The three-story Hotel Iris is housed in a charming red building with green shutters. Creeping vines covering the side of the building, slightly obscuring the gold letters that spell the property’s name, while small boats dock right outside of the hotel. Unfortunately, though, most of this charm gets left outside the hotel, as interiors are in need of a massive overhaul. A small lobby area has exposed wooden ceiling beams and marble floors. The curved, wooden front desk is dated, and there are a couple red couches around a wooden coffee table that have all seen better days. Just off the lobby there’s a small bar area with tables and chairs where guests can sit to access the free Wi-Fi. Overall, the hotel is overdue for updates, but the convenient location and attractive rates manage to attract budget travelers and backpackers looking for a cheap, basic stay.

The hotel is located in the quiet, residential area of San Polo -- the oldest district in Venice -- and is a three-minute walk to the San Toma vaporetto (water bus). The bars and restaurants in Santa Margherita Square are within a five-minute walk, and it’s a two-minute walk to Basilica dei Frari, which houses Venetian Renaissance art. The Rialto Bridge is a 13-minute walk from the hotel, which leads to Piazza San Marco in just a few more minutes on foot. The main train station, Santa Lucia, is a 12-minute walk away. Venice Marco Polo Airport takes 15 minutes to reach from here, or around 30 to 40 minutes via public transportation.

Rooms at Hotel Iris have an initially quaint vibe created by small, framed pictures on the walls, wooden bureaus, and hand-painted floral stencils on walls and ceilings in some rooms. Most rooms are bright and have big windows, and the light wood furniture and light color scheme help achieve this effect. However, there have been a variety of complaints lodged here that range from stained bedding to worn furnishings along with a number of annoyances like non-working light bulbs, windows that close poorly, and rooms that need of a better cleaning. Some rooms have air-conditioning, while others are simply fan cooled, and it's a gamble as to whether or not the room will have a wall-mounted tube-style TVs or a flat-screen TV. There is no in-room Wi-Fi. Bathrooms are either private or shared and have walk-in showers. The shared bathroom could use a deep cleaning as well, and water temperatures can be erratic. 

The hotel's limited amenities include free Wi-Fi that can be accessed in the lobby and adjacent self-serve bar area, where vending machines are also available. Breakfast is available at an extra cost. Guests arriving before their check-in time can leave their bags at the hotel while they explore the city.