55 Best Hotels in Venice, Italy

Set in a quiet campo, this renovated 15th-century Gothic-Byzantine palazzo has simple but spacious rooms and lovely public spaces filled with chandeliers, 18th-century paintings, and period reproduction furnishings. Breakfast is served in the main common area, with its high ceilings, stunning pastel stuccowork, Venetian terrazzo floors, and Murano glass chandeliers.

A wall of windows soaks up extraordinary, sweeping views of the lagoon and the island of San Giorgio, enjoyed from many of the individually decorated guest rooms and suites, which have fine fabric, damask drapes, Biedermeier furniture, Venetian glass, and marble bathrooms. The downstairs restaurant is all glass, light, and water views, as are some of the neoclassical public rooms, with splashes of blue-and-green glass suggesting the sea. The vista must have been pleasing to Tchaikovsky, who wrote his Fourth Symphony here in 1877. The staff is top-notch, as are the restaurant and the bar.

Befitting its location on Murano, this well-situated hotel is in a former glassmaking factory and has vitreous works of art throughout; it also has spacious, contemporary guest rooms with dark-wood floors and brown-and-cream color schemes. The Osteriva restaurant, open for lunch and dinner daily, serves regional cuisine, and the Rivalonga Bar + Lounge is a delightful place for both guests and nonguests looking for an evening drink after sleepy Murano shuts down.

Many notables (including Victorian-era art critic John Ruskin) have stayed at this hotel, though they might not recognize it after its series of upscale renovations; it has an enviable location along the sunny Zattere, as well as comfy rooms and apartments with parquet floors, original 19th-century furniture, and firm beds. You can reserve the rooftop altana (wooden terrace) for sunbathing or a private retreat, or enjoy an afternoon tea in one of the lounge's quiet corners with flickering candlelight.

If eclectic Venetian charm is what you seek, this luminous residence near the Rialto has it: each of the individually decorated guest rooms has its own theater-theme wall painting by a local artist. The furnishings might be traditional, but the amenities are all contemporary, with signature linens, free Wi-Fi throughout, a kettle in every room, and a complimentary kimono in every bathroom. Every bed is king-size. Larger rooms have Venetian parquet flooring; the two upstairs "garret" rooms feature electronically controlled skylights.

A historic 13th-century palazzo near the Rialto markets is a welcome retreat on a tranquil corte, (court) and individually decorated rooms have tufted walls and views of a lively canal or a quiet courtyard. The lofty piano nobile highlights architectural features including coffered ceilings, a massive trifora window, antique (reproduction) furniture, and Venetian terrazzo floors. Two exceptionally large rooms keep families comfortable. Note that the canal is a lively one, sometimes late into the evening.

The idea that the Campanati sisters named the 15 rooms in their renovated 17th-century locanda after the stars and constellations of the highest magnitude in the Northern Hemisphere says something about how personally this place is run. That's a real plus, as is the location on one of the brightest, most tranquil canals in the Dorsoduro area, but only two minutes from the Salute, the Accademia, and the Guggenheim Museum, and also handy to the Zattere promenade. The cheeriest rooms are on the top floor overlooking the canal.

Neatly decorated and light-filled rooms between St. Marks Square and the Rialto Bridge offer guests something rare in Venice—a central yet quiet base from which to explore the city. Five of the seven rooms have their own en-suite bathrooms and air conditioning, two have a shared bathroom and ceiling fan, and a few have canal views. A simple breakfast is served in a cheery breakfast room that overlooks a canal. The hospitable owner is around during the day to answer questions and offer restaurant suggestions; during the night, you are on your own.

Pastel lacquered furnishings and mock-flock wallpaper pay tribute to 18th-century Venetian style in the six bedrooms of this small pensione on a charming Castello campo; ask for one that overlooks the neighborhood life out front. You'll easily spot the canopied entrance, flanked by two topiaries and umbrella-topped café tables where you can take your breakfast or sip a late afternoon Prosecco in the sunshine.

Founded by Giuseppe Cipriani in the late 1920s, this intimate locanda (inn) on the island of Torcello remains in the Cipriani family and retains the simple, classy character of the period. The lovingly furnished rooms have large beds, plush armchairs, vaulted ceilings, and modern amenities—but absolutely no televisions; instead, each room comes with a well-stocked library. The in-house pastry chef provides a fresh breakfast each morning in either the dining room or in the garden under a pergola of roses; guests can also choose to dine at the locanda's excellent restaurant. Ernest Hemingway stayed in one of the comfortable rooms while writing "Across the River and Through the Trees."

Tucked behind Campo San Stefano in a charming little courtyard, this oasis offers small but peaceful rooms decorated in 18th-century Venetian style. Palazzo Grassi, Museo Fortuny, and the Accademia Museum are just steps away; San Marco and Rialto are both about a 15-minute walk. In the warmer months, breakfast is served alfresco amid the flowering garden overlooking Campiello Novo. Discounts are given for payment in cash.

Traditional, tasteful Venetian decor takes on a Carnevale theme in cozy, well-appointed, and comfortable rooms are enlivened by fanciful wall murals. A relaxed atmosphere pervades at this hotel's divine hot breakfast, where it is common to become engrossed in conversation with other guests as gondolas glide lazily by the water-level windows: this lovely state-of-mind is created by the hotel's attentive staff (but can be ruined by a plague of singing gondoliers!). Common areas have warm mahogany paneling, tufted leather furniture, beamed ceilings, and tapestries.

You'll find enough classic Venetian characteristics to remind you of where you are, but not so many as to be stuffy or ostentatious. The homey yet elegant feel is accentuated by period furniture, parquet and Venetian terrazzo flooring, and tall windows, some of which open onto small balconies (ask for a room with a canal view). While you're not "steps from San Marco," you are still handy to some major tourist attractions, in addition to the characteristic shopping, eateries, and residential ambience in San Polo and Santa Croce. Service is personal, thorough, and thoughtful. There's no elevator, but all rooms are on one level, one flight up.

Up a narrow calle and across the bridge from the bustling Strada Nova, this 15th-century palazzo sits by a tranquil canal and an evocative little campo; inside you'll find traditional Venetian decor and guest rooms featuring silk damasks tufted onto multiwindowed walls. Standout options include a suite with a columned balcony overlooking the Priuli Canal, or the hideaway attic mansarda, with sloping ceilings and a rooftop view from several windows.

Atmosphere prevails in this labyrinth of opulent, intimate spaces featuring classic Venetian decor combined with Eastern influences: the owner—a lifelong collector of unusual objects—has filled the common areas and sumptuously appointed guest rooms with an assortment of antiques and curiosities. The best rooms are up on the roof, where there are also two spacious terraces. Suites feature sparkling mosaic sunken baths, Fortuny fabrics, and other notable architectural details.

A stylish yet intimate retreat tucked away on a quiet calle (street) midway between Piazza San Marco and the Accademia Bridge offers exquisite rooms tastefully decorated with original furnishings and tapestries from the Mediterranean and Far East. In the warmer months, breakfast is served in the charming inner courtyard. In the winter, a roaring fireplace greets those who wish to quietly read in the sitting room. The hotel also organizes art exhibitions on its main floor, giving visitors who are around during an opening reception the opportunity to meet local and international artists.

At this late-16th-century palazzo, you can experience warm hospitality, a luxurious atmosphere, a lush private garden, and unusually spacious guest rooms well appointed with antique-style furniture, frescoed or stuccoed ceilings, and silk fabrics. The location is remote enough to escape the San Marco masses while still within striking distance of major sights, and there's a private dock for taxi arrival. In summer, breakfast is served in the garden.

This former palace was formally named Palazzo Barbarigo della Terrazza because of its unique open-air terrace. While it is not unusual to find an opulent hotel along the Grand Canal, it is unusual to discover black marble, matte lacquer, indirect lighting, and 1940s design perfectly ensconced in a 16th-century Venetian palace. Massive mirrors soar from floor to ceiling to create a feeling of spaciousness. Each room, whether suite or standard, feels like a refuge; a long, ultra-chic bar runs the length of the piano nobile (principal floor) to a balcony above the canal, just large enough for a table and two chairs.

Steeped in lavish Venetian ambience, junior suites are palatial, superior rooms comfortably sized, bright, and well appointed, and ornate frescoes, pastel bas-reliefs, and splendid coffered and carved beamed ceilings abound. What is not original is reproduced to seem so. Carrara marble lines bathroom walls hung with Venetian-style mirrors. After crossing the private bridge that leads to the hotel, guests are greeted with a glass of Prosecco in a green, open courtyard. Many of the common areas, including the spectacular breakfast area, overlook the courtyard. Ask for rooms with views over a quiet side canal.

This opulently refurbished neo-Gothic palazzo features marble-column arches, terrazzo floors, frescoed ceilings, mosaics, and a charming carved staircase, and some rooms have tufted walls and parquet flooring. The street-level terrace that overlooks the Grand Canal is almost reason alone to stay here, beautiful for morning coffee or evening aperitivo, and if you are here on the first weekend in September the terrace gives a front-row view of the boat procession and Regata Storica. From the rooftop terrace (which has a Jacuzzi) you get a classic Venetian view over the city's rooftops to the Campanile and even glimpses of the Dolomites on a clear day.

Behind iron gates in one of the most densely packed parts of the city is this renowned Gothic-style villa with gardens and charmingly decorated accommodations with Venetian-style antique reproductions and fine tapestry. It all began in 1783, not as a hotel, but as the Russian embassy, and returned as the Russian Consulate between the two world wars. When the Salmaso family turned it into a modest hotel in 1951, Russians continued to gravitate here -- Josef Brodsky was a frequent guest (winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1987) -- not to mention European film stars and even royalty. Common areas and guest rooms overlook either the picturesque Rio San Trovaso or the lush gardens. Inlaid designs or mosaics decorate marble- or ceramic-tiled baths.

Renaissance- and Baroque-style common areas are soaring spaces with Venetian terrazzo flooring, frescoed and exposed beam ceilings, and Murano chandeliers; guest rooms tastefully mix historical style with contemporary furnishings and appointments. Even smaller rooms are quite comfortable, and some of the larger doubles and suites showcase paintings by Tiepolo's maestro, Gregorio Lazzarini. Suites are supplied with coffeemakers, bathrobes, and DVD players.

This elegant palazzo is large enough to deliver expected facilities and services but small enough to pamper its guests; rooms have red-and-gold tapestry-adorned walls and carpeting and Carrara and Alpine marble in the bath, and those facing the Grand Canal have balconies. Common areas include an entrance hall with elegant marble flooring, a bright front lounge, and an intimate bar facing the Grand Canal. Ask ahead for a room with a view.

With handblown chandeliers, sumptuous textiles, and sweeping canal views, this grande dame (whose history dates from 1525, when it was built as the residence of the prominent Gritti family) represents aristocratic Venetian living at its best. Although renovations have been done since the palace became a hotel in the 19th century, many original architectural details remain, including wooden ceilings, patterned flooring, and—depending on the room category—flourishes like 18th-century Murano wall lamps, silk damask Rubelli fabrics, and traditional Venetian stucco. If you enjoy chef Daniele Turco's locally influenced menus at one of the Grand Canal–view restaurants, you can tour the Rialto market and take a private cooking class with the master himself. The treatments at the Acqua di Parma Spa incorporate the Italian-made line's aromatic scents, each named after a different region of the country.

The Excelsior's imposing, Moorish-style building with its green cupolas and inner courtyard comes complete with potted lemon trees, a reflecting pool; and dramatic windows overlooking the Adriatic Sea; the feel is decidedly Mediterranean. No longer a haunt of the noble and famous of the dolce vita days (except during the Biennale and Venice Film Festival), the hotel nonetheless offers the same panache, luxury, and space as ever. Rooms are spacious and tastefully modern, done in bright colors, and face either the inner garden or the beach below; there are all the services you might expect from a five-star hotel, including a pool, fitness center, tennis, and restaurants and bars in the hotel and on the beach. A shuttle boat between the hotel and San Zaccaria runs every half hour.