If you’re going to indulge in a special stay anywhere, make it at one of the best hotels in Venice. There’s no other city in Italy—perhaps even in the world—as transportive and dreamlike as the City of Water, a realm whose fluid limits curtail the extent to which modernity can seep in and encroach. The canals set the pace, the gondolas glide gracefully, and with each quaint bridge and narrow calle, the city preserves a rhythm that feels distinctly of another time. For better or for worse, this otherworldly atmosphere lures over 20 million visitors each year. These islands, crossed with 150 canals and connected by more than 400 bridges, can feel at once magically cinematic and crushingly overrun.
And of course, when thinking of Venice, you can almost hear it, a soundtrack so unmistakably its own that it’s impossible not to recall the sounds alongside the sights. Undeniably, there’s something eerily tranquil about the absence of car traffic, and Venice compensates for it on its own terms. The city speaks with the verve of a world-wise polyglot: Italian, French, English, German, and beyond ping and flutter to compose a gentle cacophony, layered with the steady churn of vaporetti and motorboats and the periodic peal of church bells.
At night, Venice is at its most tender. La Serenissima becomes its most serene, crooning a much softer tune: water laps on the canal banks, underscored by fleeting, muffled hums of vaporetti while footsteps and low murmurs echo through the calli. If you’re near a canal, you might awaken to the thud of packages as delivery boats begin their rounds. But here, even that can feel soothing.
So, where to sleep on nights like these? Here’s our guide to the best hotels in Venice.
How we choose the best hotels in Venice
Every hotel review on this list has been written by a Condé Nast Traveler journalist who knows the destination and has visited that property. When choosing hotels, our editors consider properties across price points that offer an authentic and insider experience of a destination, keeping design, location, service, and sustainability credentials top of mind.
What is the best area in Venice to stay in?
Many of the hotels on this list are located in San Marco, the most popular of Venice’s six sestieri (central districts). San Marco is home to the city’s top attractions as well—St. Mark Basilica, Doge’s Palace, and The Bridge of Sighs—and, in turn, is also the busiest part of Venice. For a stay that’s away from the crowds, opt for a hotel in Dorsoduro, like Ca Maria Adele, where you’ll find a mix of tourists and locals along with the city’s top art galleries. Another option is Il Palazzo Experimental, located in the eastern end of Le Zattere, a residential area which is becoming a bit of a Venice restaurant hub, with nearby Riviera and Balkan-themed Sudest 1401 among the current highlights.
Read our complete Venice travel guide here.