Famous for its 150 canals, Venice – otherwise known as Italy’s floating city – is a historical and architectural marvel. Once a European stronghold which ruled Croatia and Greece, the city has long been the romantic inspiration for everyone from Shakespeare to Hollywood and is now home to the annual Venice Film Festival, combining rich heritage, culture and cuisine to create the perfect city break. Featuring 400 picture-perfect bridges and waterways fringed with 16th and 17th-century palaces and piazzas built across Venice’s 118 islands, five-star properties moved into the city decades ago to not only provide travellers with a once-in-a-lifetime stay, but also do their bit to protect and preserve the city’s history, buildings and its very existence, which is currently under threat from climate change.
Discover St Mark’s Square at the centre of the city, which quite literally paves the way for the city’s roster of historical sites, museums and galleries, plus designer boutiques for those after the authentic Made in Italy experience. The Grand Canal is best explored by the city’s plethora of gondolas – or admired from one of the terraces of the hotels below – while the southern and eastern Venetian lagoons are top choices for those who don’t want to be in the city centre but still within easy reach of all the fun. Without further ado, here are the best luxury hotels in Venice.
The Gritti Palace
Images: Marriott International
Boasting one of Venice’s prime spots along the Grand Canal, The Gritti Palace has been the hotel of choice for many well-heeled travellers and members of high society since it first opened in 1895. The monumental building first functioned as a palazzo for its namesake owner, Doge Andrea Gritti, and dates back to 1475, before being transformed into a hotel more than three centuries later and enjoyed a multi-million-pound facelift in 2013. Today, it’s the views of the imposing Santa Maria della Salute church and adjacent historic warehouses that will make you want to book; but it’s the five-star service, opulent interiors and unmatched character that will make you want to stay.
Inside, the red-brick property has preserved its future with state-of-the-art water protection technology. Expensive? Yes – but for good reason. The interiors feature fabrics by Venetian luxury designer Rubelli and impressive antiques and artworks that wouldn’t look out of place inside the city’s neighbouring galleries. Head to Club del Doge for a five-star dinner in the lovingly-restored golden dining room or book the Gritti Terrace for a romantic, canal-side affair. Whatever you choose, you can trust the cuisine, overseen by executive chef Alberto Fol, doesn’t skimp on the small details (the hotel’s private floating garden in the lagoon is the kitchen’s primary source of vegetables). Plus, if Italian food is what enticed you to the floating city in the first place, book a spot at the Gritti Epicurean School to experience hands-on cooking classes, chef-table-style dinners, and wine tastings with sommelier Sandro Chinellato.
From £873 per night, visit marriott.com
Aman Venice
Set in Palazzo Papadopoli, one of the city’s eight monumental palazzos on the Grand Canal, it’s unsurprising that the Clooneys booked this opulent hotel for their wedding night in 2014 – and if it’s good enough for them… Arrival via boat prepares for the grand entrance into the five-star hotel, thoughtfully decorated with Rococo artworks, large mirrors, Murano chandeliers and trompe-l’œil staircases, all of which work harmoniously with Jean-Michel Gathy’s contemporary interiors. The hotel boasts one of Venice’s very few private gardens, which is overlooked by 24 stand-out suites and canal-side bedrooms. Inside, rolltop bathtubs provide birds-eye views of the bustling waterways below and huge king-size beds are ready to welcome you after a long day of exploring.
Fine-dining foodies will delight in Aman Venice’s two award-winning restaurants, chef’s table and bar. Menus are overseen by Michelin-starred Italian chef Davide Oldani and we recommend Arva for an authentic taste of the city. Combining an inventive and sustainable ethos with the finest ingredients of the season, expect plates of scallops from the lagoon, spider crab ravioli, grilled guinea fowl and, for a touch of decadence, Risotto Aman, cooked in champagne and served with caviar.
From £1,046 per night, visit aman.com
Hilton Molino Stucky Venice
Image: Hilton
Image: Shutterstock/Cristi Croitoru
Viewed from the water that laps the picturesque Giudecca Island, Hilton Molino Stucky is huge and imposing, owing to its former life as a flour mill. Its height is what makes this neo-gothic building so special, now incorporating a rooftop pool, the highest bar in Venice and a gym with panoramas Londoners can only dream of. Given its location on the western end of Giudecca, which is not in Venice’s city centre, it’s the perfect hotel for those looking to escape the crowds or with little ones in tow. The family-friendly offering sees bedrooms kitted out with mini robes, slippers and toys, while the kids club runs until 7pm so parents can enjoy a well-deserved glass of vino on the terrace.
There are 379 rooms to choose from, all adorned in traditional Venetian style with modern twists. The jewel in the hotel’s crown, however, is the Molino Presidential Suite – the largest and highest suite in Venice – which spans two floors, is accessed by a separate lift, and has direct access to the panoramic swimming pool terrace. Downstairs, discover local flavours at Bacaromi, Italian and international dishes at Rialto and signature dishes at Aromi. The latter, helmed by executive chef Ivan Fargnoli, serves cuttlefish tagliatelle, cocoa-marinated Rougié goose breast with liver pate and black garlic ice cream on its large outdoor terrace to create a true feast for the senses.
From £169 per night, visit hilton.com
St Regis Venice
After an extensive two-year refurbishment, the St Regis cemented its position as one of Venice’s best hotels by successfully incorporating modernity into its Grand Dame status. Also situated along the Grand Canal, the five-star hotel is a stone’s throw from St Mark’s Square but a more opulent entrance can be arranged via the hotel’s water jetty. The St Regis leans into Venice’s artistic reputation by ensuring its four walls feature only the very best artworks, alongside an artist-in-residence programme and a collaboration with local glass artists.
Bedrooms boasting canal-side balconies are an obvious choice, but it’s hard to beat the rooftop suites with private terraces offering 360-degree views. Elsewhere in the hotel, you’ll find a marbled ballroom, huge library, Technogym-kitted exercise room and Carita of Paris spa, alongside a decadent dining offering overseen by Italian chef Giuseppe Ricci. Gio’s Restaurant and Terrace, which takes its name from the San Giorgio church directly opposite, is the place to go for contemporary Venetian cuisine. Expect plates of stuffed zucchini in sweet and sour sauce, homemade pasta dumplings filled with Vicentina-style codfish, and ravioli stuffed with snails and lagoon herbs.
From £731 per night, visit marriott.com
Hotel Cipriani
Often ranked among the best hotels in the world, Cipriani should be at the top of your list if you’re looking to splash the cash on your next break. Be whisked away from the crowds via boat before docking outside the five-star hotel, which has dominated three acres of eastern Giudecca since it opened in 1958. The outstanding complex features a 96-bedroom hotel, Michelin-starred dining experience, Casanova Wellness Spa, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, red-clay tennis courts and manicured gardens so big you can actually get lost in them. Bedrooms are accented in timeless Italian chic, adorning Murano chandeliers, ornate wallpapers and furnishings and impressive objet d’arts. We prefer the canal-side rooms for those ever-changing views of the waterways, however, the garden rooms ooze a relaxing ambience that some travellers may desire after exploring the city.
Michelin-star chef Riccardo Canella, of Noma fame, heads up the culinary offering which boasts as much glamour as it does flavour. Sip an authentic bellini at legendary Cip’s Club – known as the birthplace of many cinema concepts and casting deals – or savour an artistic tasting menu at Michelin-starred Oro. Take a seat under the gold leaf dome that inspired the restaurant’s name, designed by architect Adam D Thany, to sample oyster and seaweed pesto risotto, garden ceviche, and pine ice cream. Fancy heading into the centre of the city? Step right this way for your water taxi, waiting for you at the end of the hotel’s jetty.
From £1,197 per night, visit belmond.com
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