Known as La Serenissima, her most serene highness and Italy’s city of love, it’s little wonder that Venice is home to dozens of boutique hotels. They’re everywhere: clinging canalside, unfurling in historic buildings, and recalling the city’s proud history with their made-to-measure furnishings. So how to choose? As ever, the key question is location. Do you want to be close to the action in San Marco? Would you prefer a quieter residential area? Or does an island far from the city sound good, living the wild romance of the lagoon?
There are plenty of places that look gorgeous on booking websites but can then let you down on customer service, atmosphere or creature comforts. So this, in no particular order, is my pick of boutique hotels that won’t disappoint. From an affordable heritage hotel on the Grand Canal to snazzy new openings bringing contemporary style to this most historic of cities. Covering canalside boltholes to island retreats, there’s something for everyone here. Now all you have to do is decide who to bring.
