOVE TO GOT BACK. IT IS SO RELAXING AND LAID BACK. GREAT VACATION.