Aman Venice Vs. Belmond Cipriani Vs. Gritti Palace, Hotel Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel, which is the best luxury hotel in Venice? All these properties are luxury 5-star hotels, but they offer quite hugely. The refurbished Hotel Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel, is set to open in 2025.
Best Location
Belmond Cipriani, Gritti Palace, and Hotel Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel, are all brilliantly located for different reasons.
Belmond Cipriani is located on Giudecca Island across the water from St Mark’s Square. This hotel has a gorgeous teak shuttle boat that is fun to take and takes guests in and out of the main drag. This regular shuttle, which runs every 20 minutes or so, makes seeing the sights very easy while allowing you to escape to the sanctuary of the Cipriani hotel grounds and away from the madness and tourists. While some visitors may find the need to use a shuttle inconvenient, I personally think it adds an extra element of fun to your stay. The fact that the shuttle drops you right in the center, right where you want to be, puts Belmond Cipriani number one in our best-located hotel in Venice. I also particularly like the fact that the Cipriani is housed on the end of an island, so it has views in two directions across the water.
Hotel Danieli is the most centrally located of all the hotels, located on the waterfront where the Cipriani shuttle arrives, so you literally step out of the front door into the charm and madness of Venice. The disadvantage of this location is that there is no breathing room in the summer. Once you are out of the front door, you will be hit by throngs of tourists and are immediately battling your way to cross the street. The Danieli has an amazing roof terrace with brilliant views.
Gritti Palace overlooks the Grand Canal. It is close to St Mark’s Square and is nicely central. The downside is that, like the Hotel Danieli, you are hit by mass tourism the moment you leave the sanctuary of the hotel. That said, the views over the Grand Canal are phenomenal. The Gritti has a superb canal terrace to enjoy the views.
The Aman Venice is set on the Grand Canal, which means you get the most incredible views of this famous canal in Venice from the hotel and some of the rooms. But it is found up side streets away from St. Marks Square and is a confusing walk through maze-like passageways to reach the center of the action. If you travel around by water taxi, the Aman is well positioned, but if you want to walk Venice, you are quite far from where you want to be.
In terms of which has the best location, I like the Belmond Cipriani as I love taking the water shuttle across the waterways, and I like to escape the madness of central Venice for some of the day. If you want to be in the center of everything, Hotel Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel, is the one to pick, but be aware the moment you leave the hotel, you will be hit by madness.
Exclusivity
Aman Venice, Belmond Cipriani, Gritti Palace, and Hotel Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel, all feel utterly exclusive. In fact, there isn’t a more exclusive pool area in Venice than at the Belmond Cipriani.
Best Room
I expect the Four Seasons to offer brilliant rooms in 2025 as these rooms will be newly and brilliantly refurbished. However, the rooms at Aman Venice and Cipriani are both gorgeous. They are large, with expensive furnishings mixed with historic palatial features. I find the rooms at the Gritti Palace on the fussy side with lots of gold detailing. I feel it’s worth mentioning if you want a poolside room. There is only one hotel to pick. Room 30 at the Belmond Cipriani is our favorite poolside junior suite. You can just step out of your room and into the pool. It’s brilliant.
Best Grounds
The Belmond Cipriani has wonderful grounds, gardens, a large pool area, and numerous restaurants on the water’s edge right by the boats. The Aman also offers a walled garden outside, but, nice as it is, this garden feels a little enclosed, and a wall and railings slightly obstruct the views of the Grand Canal. The Gritti Palace has a waterfront restaurant but no grounds to speak of.
Best For History
The palatial setting of Aman Venice is simply unbeatable if you want to step back in time. I expect the Hotel Danieli to offer a similar level of historic atmosphere. Gritti Palace also offers a palatial setting, if a little toned down when compared to my first two suggestions. Belmond Cipriani is a more contemporary hotel. It’s not built in a palace, and while I love this hotel, it does not have the historical significance of the other palaces.
Best Pool
The Belmond Cipriani is the only one of these hotels with an outdoor pool, and it’s one of my favorites in the world. If you are looking for a pool, the Cipriani offers the best pool in Venice, in my opinion. The Kempinski also offers a very good pool in Venice, so it is worth considering if your budget doesn’t stretch to the room rates at Belmond Cipriani.
Best Resort For Families
The Belmond Cipriani is the best hotel for families because of its pool, grounds, tennis courts, etc. It feels like a resort rather than a city hotel.
As Four Seasons, as a brand, always shows huge love for children, I would pick Hotel Danieli as the second best for families. Rooms and communal areas will all be child-friendly, but the lack of a pool knocks it off the top spot.
Best Restaurant
The Belmond Cipriani has a number of restaurants. A hugely high-end Oro, which is formal but unbeatable for food. The Cip is your usual evening venue, which offers incredible Italian food delivered with panache on a pontoon-style restaurant that juts out over the water. For me, this is what I dream of Italian dining to be. A setting fit for a scene in a blockbuster movie. Il Porticciolo also juts out into the water and serves fresh fish and is another brilliant venue. All three of the Belmond Cipriani restaurants are amazing and packed with Italian alfresco character.
The restaurant at the Aman is also out of this world. You can dine in the garden in the summer (pictured above) or within the palace throughout the year. The food here is incredible. The setting is palatial. Eating here is not to be missed.
I have not eaten at the Gritti Palace or the soon-to-open hotel Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel. The restaurants at the Cipriani and Aman are not to be missed, and some of the best food I have ever eaten in the most incredible settings.
Best Bar
Don’t make me choose this one. I love the atmosphere at the Belmond Cipriani bar with its poolside setting. For palatial grandeur, the Aman bar has to be a top pick. I have no doubt the Four Seasons bar will also be brilliant.
Conclusion
If you are looking for Palatial elegance, I would pick Aman Venice or Hotel Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel. If you are looking for a resort setting with a pool or are traveling with kids, my top pick is The Belmond Cipriani. If you cannot stretch your budget to these hotels, consider the Kempinski or Hilton Molino Stucky Venice and book via our luxury travel concierge to get free benefits at all of these fantastic hotels within their budgets.
Reviews
Review: San Clemente Palace Kempinski, Venice
Venice has only two luxury hotels with a great, resort-style pool area. San Clemente Palace Kempinski and Belmond Hotel Cipriani. San Clemente Palace Kempinski is located on the private island of San Clemente, minutes away from Piazza San Marco by complimentary boat. Venice's magical winding waterways are famous worldwide, with tens of millions of tourists traveling to the UNESCO world heritage site every year. Visitors can discover the city’s iconic landmarks, such as the 11th-century St Mark’s Basilica while navigating the 42 kilometers of canals on elegant gondolas.
Review: Hilton Molino Stucky Venice
The Hilton Molino Stucky Venice is a great luxury hotel choice in Venice. In fact, for the room price, it's hard to beat! Book a room at the Hilton Molino Stucky (or any other luxury hotel in the world) via our luxury travel concierge, and you get brilliant extra benefits such as free breakfast for two, resort credit and room upgrade. Venice's magical winding waterways are famous worldwide, with tens of millions of tourists visiting the UNESCO World Heritage site annually.
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).
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: Hotel Danieli, Venezia, Four Seasons Venice
Hotel Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel, will open in 2025 and is a much-needed addition to the luxury hotel offering in Venice. We reviewed 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. Currently, the top players are the Hotel Cipriani, with its wonderful pool and resort atmosphere, and the palatial Aman Venice, which overlooks the Grand Canal. Four Seasons Venice will be of a similarly excellent caliber.
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