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Venetian magic can still linger when you retire for the night, whether you're staying in a grand hotel or budget locanda (inn). Some of the finest Venetian hotel rooms are lighted with Murano chandeliers and swathed in famed fabrics of Rubelli and Bevilacqua, with gilded mirrors and furnishing styles from baroque to Biedermeier and art deco.
Though more-contemporary decor is working its way into renovation schemes, you still may find the prized Venetian terrazzo flooring and canal views in more-modest pensioni. Your window will open, sometimes onto a balcony, so you may enjoy gondoliers' serenades, watch the ebb and flow of city life in the campo (square) below, or simply contemplate what the lack of motor traffic permits you to hear, or not hear.
Even if well renovated, most hotels occupy very old buildings. Preservation laws prohibit elevators in some, so if climbing stairs is an issue, check before you book. In the lower price categories, hotels may not have lounge areas, and rooms may be cramped, and the same is true of standard rooms in more expensive hotels. Space is at a premium in Venice, and even exclusive hotels have carved out small, dowdy, Cinderella-type rooms in the "standard" category. It’s not at all unusual for each room to be different even on the same floor: windows overlooking charming canals and bleak alleyways are both common. En suite bathrooms have become the norm; they’re usually well equipped but sizes will range from compact to more than ample; tubs are considered a luxury but are not unheard of, even in less expensive lodging. Carpeted floors are rare, as they’re traditionally considered to be unhygienic. Air-conditioning is rarely a necessity until mid-June. A few of the budget hotels make do with fans. Mosquitoes can begin to pester in midsummer; turn lights off in the evening if you leave windows open, and ask the hotel staff for a Vape, an anti-mosquito device. The staff members at most Venetian hotels will be able to converse with you in English, and don’t be afraid to ask for anything you need or even to change rooms if you consider it necessary to do so.
Once you get a taste of the resort's lush gardens, fabulous spa, and fantastic pools—all set on an exclusive island called Isole Delle Rose, a 20-minute boat ride from Venice—you may find yourself quickly settling in to la dolce vita.
The restored Palazzo Papadopoli (sometimes referred to as "the place where George Clooney got married") provides its guests with sumptuous period details alongside elegant contemporary design, an expansive private garden facing the Grand Canal, a rooftop terrace, and light-filled and spacious rooms with garden or canal views. Some rooms feature exquisite frescoed ceilings (including one by Tiepolo), painted friezes, wood paneling, and silk wall coverings—the palace is a testament to neo-Renaissance and rococo architecture. The private landing dock makes arrivals effortless. From the reception area, a sweeping staircase brings guests to the main dining room set in the palazzo's ballroom, with stunning views of the Grand Canal.
The Excelsior's imposing, Moorish-style building with its green cupolas and inner courtyard comes complete with potted lemon trees, a reflecting pool; and dramatic windows overlooking the Adriatic Sea; the feel is decidedly Mediterranean. No longer a haunt of the noble and famous of the dolce vita days (except during the Biennale and Venice Film Festival), the hotel nonetheless offers the same panache, luxury, and space as ever. Rooms are spacious and tastefully modern, done in bright colors, and face either the inner garden or the beach below; there are all the services you might expect from a five-star hotel, including a pool, fitness center, tennis, and restaurants and bars in the hotel and on the beach. A shuttle boat between the hotel and San Zaccaria runs every half hour.
