Venice: the finest hotels and charming addresses

1. Nolinski Venezia

In the former Stock Exchange, a few canals away from St. Mark's Square and the Doge's Palace, stands the Nolinski Venezia, the Venetian jewel of the Evok group. Behind its façade sculpted with sea creatures, daughters of Poseidon, this charming Green Globe-certified hotel in Venice offers an experience that is artistic, dreamlike, and deeply rooted in the city.

The project, entrusted to Yann Le Coadic and Alessandro Scotto, brings together the sensibilities of Amélie Du Chalard, Anatole Desachy, Fred Viktor, and Jerry Bouthier. Together, they have created a place where Art Nouveau, Stile Liberty, and modernism come together in subtle harmony.

The 43 rooms and suites, spread over five floors, are an ode to travel and materials. In the classic (22 m²), superior (26 m²), and deluxe (29 m²) rooms, elegance is evident in every detail: stucco marbro envelops the headboards, mango wood paneling warms the gray marmorino-coated walls, and powder pink velvets diffuse a muted softness. The light, softened by a blown glass lantern inspired by the Doge's Palace, glides over a Quattrocento portrait or lingers on a contemporary sculpture, creating an atmosphere that is both intimate and theatrical.

A few steps from Piazza San Marco, the 13 suites, Junior Suites (28 to 36 m²), Superior Suites (39 m²), and Deluxe Suites (43 m²) offer more generous spaces, some with corridors, lounges, or terraces, in addition to mosaic-adorned bathrooms. All exude a unique atmosphere, enriched by beautiful books collected by Anatole Desachy, original works of art, Murano glass objects by Avem, and speakers playing a custom-designed soundtrack.

The six Master Suites, Bianca, Pietro, Caterina, Enrico, Giacomo, and Tiziano, ranging in size from 46 to 82 square meters, are reminiscent of private apartments. Some have terraces offering privileged views of the city and its canals, all distinguished by their majestic volumes, collectibles, and discreet refinement, faithful to the vision of the decorators and the spirit of the Nolinski Venezia.

Art is expressed in every corner. Amélie Du Chalard has created an eclectic collection of art objects that are in perfect harmony with the spirit of the place. Alongside her, independent bookseller Anatole Desachy has brought together more than 4,000 rare books on display in the Library Bar. Beneath Simon Buret's monumental fresco, entitled Ici les oursins sont des étoiles (Here, sea urchins are stars), wood, books, and light combine to create a cozy and inspiring refuge. On the menu, mixologist Jérémy Bacquet's cocktails add a contemporary touch to this culturally rich setting.

On the gastronomic side, Il Caffè offers Mediterranean cuisine in a leafy patio, and the former boardroom of the Royal Palace hosts breakfasts in the majestic setting of a modernist amphitheater.

Well-being reaches its peak at the myBlend spa, where tailor-made treatments are inspired by both neuroscience and Eastern traditions. On the top floor, the golden pool, decorated with gold leaf mosaics, reflects the Venetian skies and rooftops. A marvel.

Nolinski Venezia
43 rooms, prices starting at €747 per night
Calle Larga XXII Marzo, Venice
More information on the website

2. Londra Palace Venizia

Since 1853, the Londra Palace Venezia has embodied Venetian elegance and the art of welcoming curious travelers. Located on the prestigious Riva degli Schiavoni, a few steps from San Marco, the establishment was founded under the name Hotel d'Angleterre et Pension, created to meet the influx of visitors after the opening of the rail link with the continent. In 1865, engineer Giovanni Fuin designed the Beau Rivage hotel next door, in a characteristic neo-Lombard style. The two establishments, then separated by a narrow passageway, would leave a lasting mark on the history of Venetian hospitality.

The hotel has welcomed many famous figures, including the composer Tchaikovsky, who stayed at the Beau Rivage in December 1877 while writing his Fourth Symphony, which he himself described as "undoubtedly the best I have ever written." Junior Suite 106 now pays tribute to him. A few years later, in 1884, Jules Verne stayed at the Hôtel d'Angleterre. When his identity was revealed, the city organized a fireworks display and the hotel illuminated its façade with his name. The Jules Verne Suite perpetuates this memory.

In 1900, the two hotels merged to become the "Hôtel Londres et Beau Rivage," nicknamed "the hotel with a hundred windows." In 1973, it definitively adopted the name Londra Palace. Between 1992 and 2000, extensive renovations transformed the establishment into a luxurious retreat, reducing the number of rooms from 73 to 52 in order to offer more generous spaces.

One of its most unique features is the Altana, a traditional wooden roof terrace that is one of the highest in Venice. Available exclusively to guests, it offers a 360° view and can be booked for lunch, dinner, or an aperitif with a gourmet picnic basket, available from April to September, weather permitting. On the gastronomic side, LPV Ristorante highlights the three founding elements of Venice (water, earth, and air) by blending agricultural traditions and maritime influences. The more relaxed LPV Bistrot serves a light, sunny lunch from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., celebrating Venetian dolce vita with spaghetti with clams, garden vegetables, and homemade tiramisu. Finally, the LPV bar offers signature cocktails in one of the city's most intimate settings. 

Londra Palace Venezia
52 rooms, prices starting at $525 per night
Riva degli Schiavoni, 4171, Venice

3. Palazzo Garzoni

Although not strictly speaking a hotel in Venice, welcome to this 15th-century Venetian palace on the Grand Canal between the Rialto Bridge and Piazza San Marco. Completely refurbished to retain its former splendor, the 1,000 m² of interior space overlooking the waters criss-crossed by the traghetti now house 4 luxury apartments for rent, with hotel service included. The largest, the Piano Nobile, extends over two levels. With a terazzo floor, period frescoes on the ceiling, carefully selected works of art and a marble balcony overlooking the Grand Canal, the apartment has 5 bedrooms and a gym.

The second apartment, on the third floor, can accommodate up to 8 people and combines resolutely contemporary Italian design with the palace's historic fittings. Also on the third floor, the Terrazzetta, designed for 3 people, is the ideal pied-à-terre for a Venetian getaway, with its balcony overlooking the rooftops of Venice. Finally, on the fourth floor, the Rialto apartment offers an indescribable experience from its roof terrace (la altana) overlooking the city and its rooftops all the way to the Rialto. Rustic beams contrast with sleek Italian furnishings and a minimalist kitchen. When the Riva drops you off on the pontoon of Palazzo Garzoni, your dream getaway can begin.

Palazzo Garzoni
4 apartments prices on request
30124, C. del Tragheto, 3417, 30123 Venezia

4. Aman Venice

Since its opening in 2013, the Aman Venice, one of the few in the Aman collection in Europe, has established itself as Venice's most exclusive hotel address. Although the establishment cultivates a certain discretion - it can be reached by gondola or (with difficulty) on foot after getting lost in a maze of alleyways in the San Polo district - it gained worldwide attention on the occasion of George Clooney's wedding.

For its very first urban address, Aman has taken over a 14th-century palace, where the décor by Jean-Michel Gathy [a loyal collaborator of the brand, who also imagined the interiors of the future Aman New York, Editor's note] cleverly blends rococo style and contemporary design: imposing wooden doors, stucco veneziano that makes the marbles shine and other murano chandeliers. Each room reflects the spirit of its successive owners: a secret room whose entrance is hidden behind a hanging, a magnificent library of antique books, three dining rooms each with its own color and identity, and rooms that are both vast and luminous. Not to mention one of the city's finest spas, and a rooftop from which you can see the Dolomites on a clear day. A must.

Aman Venice celebrates authentic, seasonal Italian cuisine, crafted from local produce (fish from the Adriatic, Tuscan and Ligurian oils, artisanal pasta) for hearty dishes served in the Arva restaurant or in the piano nobile lounges. In fine weather, the rare garden on the Grand Canal hosts outdoor dinners and cocktails, with views of the gondolas. Both guests and outside visitors can reserve a table or a private dinner, with the option of requesting outdoor service depending on the weather. Located along the Grand Canal, Aman Venice is the only luxury hotel in Venice to be surrounded by two gardens.

Aman Venice
24 keys from € 950 per night
Palazzo Papadopoli, Calle Tiepolo 1364, Venice

5. The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice

This 15th-century palace on the Grand Canal was converted into a luxury hotel in Venice in 1895. Although the ceilings are lower than those found in other palaces of the same standing, the atmosphere here is more subdued and intimate. The Gritti Palace belongs to Marriott's ultra-chic Luxury Collection.

Renovated in 2013, the building has retained its old-world charm, with magnificent tapestries by Rubelli and Fortuny, rooms named after the celebrities who have stayed there, and bathrooms featuring more than eight different types of marble. On the ground floor, there is a Sisley spa and a large open kitchen where you can take cooking classes after a visit to the Rialto market with the chef.

We recommend the suite frequented by Hemingway himself, where you can find the books in which he mentions the hotel.

The Gritti Palace
82 rooms, prices starting at €750 per night
Campo Santa Maria del Giglio, Venice

6. Il Palazzo Experimental

After Paris, London,Ibiza, Verbier, and Menorca, the Experimental Group returns with Il Palazzo Experimental, a boutique hotel that breaks the mold of Venetian hospitality. It boasts a prime location along the Giudecca Canal, décor that eschews gilding and other clichés, and a chic yet relaxed atmosphere. Located in the peaceful Dorsoduro district, this new-generation palazzo offers breathtaking views of the island of Giudecca and a color palette designed by Dorothée Meilichzon that reflects the city's myriad hues: terracotta, sky blue, light yellow...

This is sure to appeal to a younger clientele looking for a more intimate Venice, far from the hordes of tourists in Piazza San Marco: an interior garden, a restaurant serving revisited Italian cuisine, and of course the unmissable Experimental Cocktail Club, the group's signature feature, which alone is worth the detour.

It is a contemporary palace, combining the understated style of interior designer Dorothée Meilichzon with subtle references to the purest Venetian design.

Il Palazzo Experimental
32 rooms, prices starting at €195 per night
Fondamenta Zattere Al Ponte Lungo, Venice

7. Belmond Hotel Cipriani

Located away from the crowds at the far end of the island of Giudecca, opposite St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco), the legendary Hotel Cipriani (acquired by Belmond, which was itself acquired by LVMH at the end of 2018) does not do things by halves, cultivating the timeless charm of the great addresses of La Serenissima: solid wood floors, marble, gilding, works of art, and rooms with breathtaking views of the lagoon.

Frequented by a jet-set clientele of regulars (including George Clooney), the Cipriani boasts a garden covering more than four hectares, a swimming pool of almost Olympic dimensions, a newly replanted orangery and, above all, a legendary cocktail bar where the mischievous Walter Bolzonella, holder of the unique recipe for Harry's Bar's famous Bellini and an outstanding mixologist, has been working for several decades.

A shuttle bus connects the hotel to St. Mark's Square (free of charge) in a few minutes from 7:30 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week.

The style? An ultra-chic address with the feel of a (large) family guesthouse.

Which room to book? One of the rooms in the Palazzo Vendramin, a true architectural gem from the 15th century.

Belmond Hotel Cipriani
96 rooms, prices starting at €750 per night
Giudecca 10, Venice

San Marco district: the best hotels

8. St. Regis Venice

After two years of renovation of the Grand Hotel Britannia, the St. Regis Venice (Marriott Group) opened its doors in autumn 2019. A blend of heritage and design, the hotel is spread over five Venetian palaces, the oldest of which dates back to the 17th-century.

Highlights? A rose garden on the banks of the Grand Canal, where you can dine, have breakfast or a drink, unobstructed views of the city's most beautiful buildings (including the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute and San Giorgio Maggiore) from the rooms and suites, cultivating the glamorous, luxurious spirit of the collection, and planted terraces and balconies, a major asset in a mineral city.

St. Regis Venice
163 keys, from €560 for a double room.
San Marco 2159, Venice

9. Hotel Danieli, Venice

A mythical hotel, a stone's throw from Piazza San Marco, made up of three buildings dating from the 14th-, 17th- and 19th- centuries. While the main entrance is already impressive - it houses the famous Dandolo cocktail bar and the Scala d'Oro, a stairwell dating back to medieval times - this part of the hotel is famous for having been the setting for several James Bond film shoots. La chambre numéro 10, a eu la chance d’accueillir les amours d’Alfred de Musset et George Sand.

Each room is a museum in its own right, featuring period gilding and spaces redecorated by renowned French interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon, a leading specialist in the world's finest palaces, from the George V to the Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat and the Peninsula Shanghai. A must-see: Doge Dandolo's suite, a vestige of Venice's heyday.

Hotel Danieli
204 rooms and suites, from €550 for a double.
Riva degli Schiavoni, Venice

10. Palazzina Grassi

A marvel of contemporary design by Philippe Starck, a world away from the palaces and luxury hotels for which Venice is famous. Here, there is no gilding, just clean lines, light colors, mirror effects, and bright light flooding every room at all hours of the day. The best choice? The suite with a terrace and hammam on the top floor, overlooking the city's rooftops...

Palazzina Grassi
25 rooms, prices starting at $350 per night
3247 San Marco, Venice

11. Ca’ Sagredo Hotel

On the banks of the Grand Canal, not far from the Rialto Bridge, this 15th-century palace has more than one thing going for it, foremost among which is a collection of period paintings that would make many of the city's museums green with envy: Sebastiano Ricci, Giambattista Tiepolo, Nicolò Bambini, Pietro Longhi, and more. The rooms feature very classic décor: gilding, marble, and Murano chandeliers, plus a breathtaking view of the lagoon.

Ca'Sagredo Hotel
42 rooms, prices starting at €395 per night
Campo Santa Sofia 4198/99, Ca’ D’Oro

Dorsoduro district: the best hotels

12. Ca' Pisani Hotel

Housed in a typical late XIVᵉ Venetian palazzo - and redesigned in the XVIᵉ century with the creation of a piano nobile (noble floor) - the Ca' Pisani Hotel has been completely reinterpreted in Art Deco and design styles. With 29 rooms, it's one of the ideal addresses for a stay in the (relatively) untouched Dorsoduro district, not far from the Guggenheim Collection, Punta della Dogana (home to the Pinault Foundation) or the little-known Quai des Zattere, which runs alongside the Giudecca canal.

Ca' Pisani Hotel
29 keys, from €160 for a double room.
Dorsoduro 979, Venice

13. Ca Maria Adele

An ultra-exclusive boutique hotel in the Dorsoduro district. Twelve rooms, a secluded inner courtyard, and décor resulting from a fruitful collaboration between an Italian architect and an American couple of interior designers. Wood paneling, designer furniture, pastel colors... A favorite haunt for regulars seeking comfort and privacy.

Ca Maria Adele
12 keys, prices starting at €253 per night
Dorsoduro 111, Venice

Santa Croce and Cannareggio districts: the best hotels

14. Cima Rosa – Boutique Bed & Breakfast

A chic yet discreet address, lulled by the sound of the waters of the Grand Canal. Nestled in an alleyway in the Santa Croce district, Cima Rosa is more like a guest house (with only five rooms), beautifully combining modernity with old-world charm. Pastel colors, soft lighting, and an exclusively female staff who know all the best secret addresses in the city.

Cima Rosa
5 keys, prices starting at $145 per night
1958 Santa Croce, Venice

15. Combo Venezia

Housed in a former convent with cloister and frescoes in the Cannareggio district, Combo Venezia is a youth hostel with a young, welcoming atmosphere. A contemporary address with individual rooms in the form of small apartments overlooking the canals, it subtly blends modern design with traditional Venetian elements. The communal areas are equally impressive, with a magnificent inner courtyard and an elegant bar-restaurant serving inventive Italian cuisine. A perfect choice for young travelers looking for a trendy, typically Venetian hotel at the best value for money.

Combo Venezia
188 keys, From 110€ for a double room.
Campo dei Gesuiti, 4878, Venice

Venice Lagoon & Lido: the best hotels

16. Hotel Excelsior - Venice Lido Resort

Situated on Venice's famous Lido beach, the Hotel Excelsior is particularly distinguished by its Moorish architecture, which is reflected in the rooms through subtle references to the Venetian-Byzantine oriental style. Outside, there's a vast heated swimming pool, where you can swim for long hours admiring the reflections of the Adriatic Sea.

Hotel Excelsior
196 keys, From €215 for a double room.
Lungomare Marconi 41, Venice

17. San Clemente Palace

Since its reopening in 2015, the legendary hotel that became San Clemente Palace has continued to charm travelers seeking peace and relaxation. And it must be said that the location lends itself to this. A private island (it takes 10 minutes to reach St. Mark's Square with one of the hotel's private boats), lush gardens, a large spa, an outdoor pool lined with cabanas, a tennis court, contemporary rooms decorated in pastel tones and velvet... A historic luxury hotel with the feel of a resort, all in the heart of the Venetian lagoon.

San Clemente Palace
195 rooms, prices starting at €325 per night
Isola di San Clemente, 1, Venice