Top 10: characterful Venice hotels
An insider's guide to the most characterful hotels in Venice, including the best hotels for chic suites, striking décor, beautiful gardens and quirky art collections, in locations near the Grand Canal and St Mark's Square.
The Oriental-tinged Metropole is a five-star hotel on the prestigious but congested lagoon-facing riva degli Schiavoni promenade. Wonderfully decadent and very quirky, the Metropole has been in the Beggiato family for generations, and the museum-standard family collections — of antique corkscrews, fans and nutcrackers among other items — are displayed in halls and corridors. It comes across part opium den, part Old Curiousity Shoppe.
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Brocade-and-chandelier Venetian hotel norm doesn’t appeal? This 10-room four-star boutique provides a refreshing alternative, juxtaposing serious design pieces, vivid colours and industrial-chic materials against exposed beams, beautiful terrazzo floors and some lovely original ceiling frescoes. Chic it may be, but it’s also intimate and welcoming. Special thought is given to the environment, with state-of-the-art private wastewater treatment, and luxurious brushed cotton sheets washed in-house with biodegradable laundry products.
Ca’ Pisani was the first Venetian hotel to abandon brocade and chandeliers in favour of an Art Deco décor – with some superb period pieces. The hotel's location close to the Accademia gallery makes it popular with art lovers. The Accademia bridge is nearby for quick access across the Grand Canal to San Marco. The 29 rooms and suites are each individual, with some wonderful pieces of period furniture from the 1920s to 1940s blending warmly with exposed beams, eye-catching rugs and some striking contemporary metal-and-glass fixtures.
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A joyful pastiche of Venetian style both in its bedrooms (think lots of velvet and brocade) and in the central living room which gives on to a delightful balcony with a view over the Grand Canal and bridge. Décor is exuberant throughout, from the padded reception desk to the old-rose first-floor lounge with its delightful banquettes, polished wood and gleaming brass coffee machine. The little terrace, with views down the canal to the iconic Rialto bridge, is a great place for an evening aperitivo.
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Casa Burano offers guests the chance to experience the brilliant colours and lively local scene of this most picturesque Venetian lagoon island, without the hordes that flock there by day. It describes itself as an albergo diffuso – a scattered hotel – with five houses that have been meticulously converted into 13 guest rooms and suites. The quaint façades are similar to the neighbouring homes with their bright colours, but the modern and minimalist interiors have all been renovated in collaboration with local artisans and design firms. Opt for a Junior Suite to enjoy spacious soaking tubs and relaxing steam showers.
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Most hotels with Grand Canal-side terraces come with five-star price tags. Palazzo Stern is the exception, mixing boutique charm with a superb location. In a Belle Époque palazzo, the hotel has a delightful faux-Gothic air. As well as a gorgeous terrace on the Grand Canal, there’s a roof terrace complete with whirlpool tub and a superb view; you can book this for private trysts. The hotel is next to the Ca’Rezzonico vaporetto stop for easy access by public transport to all major sights, and to the airport.
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A short hop from the Rialto markets, in an area buzzing with restaurants and residential activity, the six-room La Villeggiatura is an elegant home-from-home kind of place: airy, elegant, and with a touch more originality in its design than so many hotels with that ‘traditional’ 18th-century Venetian look. The spacious bedrooms are tastefully decorated with opera-linked themes. The communal breakfast table gives the place a congenial air as guests swap advice and anecdotes over their cappuccino.
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With its beautiful heirloom antiques and frescoed ceilings, Palazzo Abadessa is every inch the aristocratic family palace. The magnificent salone, with its works by followers of Tintoretto, enhances this feeling. Lovingly restored, the 13 rooms and suites have superb antique furniture, brocade-covered walls, and ornate Murano glass chandeliers, but have none of the tired feel that often goes with this classic Venetian combo. And the lovely, lush garden is a wonderful place to relax after a tough day’s sightseeing.
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This is one of those places that turns a holiday into a special experience. In a quiet corner, just off a busy street leading to St Mark’s Square, you’ll be made to feel like a treasured guest. Décor is influenced by Mariano Fortuny, the eclectic Spanish designer who made Venice his home in the late 19th century, but far from aping the standard Venetian Fortuny model, his north African and middle Eastern touches have most inspired here. There’s a warm, comfortable ambience in the public areas where exhibitions are often hosted, and the leafy little courtyard is a delight.
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Five-star Palazzo Venart boasts 18 extravagantly decorated rooms and suites that aim to challenge Venice’s accommodation grandes dames. Some rooms enjoy Grand Canal views; others have roof terraces. An inner courtyard shaded by magnolia trees and a pretty garden stretching down to the Grand Canal – where water taxis can pull up at a private dock – give Palazzo Venart an edge in this very urban city. Some rooms have original wall or ceiling frescoes, others have wonderful terrazzo flooring. Four suites enjoy Grand Canal views.
