EQRoy / Shutterstock
Hotels in Venice
Few cities boast as long a high season as that of Venice, beginning with the Easter period. May, June, and September are the best months weather-wise and, therefore the most crowded. July and August are hot (few of the one- and two-star hotels offer air-conditioning, and when they do, it usually costs extra). Like everything else, hotels are more expensive here than in any other Italian city, with no apparent upgrade in amenities.
A few peculiarities about Venice hotels have everything to do with the fact that this city built on water does not consistently offer what you might take for granted: elevators, light, and spaciousness. Venice hotels often have tiny bathrooms. The rooms are generally smaller than elsewhere and can be dark, and canal views aren't half as prevalent as we'd like them to be. This doesn't mean that a welcoming family-run hotel in an atmospheric neighborhood can't offer a memorable stay -- just don't expect the amenities of the Danieli or Grand Canal vistas. The least special of those below are clean and functional; at best, they’re charming and thoroughly enjoyable, with the serenade of a passing gondolier thrown in for good measure. Some may even provide you with your best stay in all of Europe.
It’s highly advisable to reserve your lodging as far in advance as possible, even in the off-season.
Bookstore
Available as paperback
and as e-book.
28 Results
- Hotel
Ai Due Fanali
Ai Due Fanali ★★ -- Originally a wooden oratory frequented by fishermen and farmers (later rebuilt), this beguiling hotel features small but artsy rooms, even for Venice: Headboards have been hand-painted by a local artist, exposed wood beams crisscross the ceiling, and vintage…$In Santa Croce
- Hotel
Ai Tagliapietra
Cozy B&B run by the amicable Lorenzo (who will bend over backward to make your stay a memorable one), and a real bargain in this part of town. Basic rooms, but spotless, modern and relatively spacious with private showers. The small, shared kitchenette is available for guests’…$Castello-Riva Degli Schiavoni - Hotel
Al Piave
Cozy, old-fashioned family-run hotel just 5 minutes from Piazza San Marco. Rooms are simply but attractively furnished with richly woven rugs and carpets, marble floors and some of the original wood beams exposed (some come with a terrace, while the family suites are good value for…$$Castello-Riva Degli Schiavoni - Hotel
Al Ponte Antico
Yes it’s expensive, but this is one of the most exclusive hotels in Venice, steps from the Rialto Bridge, with a private wharf on the Grand Canal—to indulge your James Bond fantasy, look no further. Part of the attraction is its relatively small size: With just seven rooms, it feels…$$$In Cannaregio - Hotel
Al Ponte Mocenigo
This gem of a hotel shows it is possible to live that Golden Age Venetian fantasy without breaking the bank (rates are a real bargain in the low season). The especially spacious rooms here are pure 18th-century Venice, with big beds, Murano glass chandeliers, and varnished furniture…$$Santa Croce - Hotel
American Dinesen
Overlooking the San Vio Canal close to the Accademia, this 17th-century Venetian town house offers elegant rooms decorated in a classical Venetian style, with all the usual modern amenities including LCD TV. All the “superior canal”-view rooms have picture-perfect views of the San…$$In Dorsoduro - Hotel
Antica Locanda al Gambero
The best attribute of this typically cute, small Venetian hotel is the location, just a 2-minute walk from Piazza San Marco. Rooms are dressed in a bright rococo style with modern extras like satellite TV, and air conditioning, and most have lovely views of the local canal (but not…$$$Near Piazza San Marco - Hotel
Antiche Figure
The most convenient luxury hotel in Venice lies directly across the Grand Canal from the train station, a captivating 15th-century palazzo adjacent to an ancient gondola workshop (seriously). History aside, this is a very plush choice, with rooms decorated in a traditional…$$In Santa Croce - Hotel
Arcadia
Sensational, modestly advertised boutique set in a 17th-century palazzo, with an appealing blend of old and new: The theme is Byzantium east-meets-west, combining elements of Venetian and Asian style, but the rooms are full of cool, modern touches—rainforest showers, flat-screen…$$$In Cannaregio - Hotel
B&B San Marco
With just three rooms, this exquisite B&B in a peaceful, residential neighborhood fills up fast, so book ahead. This is comfortable, charming yet convenient option, the kind of place that makes you feel like a local, but not too far from the main sights. Your hosts are the bubbly…$Castello-Riva Degli Schiavoni - Hotel
Baglioni Hotel Luna
Perfectly situated on the lagoon just around the corner from the bustle of Piazza San Marco, this is the oldest hotel in Venice, housed in a building from 1118 that was once a church before Napoleon destroyed its sacristy. Today, the boutique property, a member of Leading Hotels of…$$$San Marco - Hotel
Bauer Palazzo
When you think of a 1960s movie starlet arriving at her hotel in a long scarf and big sunglasses, trailed by suited paparazzi, you're thinking of L'Hotel and Il Palazzo—a magnificent luxury hotel complex at the mouth of the Grand Canal near Piazza San Marco that seems to typify…$$$San Marco - Hotel
Bernardi
An excellent deal, this hotel offers small, basic, but spotless rooms in a 16th-century palazzo (the superior rooms are bigger), owned and managed by the congenial Leonardo and his wife, Teresa. Most rooms come with one or two classical Venetian touches: Murano chandeliers,…$In Cannaregio - Hotel
Ca' Barba B&B
What you’ll remember most about Ca’ Barba may well be the host, Alessandro, who usually meets guests at the Rialto vaporetto stop; inspires daily wanderings with tips, maps, and books; and provides fresh breads and pastries from the local bakery for breakfast. Of the four rooms, no.…$$In San Polo - Hotel
Casa Verardo
Tucked away across a small bridge in the warren of central Castello, this enchanting hotel occupies a 16th-century palazzo, though it’s been a hotel since 1911. Rooms sport an old-fashioned Venetian style, with Florentine furniture, hand-painted beds, and colorful textiles (antiques…$$Castello-Riva Degli Schiavoni - Hotel
Corte Di Gabriela
This gorgeous boutique hotel just a short walk from Piazza San Marco combines contemporary design and classical Venetian style—ceiling murals, marble pillars, and exposed brick blend with designer furniture and appliances (including free use of iPads, strong Wi-Fi, and satellite TV).…$$$Near Piazza San Marco - Hotel
Falier
Tranquil budget hotel set in a quiet neighborhood, next to the Frari Church, is just a 10-minute walk from the train station. Rooms are fairly compact (and could be a little cramped for some), but par for this price point in Venice, and all are air-conditioned and come with free…$In Santa Croce - Hotel
Galleria
Just around the corner from the Accademia, right on the Grand Canal, this hotel occupies a 19th-century palazzo in one of the most inviting locations in the city. It’s been a hotel since the 1800s, hosting poet Robert Browning in 1878, and maintains a Venetian 18th-century theme in…$$In Dorsoduro - Hotel
Giorgione
Set in a grand 18th-century building, the Giorgione is an elegant gem of a hotel—staying here really is like taking a trip back to old Venice. The combination of old and new works well: Rooms are a little worn, but that adds to the historic ambience, with antique furniture and…$$$In Cannaregio - Hotel
Locanda Fiorita
Hard to imagine a more picturesque location for this little hotel, a charming, quiet, campiello draped in vines and blossoms—no wonder it’s a favorite of professional photographers. Most of the standard rooms in the hotel are small (bathrooms are tiny), but all furnished in an…$$Near Piazza San Marco - Hotel
Locanda Orseolo
Enticing inn made up of three elegant guesthouses operated by the friendly Peruch family, located right behind Piazza San Marco. This place really oozes character, with exposed wood beams and heavy drapes giving a medieval feel and rooms lavishly decorated with Venetian-style…$$$Near Piazza San Marco - Hotel
Londra Palace
This white-marble beauty, part of the Relais & Chateaux stable, occupies a prime location overlooking the waterfront promenade—get a room with a balcony to make the most of the spectacular views. All rooms are spacious, with lofty ceilings, 19th-century Biedermeier-style…$$$Castello-Riva Degli Schiavoni - Hotel
Metropole
This five-star behemoth with a waterfront location is part luxury hotel, part eclectic art museum, with antiques, Asian artworks, and tapestries dotted throughout. But it’s no dusty grand dame; on the contrary, the hotel is a chic boutique with rooms opulently furnished in white,…$$$Castello-Riva Degli Schiavoni - Hotel
Moresco
Incredibly attentive staff, a decadent breakfast that includes prosecco (to mix with orange juice, ahem), and lavish 19th-century Venetian decor away from the tourist hubbub make this a justly popular choice. Rooms seamlessly blend Venetian style with modern design, oak parquet or…$$$In Dorsoduro - Hotel
Pensione Accademia
This spellbinding hotel with a tranquil blossom-filled garden has a fascinating history. The Gothic-style Villa Maravege was built in the 17th century as a family residence, but served as the Russian Embassy between World Wars I and II before becoming a hotel in 1950. If that’s not…$$In Dorsoduro - Hotel
Pensione Guerrato
Dating, incredibly, from 1227, it’s tough to find a more historic place to lay your head than this. The building’s long and complicated history—it was once the “Inn of the Monkey,” run by nuns, the original mostly destroyed by fire in 1513—is well worth delving into (the owners have…$$In San Polo - Hotel
San Geremia
At this excellent budget option just 10 minutes from the train station, rooms are simple but adequate, and most have air-conditioning and views across the canal or campo. Note that there is no elevator (some rooms are up three flights of stairs), and no breakfast is provided (but you…$In Cannaregio - Hotel
Violino d’Oro
The relatively spacious rooms in this handsome 18th-century building have been traditionally adorned in a neoclassical Venetian style with exposed wooden beams, crystal chandeliers and heaps of character. Most rooms also overlook the romantic San Moisè canal, and Piazza San Marco is…$$Near Piazza San Marco
