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Hotels Overview

There are hotels in Venice catering to all tastes and price ranges. Deluxe and upscale hotels are often filled with antiques and art collections and retain much of the feel of the past, with coffered ceilings, frescoes, stucco, and fireplaces in the best rooms. Renovations are usually made as discreetly as possible, paying respect to Gothic and Renaissance structures. With a few exceptions, there's a widespread dislike for modern design among Venetian hoteliers, and even the moderately priced establishments usually opt for 18th-century Venetian style. This means curvaceous, carved furnishings and wallpaper in soft colors -- pale yellow and green are big favorites -- with gilded or flowery decorations.

Before choosing a hotel, decide in advance what's important to you and don't be reluctant to ask detailed questions. The staff members at most Venetian hotels will be able to converse with you in English. Space is at a premium, and even exclusive hotels have some small, dowdy, Cinderella-type rooms. Rooms tend to be different even on the same floor: windows with canal views and windows looking onto bleak alleyways are both common. If you're not happy with the room you've been given, ask to be moved.