Boutique hotels in Venice | live like a Medici in beautiful surrounds

The hotel: AD Place is home to 12 quirky bedrooms, each individually decorated in a range of colours. Spread over four floors, they’re designed in a French baroque style, with ornate gold framed mirrors and intricate chandeliers. For a taste of Venetian grandeur reminiscent of a bygone age, visit the dark wooden panelled dining room, where you’ll find breakfast and a formal tea with delicate fruit-filled pastries, plus snacks throughout the day.

The surrounds: watch the sunset over the Venetian landscape from the comfort of the rooftop sun terrace. While there, help yourself to a classic Aperol Spritz from the self-service bar, as you try to spot familiar landmarks amid the mismatched roofs. Illuminated by Marrakesh-style lanterns and candles, this place is the ideal spot to bring a day in Venice to a romantic conclusion.

The interiors: snuggle up in an individually decorated room overlooking one of Venice’s quieter canals, in the heart of the San Marco district. For a romantic retreat for two, you could book the top-floor suite. With a white four poster bed and a bird’s eye view of the gondoliers on the canal below, it provides a secluded, fairy-tale base for a stay in Casanova’s birth place.

The surrounds: centrally positioned next to St Mark’s Square, the 13th-century Palazzo Selvadego is home to a handful of historic rooms with stunning views across the city’s jumble of rooftops. It’s steps from the city’s most iconic sights, including St Mark’s Basilica, the Bridge of Sighs and La Fenice opera house. One of the oldest buildings in Venice, it has typically Venetian features, with cool marble worktops, polished parquet floors and fragrant window boxes.

The interiors: behind the Venetian Gothic façade lies a subtly elegant beaux-arts style interior, complete with modern amenities. For a refined home away from home, book the Junior Suite, which comes with a simple, yet elegant sitting room, fully stocked mini bar and much larger than average floor space. Sip herbal tea and savour a biscotti as you gaze through leaded-glass windows to the crowds in the designer boutique-lined alley below.

The food: breakfast is served with a view at Palazzo Selvadego’s sister hotel, Hotel Monaco and the Grand Canal, just across the alley. Take a seat on the sun terrace, help yourself to fresh fruit salad, sweet pastries and Italian cakes, and of course an espresso, and watch the early morning sunlight reflect off the twinkling waters of the Grand Canal.

The hotel: run by the Romanelli family for over 50 years, this boutique hotel is lovingly filled with characterful touches, including carpets collected during the family’s travels in Morocco. The private living room provides a welcome retreat from the crowds, with its low ceilings, dark wooden beams and stained Murano glass windows. Make yourself at home on the brightly coloured sofa, with a home-made pastry and hot drink in hand from the sweet corner.

The food: wake to a home-made breakfast served in a hidden courtyard, with tables of sweet and savoury produce, including delicious cakes and pies. When evenings falls, help yourself to Italian wine or liquor from the honesty bar, which sits in the corner of the living room.

The interiors: set down a secluded alley, Novecento Boutique offers bohemian rooms between the classic Venetian architecture of St Mark’s Square and the pre-19th century art of the Accademia Gallery. After a day of energetic sightseeing, clamber into a freshly-made four poster bed, with soft cotton sheets and eclectic Moroccan drapes. Designed by Italian artists, the Middle Eastern-inspired rooms are decorated in earthy tones, with silk drapes on the rag-rolled walls and mahogany furniture dating from 1900. Sleek bathrooms feature luxury Philippe Starck fittings and original Venetian marble flooring.

The hotel: this restored 600-year old Gothic palace is home to a series of 18th-century style bedrooms, two elegant dining rooms and an impressive double-height lounge room with a cocktail bar. For an undisturbed evening away from the crowds, slip into the bar and sip prosecco to the sounds of soothing background music, often played live by local music artists.

The surrounds: explore the palazzo, with its elaborate Gothic-style windows, tranquil internal courtyard and dark, wood-panelled corridors, before venturing into the grand dining room for a buffet breakfast of sweet and savoury dishes including pastries, fresh fruit and rich Italian coffee. Positioned on Canal San Lorenzo and close to some of Venice’s most well-known attractions, this hotel still manages to be a real haven. Spend a peaceful hour reading amid the gilded furniture of the lobby, before returning to the thronging alleys outside the hotel’s thick, stone walls.

The interiors: rooms here are decorated in warm neutrals, ramped up by richly coloured rugs and large-scale artworks that lend opulence. Some feature classic Venetian paved floors and traditional style windows alongside pristine modern amenities, making for a heavenly blend of old and new. For a truly extravagant experience, book the King Romantic Suite, which comes with a luxury whirlpool and Finnish sauna, alongside grand oil paintings and traditional Italian walnut furnishings.

The hotel: this award-winning boutique design hotel houses 12 stylish bedrooms, including five concept rooms with eclectic themes, from the palazzo-inspired Doge’s Room to the spicy cinnamon palette of the Noir Room. Let the sounds of lapping water coax you into a deep slumber amid Italian cotton sheets, goose-down pillows and duvets. The king-sized beds also feature orthopaedic mattresses, which provide support for your spine and ensure pure comfort.

The food: indulge in a morning of luxury with breakfast in the richly decorated breakfast room. Choose from an extensive menu of hot and cold options, including eggs, pancakes, charcuterie and cheeses, served with tea, coffee and fresh juices – or a chilled glass of prosecco. Afterwards, you can plan your day from the rooftop terrace, with its views across the turquoise waters of the lagoon.

The surrounds: his 16th-century palazzo is located within Venice’s art district, Dorsoduro, on the south east of the city. It has its own water entrance with private landing stage, so you can take a water taxi to the sights. For a fascinating view of the canal, take a seat in the intimate surrounds of the ornate lounge. It’s at water level, so you’ll have a magical view of the very grand, 17th-century church of Santa Maria della Salute opposite.

The hotel: step inside the lobby of this elegant boutique hotel and uncover an enchanting fusion of Venetian and oriental design. Behind the charmingly faded terracotta façade lies a light and airy selection of rooms and suites, in addition to a classic Italian bar, decorated with ornate stained glass windows and majestic oil paintings.

The food: wander down to the buffet breakfast, which is served in the opulent dining room and includes fresh bread and pastries, cured meats, eggs, fruit and local produce. Afterwards, spend the day unwinding on a rattan sun lounger within the secluded confines of the walled garden. This hidden oasis provides the ideal place to recharge after time spent exploring the city’s ancient buildings and museums. You’ll be able to order an apéritif from the 19th-century bar – port is a popular choice here – before heading out for bruschetta or hot crostini at an authentic local cicchetti place.

The interiors: slip into a blissful slumber in a Classic room, complete with richly coloured wallpaper and old-world drapes. Some feature bathrooms decorated with Venetian glass mosaics and soothing chromotherapy lighting, designed to encourage physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. For a serene view to accompany your newfound sense of relaxation, request a room overlooking the waters of the Rio Novo Canal.

The surrounds: across the canal from San Marco, Charming House DD724 offers a select handful of rooms just footsteps from the Peggy Guggenheim Museum. Contemporary in style, the hotel provides a fresh contrast to the historic palazzos and grand buildings usually associated with the city. Soak up the artsy vibe of the Dorsoduro neighbourhood, before returning to this chic hotel filled with modern art and photography.

The hotel: minimalist rooms here are decorated in understated neutral tones and feature little luxuries including Nespresso machines, myrrh-fragranced toiletries and memory-foam pillows (on request). For a child-friendly stay, book the Deluxe Suite, which consists of a double bedroom overlooking the Rio Torreselle canal, alongside a single room and two bathrooms. It has natural hemp blankets for cosying up and enough sleeping space for all the family, including a travel cot.

The interiors: make yourself at home in the ultra-modern breakfast room, where you’ll find a daily buffet consisting of fresh fruit, pastries and hot snacks. With black and burnt orange walls, alongside the old wooden beams and low ceiling, it makes for an eclectic experience. On your way back to your room, ask the 24-hour concierge to point you in the direction of nearby family-friendly activities, including ghost tours, pasta making and gelato tasting.

The surrounds: Palazzo Venart Luxury Hotel sits at the foot of Venice’s main waterway, the Grand Canal. With a garden overlooking the canal itself, this newly restored 15th-century palace is a rare Venetian gem. Arrive by water taxi and dock at the landing stage, before finding a quiet spot on the carefully manicured lawn and sipping a chianti from the bar’s extensive selection of wine.

The food: savour a true taste of Venice at the Michelin-starred GLAM restaurant, which is run by acclaimed chef Enrico Bartolini and serves classic Venetian cuisine in the hotel’s magnolia-scented courtyard. The popular eight-course tasting menu uses high quality seasonal ingredients, including local veal, smoked cuttlefish and freshly-made gorgonzola.

The interiors: bring the day to a close by clambering into a grand king-size bed in an opulently decorated Classic Room. The accompanying marble bathrooms come with giant bath tubs, heated towel rails and super soft bathrobes. Many of them have original features, such as intricately detailed stucco walls and hand-painted frescoes, reminiscent of the Italian Renaissance. For a truly spellbinding experience, book a room with a terrace and watch the sunrise over the local bell towers, roofs and spires.