Venice is a city to be savored. Let a gondolier serenade you as you glide past graceful palazzos.
Dine by candlelight beside the Grand Canal. Shop for carnival masks and Murano glass on the Rialto Bridge. Wander through the quiet backstreets of the Dorsoduro. Enjoy a gelato on Piazza San Marco, and experience the Doge’s Palace, which once held legendary lover Casanova.
I am one who believes, everyone should go to Venice at least once in their lifetime. Avoiding the inevitable crowds is key to enjoying your stay. Getting off the standard touristy pathways and venturing into the smaller neighborhoods is what makes Venice a treasure trove.
Giudecca
Size: 94 rooms and suites
Style: Traditional Elegance & Secluded
Year Opened: 1958
Most Recent Renovation/Update: 2023
Designer/Architect: Peter Marino
Seasonal Operations: open annually from April through September
My favorite hotel in Venice.
Hotel Cipriani, a Belmond hotel, Venice is set amid lush gardens and vineyards on peaceful Giudecca Island, just five minutes from Saint Mark’s Square via the private courtesy launch. The sumptuous accommodations capture the essence of Venice with Murano glass, antique mirrors, and fabrics by Fortuny and Rubelli. Dine on the wooden terrace of the Cip’s Club restaurant, facing the Doge’s Palace, or in the stunning Michelin-starred Oro Restaurant. Swim in the Olympic-size pool or enjoy a massage in the Casanova Wellness Centre; children love the Kids’ Club, with its special activities and a dedicated mini pool.
San Polo
Size: 22 rooms and suites
Style: Contemporary Elegant
Year Opened: 2013
Designer/Architect: Jean-Michel Gathy
Seasonal Operations: Property is closed mid-January
Neo-Renaissance grandeur meets refined modern aesthetics at Aman Venice. You’ll feel as though you’re sleeping in a beautiful museum at this 16th-century palazzo – some of the 24 individually designed rooms and suites are covered in protected frescoes and reliefs, which are smartly complemented by contemporary furnishings and amenities. A private water transfer delivers you to the resort’s dramatic reception hall, with direct access to its private gardens (rare for this city); take the spiral staircase to the gilded dining room overlooking the Grand Canal. There’s a spa and fitness area. Any excursion can be easily arranged.
2023 #14
near San Marco Plaza
Size: 82 rooms and suites
Style: Traditional Elegance & Quiet
Year Opened: 1895
Most Recent Renovation/Update: 2013
Designer/Architect: Donghia creative director Chuck Chewning in 2013
The word “iconic” has lost some of its impact through repetition, but there’s no better way to describe Venice’s opulent Hotel Gritti Palace. The location could hardly be more auspicious, right on the Grand Canal, across from the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and the distinctive domes of the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute. And the palazzo itself is certainly not without distinction — it was built in the 15th century, and was the home of the Doge Gritti for whom it’s named.
near San Marco Plaza
Size: 33 rooms and suites
Style: Traditional Elegance & Quiet
Year Opened: 2024
Designer/Architect: Contemporary
Everything inside is made in Italy, from the Murano glass to the modern artworks. And while the rooms and suites range widely in size and layout, they’re all memorably stylish, and equipped with up-to-date comforts. Il Piccolo, the restaurant and bar, serves a modern Venetian menu with special emphasis on vegetarian cooking, while barman Francesco Adragna is something of a local celebrity. This is indeed a full-featured and luxurious boutique hotel, but one that provides its guests with an experience that’s not unlike living with a well-connected local.
San Marco
Size: 43 rooms and suites
Style: Modern Design & Lively
Year Opened: 2025
Designer/Architect: Yann Le Coadic and Alessandro Scotto
“Enter Venetian history where art nouveau, liberty style and modernism blend together.”
On five floors, Art and Matter reign supreme: stucco marble and marmorino compete in nobility and contrast with mango woodwork and door frames, while ancient and contemporary works of art delight the eye in every corner of the hotel. In tune with the city, the 43 rooms including 13 suites, all unique in their layout, offer a haven of peace, an extraordinary stay, out of time.
Location: Venetian lagoon
Bedrooms: 9
Maximum Occupants: 15
One of the most historic and beautiful islands in the Venetian lagoon, Isola Santa Cristina was once part of an archipelago known as Ammiana and, according to legend, named after Saint Christina whose body was secretly transported from Constantinople in 1325. The island, a 30-minute boat ride from the city, has been owned by the Swarovski family for many years and one of its younger members, René Deutsch, an Austrian businessman, and his wife Sandra recently opened it as an eco-friendly private hideaway and yoga retreat. The 30-hectare island is home to organic apricot, plum and fig orchards, fish farms and vineyards. In the nine-bedroom villa, filled with the couple’s private art collection, larch-wood floors with white walls and chalky colours give it a smart, almost beach-house vibe and the bedrooms, with lofty larch ceilings, are peaceful spaces. There’s an outdoor fireplace and pool terrace, shady gazebos and a rooftop altana with views of the island’s private lake and the lagoon beyond. From here it’s a 10-minute boat ride to Burano and its famous lace-making museum, or to Torcello with its Byzantine cathedral. For a night out, go to Venissa, the restaurant on Mazzorbo, for mazzancolle, or Da Celeste on Pellestrina for its fried catch of the day.
The 19th International Architecture Exhibition is open to visitors from 10 May to Sunday 23 November 2025 (pre-opening May 8 and 9), curated by the architect and engineer Carlo Ratti, who has commented: “To face a burning world, architecture must harness all the intelligence around us. I am honored and humbled to have the opportunity to curate the Biennale Architettura 2025”.
GO TO WEBSITE ► BIENNALE ARCHITETTURA 2025
► VIRTUOSO: Venice Information Page
Here is a good place to start for some additional information on quality Hotels, Water Adventures and Activities.
► WIKIVOYAGE: Venice Page
A great resource for all the basic information you need for Venice.
► VISIT VENICE
The official visitor information for Venice.
► SimOptions – Orange Holiday Europe
Orange Holiday Europe eSim is one of the best options for European travellers with coverage in 30 EU countries.
► Hippocket WiFi
My favorite Pocket WiFi service in Europe.
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page updated: September 2025
images courtesy: Wikimedia Commons, Venice Tourism Board
Please Note: All Hotel / Resort / Cruise / Services Amenities are subject to availability and may have changed since the date of this being originally published.
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