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The great artist Canaletto (see Canaletto (Antonio Canal)) lived in this quiet square, only minutes from both the Piazza San Marco and Rialto. Elegant period decor, all mod cons, and several rooms with canal views.

Restaurant guests are ferried over to this hotel-restaurant by the Cipriani’s private launch from Piazza San Marco for a memorable gastronomic experience. The fixed-price buffet lunch will set you back a hefty sum, but the setting is wonderful. One speciality is tagliolini gratinati al prosciutto (ribbon pasta with ham, browned in the oven).

An enchanting 15th-century palace with a pink Gothic façade set on the magnificent water-front near Piazza San Marco. After a string of aristocratic proprietors, it was taken over in 1822 by Joseph da Niel, who turned it into a hotel with an illustrious guest list, including Dickens, Wagner and Ruskin. In the 1940s an annexe was added amid great controversy – since 1102 no dwelling over one floor had been allowed on the site. The redeeming feature of the new wing is the roof restaurant (see Hotel Danieli).

While the service leaves much to be desired, the hotel’s history (see Hotel Danieli) attracts many guests. The best rooms are in the old wing, overlooking the Riva degli Schiavoni.

This luxurious and discreet Lido hotel has its own swimming pool, tennis courts and private beach area. It also served as the backdrop for Visconti’s film Death in Venice (see Death in Venice (1971)).

This cheery place is named after the beheaded traitor Doge Falier, “as a warning to guests who fail to pay!” Sunlight streams into the comfortable if small rooms, all with shower, and there’s a courtyard dripping with wisteria.

Though small, the pretty courtyard with creeping greenery is an oasis of calm after the city crowds. Good views from the upper rooms.

Family-managed 2-star establishment in a quiet spot just around the corner from San Zaccaria. Very much a middle-of-the-road place with kitschy decor but satellite TV.