The 7 Best Venice Hotels to Book

Club Del Doge restaurant, Gritti Terrace casual restaurant, Bar Longhi, Riva lounge, Riva speedboat, pampering spa, 24-hour gym with Technogym equipment, Gritti Epicurian cooking school, 24-hour room service, private jetty

Once home to Doge Andrea Gritti, a famed Italian diplomat, this hotel in a 15th-century palazzo feels like an intimate jewel box. Behind the front desk, heavy brass keys hang just like they did during the 1800s, when the building was converted into a hotel. Rooms are swathed in Rubelli wallpaper, with gilded paintings and marble bathrooms. There’s a stunning suite dedicated to heiress and art collector Peggy Guggenheim, who often visited the hotel. The concierge can arrange excursions to the lagoon’s outer islands on the hotel’s Riva speedboat or anything else your heart desires. Just don’t skip breakfast, served on an outdoor terrace overlooking the Grand Canal.

The Bar, Arva restaurant, fine dining restaurant Cook the Lagoon, spa with thermal bathing treatments, fitness center, minibar included

George and Amal Clooney famously wed at this sumptuous hotel in the 16th-century Palazzo Papadoli, but that’s far from the only thing the hotel has going for it. The interior design by renowned designer Jean-Michel Gathy features sleek, minimalist furniture that offsets the palace’s historic details. No doubt the most stunning suite is the Alcova Tiepolo suite with 18th-century Rococo frescoes by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, even if it lacks a Grand Canal view. The bar in the silk-covered Red Room once hosted high society soirées and is still a fabulous place to sip a cocktail while watching the sunset.

Extensive gardens, heated outdoor swimming pool, spa by Merchant of Venice, tennis courts, small golf course, jogging path, kids club, complimentary boat service to Piazza San Marco, complimentary minibar, babysitter available for an extra charge

As the hotel’s complimentary boat whisks you away from busy Piazza San Marco and you arrive at this private island, you’ll immediately start to feel more relaxed. With 15 acres of gardens and 196 rooms and suites, there’s plenty of room for the whole family to roam around, not to mention activities to keep everyone entertained. The kids’ club has an indoor area where little ones can play games, paint, or watch movies as well as an outdoor playground with swings and slides. 

For adults and older kids, there’s a heated outdoor swimming pool, spa with hammam, tennis courts, and a small golf course with three holes. There are plenty of dining options, from the gourmet Acquerello restaurant to the new Buddha Beach restaurant and pool bar. And there’s even a 12th-century chapel for weddings and other ceremonies.

Small kitchen with fridge and coffee and tea station, breakfast included

Set in a 15th-century palazzo on the Grand Canal, this intimate B&B gets top marks for its beautiful accommodations that combine original architectural details (wooden ceiling beams and plated glass windows) with modern furnishings. It’s a short walk from the San Stae vaporetto stop, where you can hop on a ferry that will take you to Piazza San Marco and other important stops. The courtyard garden filled with statues and roses is a lovely place to relax. 

But what guests rave about most is the owner, Brittany, an American who runs the hotel with her Venetian architect husband, and offers the warmest welcome and the best recommendations for local restaurants.

Vero restaurant, Alchimia Bar, canals-side dock for boats, interior courtyard, spa

This new hotel may be in a 13th-century ecclesiastical compound, but the interior design is fresh and modern. Milan-based architect Patricia Urquiola looked to the lagoon for inspiration, incorporating wooden paneling inspired by ships and designing geometric Murano lamps for the rooms. She also created a ceiling mural depicting fruit, vegetables, and fish in the gourmet restaurant Vero, where you can savor inventive dishes like linguine with shrimp and porcini mushrooms. Don’t skip out on aperitivo at Alchimia Bar, which serves creative cocktails paired with Venetian cicchetti.

Michelin-starred Oro restaurant, Cip’s Club, Gabbiano bar, Olympic-size pool, Casanova gardens, tennis court, spa with couple’s treatment room, children’s club, private marina, courtesy shuttle to Piazza San Marco

Giuseppe Cipriani may have invented the Bellini at Harry’s Bar, but he left a lasting legacy with this hotel, which he opened in 1958. A stay there will transport you back in time to the hotel’s dolce vita heyday, when European royalty, movie stars, and artists were regular guests. Since Cipriani built the hotel according to his specifications, the rooms are more spacious than what you typically find in historic hotels. For the ultimate luxury, book the Palladio or Dogaressa suites, which are located in the 15th-century palazzetto annex and come with butler service. The tranquil location on Giudecca Island is blissfully removed from the crowds, but the hotel’s boat will shuttle you across the lagoon to Piazza San Marco.

Canova Restaurant, Canova Bistro, Canova Bar, private jetty

This award-winning hotel is about as close to Piazza San Marco as you can get. The palazzo has lived many lives, as a convent, aristocratic palace, and even a shelter for the Knights Templar. Step inside the 12th-century palazzo and you can feel its history thanks to the antiques, silk brocade wall coverings, and Murano chandeliers. The hotel has its own jetty, so guests can arrive in style, though it’s also conveniently close to a vaporetto (public waterbus) stop. Guests enjoy breakfast under 18th-century ceiling frescoes by pupils of Tiepolo, while Canova restaurant has recently been taken over by Michelin-starred chef Claudio Sadler.