Some of the best hotels in the world are Ritz-Carlton hotels and resorts but there is no Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Venice, instead you might want to pick one of the best Marriott Bonvoy hotels in Venice like the JW Marriott pictured above.
You may also be interested in our opinion on the best hotels with club lounges in Venice.
So Where Should I Stay?
The best luxury hotels in Venice include The St. Regis and the Gritti Palace, which are part of the Marriott Bonvoy group. We love the Belmond Cipriani, an other-worldly resort with a gorgeous pool in Venice.
When you enter the grounds of the Belmond Cipriani, Venice becomes partially inconsequential. The glamorous Narnia of luxury, the stunning rooms, exquisite gardens, and perfect pool will stop you from leaving its perimeter.
And yet Venice is on your doorstep, and a quick trip across the water in the stylish Belmond Hotel Cipriani shuttle (complete with its Top Gun style driver in his Raybans and white Navy-inspired suit) is certainly not to be missed. However, the maze of iffy scented canals, tiny passageways, pushy selfie stick vendors, stifling heat, and the crazy kamikaze pigeons in St Marks Square can all be hard to endure for prolonged periods.
A highlight of the hotel is, of course, the pool. It is huge, surrounded by gardens and a bar & restaurant open during the day and again later in the evening. The pool area itself is under the command of a lovely lady who will do her best to find you an ideal spot to while away your day poolside. Loungers are arranged by deck boys who will set up your sunbed with just the right amount of shade and provide as many Evian spritzers as you can use. Other than the size of this saltwater pool, what was noteworthy is the space around it. There are plenty of loungers available, and you can always find a little bit of peace and quiet if you so wish.
The gardens at the Belmond Hotel Cipriani are also beautiful. You can stroll underneath archways of roses and sweet-smelling white flowers, find a place on the lawns to laze or stroll through the kitchen garden. Tennis players can play a game or two on the secluded clay court, while parents can shuffle children off to the kids club and enjoy the Spa and Wellness center. There’s wildlife too, the garden being home to a beautiful rabbit who helps the robot lawnmower keep the grass tended and a chicken and some friendly ducks too. It was fun at dusk to sit and watch them all go about their business.
The room to choose is the Junior Suite Pool room (around €2,500 EUR per night in season), which backs straight onto your reserved loungers at the pool, meaning that you can go for a dip without the indecency of having to trawl along corridors and down lifts in dressing gowns. All rooms are the epitome of classic elegance adorned with handcrafted Murano Glass features, including handsome blue chandeliers that look like octopuses on the ceiling. The marble floors are softened with Turkish silk rugs, and the bathrooms are large, with huge walk-in showers and double basins sporting lovely smelling designer Hermes amenities.
Once the sun starts to drop, most residents at the pool bar amble over to the main bar to continue their Bellinis. I can’t think of a more romantic setting than being served drinks overlooking the Venetian lagoon, with the piano playing in the background as the pink sky turns to purple. The constant flow of boats chugging up and down the waterway in front of the bar and restaurant area is something I’d never tire of watching.
The only problem with staying here is that you inevitably have to deal with the sadness of leaving this paradise, with its wonderful characters, fantastic views, and a relaxing pool. You will miss the toll of the church bells, the splish splosh of the lagoon water, and the swimmers powering up and down the pool. You’ll miss wandering under rose-laden archways and watching the lizards scoot into the undergrowth. You’ll even miss the joy of waking up and knowing all you have to do that day is amble over to the pool to take a cooling dip and enjoy endless refreshments.
Below you can find reviews of our own favorite hotels in Venice:
Best Hotels In Venice
Review: JW Marriott Venice
I write this review while lazing on the balcony of my Junior suite, dappled in sunlight at the JW Marriott Venice. The outlook is not what you would expect of Venice; all I can hear is bird song, and all I can see is an expanse of green forested gardens with the odd glimpse of Venetian Lagoon through the trees. This impressive luxury Marriott hotel opened in March 2015. Arrive by water taxi if you can. Not only is this a glamorous way to travel through Venice, but the dock at the JW Marriott is like something out of a Bond movie, providing a great first view of the property.
Hotel Review: Belmond Hotel Cipriani Venice
Belmond Hotel Cipriani Venice is undoubtedly one of the best luxury hotels in the world. Once you've stepped inside this glamorous Narnia and sampled its stunning rooms, exquisite gardens, and perfect pool, you will find it hard to leave. This exclusive hideaway under the Mediterranean sunshine also happens to enjoy dreamy views across Venice.
Review: Aman Venice
The Aman Venice is not simply a hotel; it's an intimate retreat in the center of Venice's busy Canal Grande, protected from the madness of the city by palatial walls and a thick wooden door that only opens for those fortunate enough to enjoy temporary residency at this luxurious palace. We compare Belmond Cipriani Vs. Aman Vs. Gritti Palace Vs. Hotel Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel separately to help you decide which hotel will work best for you. Nestled in the center of Venice, the Aman is just 40 minutes by water taxi from Venice airport (around €150 EUR each way).
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