13 Best Hotels in San Marco, Venice

Right off Venice’s main shopping street and a stone’s throw from Piazza San Marco, the former 20th-century stock exchange now houses this supremely comfortable hotel with an art deco flair, charming rooms with private terraces, and a glittering enclosed rooftop pool. Guest rooms feature stucco marble and marmorino finishes, velvet couches and chairs, and Murano glass objects; some suites have terraces with Venetian rooftop views, perfect for enjoying an evening aperitivo. Elegant bathrooms are embellished with mosaic tiles and brass fixtures; some include deep soaking tubs. The colonnaded lobby invites lounging in its many comfy chairs and couches, while the Library Bar includes more than 4,000 carefully selected books (many of them about art) along with a frescoed ceiling. The Nolinski offers two restaurant choices, the courtyard Il Caffè, which makes a lovely setting for a lunch or dinner of Mediterranean cuisine, and the Palais Royal Restaurant, housed in a grand former auditorium. Perhaps the hotel’s pièce de résistance is the gold-tiled indoor rooftop pool, offering sublime Venice views, next to the treatment rooms of the Ottoman-inspired spa.

With handblown chandeliers, sumptuous textiles, and sweeping canal views, this grande dame (whose history dates from 1525, when it was built as the residence of the prominent Gritti family) represents aristocratic Venetian living at its best. Although renovations have been done since the palace became a hotel in the 19th century, many original architectural details remain, including wooden ceilings, patterned flooring, and—depending on the room category—flourishes like 18th-century Murano wall lamps, silk damask Rubelli fabrics, and traditional Venetian stucco. If you enjoy executive chef Alberto Fol's locally influenced menus at one of the Grand Canal–view restaurants, you can enjoy a Chef's Table experience with the master himself. The Gritti Epicurean School hosts cooking classes and wine tastings. The treatments at the Gritti Spa -- Sisley Paris incorporate the Italian-made line's aromatic scents, each named after a different region of the country.

Just a short stroll from Piazza San Marco—though on a quiet side street that seems a world away—this charming hotel will please those seeking traditional, though freshly updated, Venetian decor in an ultraconvenient location. Each room is done up differently, though all feature period furnishings, Murano glass chandeliers, and patterned wallpaper. To truly feel like royalty, stay in the Sansovini Lagoon View or San Giorgio Terrace suites; they contain enormous private terraces where the views of rooftops and water last for miles. All gleaming marble and with double sinks, some bathrooms have deep soaking tubs or even double showers. Dellaluna bath products amp up the sophisticated feel. Canova Restaurant by Sadler offers a Venetian tasting menu with some creative flourishes as well as a vegetarian tasting menu, along with a large selection of à la carte dishes. There's also a brand-new spa with steam baths, a relaxation area, and massage rooms.

The elegant and refined facade announces a charming, and reasonably priced, place to stay; the hospitable staff, the tastefully decorated rooms, and the lovely garden, where guests can breakfast or drink, do not disappoint. After a long day of sightseeing, relax on a plush, velvet chair in the cozy bar or on a wrought-iron one in the garden beside a gushing fountain. The delicious sweet and savory breakfast buffet is a real treat. Family rooms are available.

A stylish yet intimate retreat tucked away on a quiet calle (street) midway between Piazza San Marco and the Accademia Bridge offers exquisite rooms tastefully decorated with original furnishings and tapestries from the Mediterranean and Far East. In the warmer months, breakfast is served in the charming inner courtyard. In the winter, a roaring fireplace greets those who wish to quietly read in the sitting room. The hotel also organizes art exhibitions on its main floor, giving visitors who are around during an opening reception the opportunity to meet local and international artists.

Steeped in lavish Venetian ambience, junior suites are palatial, superior rooms comfortably sized, bright, and well appointed, and ornate frescoes, pastel bas-reliefs, and splendid coffered and carved beamed ceilings abound. What is not original is reproduced to seem so. Carrara marble lines bathroom walls hung with Venetian-style mirrors. After crossing the private bridge that leads to the hotel, guests are greeted with a glass of Prosecco in a green, open courtyard. Many of the common areas, including the spectacular breakfast area, overlook the courtyard. Ask for rooms with views over a quiet side canal. For even larger spaces, try the adjacent apartments, under the same ownership.

Whimsical design details evoking the Venetian landscape abound in this elegant, contemporary hotel constructed from five historic palazzi with phenomenal views onto the Grand Canal. Lovely guest rooms reflect the colors of the city at either dawn or dusk, and include such details as bed headboards echoing the curve of the gondolas and patterns on the bathroom mirrors reminiscent of Murano glass; some feature large furnished terraces with views of the canal and Santa Maria della Salute. Grey-and-white marble bathrooms include walk-in showers; some also have deep soaking tubs. Gio's Restaurant serves Venetian and Italian dishes, or try a seasonally changing cocktail indoors or out at one of the two bars, the St. Regis Bar or the Arts Bar. The compact yet well-stocked fitness room is open 24 hours a day, and spa suites are available for massages and facials.

Hoteliers Sara and Elena Maestrelli partnered with solely Italian designers on every aspect of their 17th-century palazzo-turned-hotel, from ceramics to window frames to wall paintings, in what they call an “Italian artisanal product,” overlooking Rio San Moise canal. Light and bright guest rooms range from cozy classic style to decadent suites with panoramic water views. Il Piccolo restaurant serves homestyle Venetian cuisine, with a strong focus on vegetables, while Il Piccolo Bar dishes out lighter meals of cicheti (also with a vegetarian version) and cocktails. This is one home-away-from-home you may never want to leave.

Traditional, tasteful Venetian decor takes on a Carnevale theme in cozy, well-appointed, and comfortable rooms are enlivened by fanciful wall murals. A relaxed atmosphere pervades at this hotel's divine hot breakfast, where it is common to become engrossed in conversation with other guests as gondolas glide lazily by the water-level windows: this lovely state-of-mind is created by the hotel's attentive staff (but can be ruined by a plague of singing gondoliers!). Common areas have warm mahogany paneling, tufted leather furniture, beamed ceilings, and tapestries.

The renovated home of owner Eleonora behind the Fenice Opera House offers three spacious, comfortable, and conscientiously appointed rooms; each has its own private bath and overlooks a gondola-filled canal. The largest room has a broad balcony. An ample breakfast (served at a common table) and exceptional service make Al Teatro an excellent value and a relaxing choice in the sometimes-frenetic San Marco atmosphere. Book well in advance.

Neatly decorated and light-filled rooms between St. Marks Square and the Rialto Bridge offer guests something rare in Venice—a central yet quiet base from which to explore the city. Five of the seven rooms have their own en-suite bathrooms and air conditioning, two have a shared bathroom and ceiling fan, and a few have canal views. A simple breakfast is served in a cheery breakfast room that overlooks a canal. The hospitable owner is around during the day to answer questions and offer restaurant suggestions; during the night, you are on your own.

Tucked behind Campo San Stefano in a charming little courtyard, this oasis offers small but peaceful rooms decorated in 18th-century Venetian style. Palazzo Grassi, Museo Fortuny, and the Accademia Museum are just steps away; San Marco and Rialto are both about a 15-minute walk. In the warmer months, breakfast is served alfresco amid the flowering garden overlooking Campiello Novo. Discounts are given for payment in cash.

This elegant palazzo is large enough to deliver expected facilities and services but small enough to pamper its guests; rooms have red-and-gold tapestry-adorned walls and carpeting and Carrara and Alpine marble in the bath, and those facing the Grand Canal have balconies. Common areas include an entrance hall with elegant marble flooring, a bright front lounge, and an intimate bar facing the Grand Canal. Ask ahead for a room with a view.