Hotels near the Piazza San Marco
Page 2
Continued from page 1
ABOVE: Some rooms at the three-star
Hotel San
Moisé overlook a canal that's frequented by
gondoliers and musicians of the
Gondola Serenade Tour.
West - Hotels toward the Accademia Bridge
Expensive
hotels
 One of the most conveniently located hotels in this neighborhood
is the
Luna Hotel
Baglioni (5 stars), which is just off the western end of St. Mark's Square.
The Luna is Venice's oldest inn, with a history that goes back to the time of
the Crusades. Read our review of this
intimate luxury hotel that attracts many repeat visitors from Europe and North
America.
Europa &
Regina (5 stars) is close by; this member of the Westin group occupies
five connected palazzi next to the Grand Canal. The impressionist painter
Claude Monet spent an autumn painting canalside views at the Europa & Regina
(then the Hotel Britannia) in 1908.
 Bauer
Il Palazzo (5 stars) is a boutique hotel in an historic palazzo on the Grand Canal. Just behind is
a slightly less expensive sister property, the
Hotel Bauer
(5 stars), which occupies a modern wing next to a canal that's popular with
gondoliers. Amenities include an open-air rooftop hot tub where you can soak
away aches from sightseeing.
 Gritti Palace
(5 stars) has been one of Venice's most prestigious hotels since the end of the
19th Century, but the building
dates back to 1526, when it was the residence of a Doge.
Monaco &
Grand Canal (4 stars) is just a short walk from the Alilaguna airport boat's
pier. The hotel occupies a magnificent site where the Grand Canal feeds into St.
Mark's Basin.
Moderate and budget hotels
Moving
down the price scale, the
Anastasia, the
Torino,
and the
Firenze (all 3-star hotels) are in very convenient locations; the Firenze is
only 30 meters from the Piazza San Marco. The reasonably priced
Mercurio
(2 stars) is just west of the square.
Two personal favorites are within
five minutes of the Piazza San Marco:
 The
San
Moisé (photo at left) is a block north of the Calle Larga XXII Marzo on a quiet
street near the Kette
(4 stars).
We've stayed in both
hotels and can recommend either, although the San Moisé may be a better choice during the warm months because it has a courtyard
with tables for guests. (See our Hotel San Moisé review.)
 Other
moderately-priced hotels west of the
Piazza San Marco include the
Violino d'Oro, the
Lisbona,
the
Bel Sito &
Berlino, the
Flora
(which is featured in many guidebooks), and
La Fenice et de
Artistes. The slightly pricier
Saturnia
& International (4 stars, photo at right), the very popular
Ala
(3 stars), and the
highly-rated
Locanda
Fiorita (1 star) are also reasonably convenient.
Peace and quiet on a private
island
Finally,
here's an upscale hotel that's worth considering if you want the convenience of easy
access to the Piazza San Marco without the tourist crowds, or if you're
interested in a Venice wedding:
 The
San
Clemente Palace (5 stars) is a beautifully decorated 205-room resort hotel on a private 17-acre island in
the Venetian Lagoon. Rooms are large, and rates are reasonable (especially by
Venice standards) for a hotel in this category. The San Clemente Palace has a
pool, tennis courts, a 3-hole golf course, and a 12th Century chapel for
weddings, church blessings, and other religious services. A free private shuttle boat runs between the hotel and a pier
near the San Marco Giardinetti airport-boat stop, with the trip taking about 20
minutes. (Read our San Clemente Palace review.)
Next page:
North - toward the Rialto Bridge
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Durant
& Cheryl Imboden's