8 Best Hotels in Venice, Italy

At this hotel—once home to the Santa Croce branch of the Mocenigo family, which counts a few doges in its lineage—a columned courtyard welcomes you, and guest room decor nods to the building's history, with canopied beds, striped damask fabrics, lustrous terrazzo flooring, and gilt-accented furnishings. Indeed, the whole interior has been meticulously renovated to incorporate exposed-beam ceilings, Murano chandeliers, fireplaces transformed into writing nooks, and other distinct architectural features. A sauna is nice for unwinding after a day of sightseeing. The hotel is on a side canal convenient to any number of sights, cafés, restaurants, and shops. It's deservedly very popular, so book well in advance.

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.

Spending time at this charming guesthouse secreted away down narrow Calle Racheta near the Ca' d'Oro vaporetto stop is like staying with a friend: service is warm and helpful, with lots of suggestions for dining and sightseeing. Attractively appointed guest rooms overlook canals or the spacious enclosed garden and patio—a perfect spot to scribble postcards.

Understated Venetian decor, original exposed-beam ceilings and terrazzo flooring, and large rooms suitable for families or small groups are hallmarks of this intimate, family-owned guesthouse. Guest rooms overlooking tranquil side canals are the best in terms of size and view. The spacious common salon overlooks the Rio San Sofia. The location is serene, but only a short street away from the main Cannaregio thoroughfare (Strada Nova), the Ca' d'Oro vaporetto stop, the traghetto across to the Rialto Market, and the San Marco area. Al Palazzetto is also good for small groups or families, as there are triple and quad rooms; some are connecting. Spring for the attic suite if it's available.

A true Venetian institution, this small, historic hotel with a beautiful garden restaurant has hosted such famous guests as Gabriele D'Annunzio, Ezra Pound, Robert De Niro, and David Bowie. Works by many of the artists who stayed (or dined) here are displayed on the restaurant's walls, a remarkable gallery of 20th-century art. Modernization of the facilities hasn't altered its unabashedly old-fashioned atmosphere, and some of the rooms are, for Venice, surprisingly spacious.

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.

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.

Behind iron gates in one of the busiest 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 (winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1987) was a frequent guest—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.