Note: If you’re looking for our most recent recommendations, check out the 2023 list of our favorite hotels in Venice.
Comprising more than 100 islands on a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea, Venice has an irresistible romantic appeal — at times, to its own detriment. The city’s ongoing struggle with overtourism is no secret, but travelers still can’t tear themselves away from the northern Italian gem. In Venice, “traffic” refers to a buildup of boats, not cars, and every bridge and twisting cobblestoned alleyway leads to a new surprise, be it a quaint restaurant, imposing Gothic cathedral, outdoor concert, art exhibit, or impromptu soccer match. Most moments there feel straight out of a film, so it shouldn’t come as a shock that the best hotels in Venice carry cinematic charisma.
Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels (including safari lodges) were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as city hotel, resort, or safari lodge based on their locations and amenities.
Courtesy of Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel, Venice
From the candy-colored fishermen’s houses of Burano to the world-famous glass workshops of Murano, there are endless reasons to hail a water taxi, hire a crooning gondolier, or hop aboard a vaporetto and explore the Floating City by water. But for luxury hotels, there’s one island you’ll want to prioritize: Giudecca Island is home to Cipriani, a Belmond Hotel, which was T+L readers’ No. 1 Venice pick this year. Put simply by one guest, it’s “simply extraordinary in every way.”
Read on to find out more reasons T+L readers love Cipriani — and which other properties join it on this year’s list of the best hotels in Venice.
1. Cipriani, a Belmond Hotel
Courtesy of Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel, Venice
This “dreamlike” property sits across the Giudecca Canal from the Piazza San Marco and its famed basilica, meaning it has all the views and none of the crowds. Guests are whisked away from a private pier beside the famous square, arriving in minutes to an oasis that houses a Michelin-starred restaurant, lush gardens, spa, and the largest swimming pool in central Venice. It’s the perfect place to sip a Bellini, the drink first poured in Venice by Giuseppe Cipriani in 1948. “Spectacular hotel with excellent rooms,” one T+L reader wrote. “The view is unbelievable. Service was impeccable and food was outstanding. Concierge was exceptional. Just gorgeous grounds and a dream come true.”
Score: 95.11
2. The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice
Courtesy of The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice
Score: 93.23
3. Bauer Palazzo
Simon Watson/Courtesy of Bauer II Palazzo
Score: 91.88
4. Hotel Danieli, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice
Courtesy of Hotel Danieli, a Luxury Collection Hotel
Score: 91.00
5. Aman Venice
Courtesy of Aman
Score: 90.35