Venice Cruise Terminal Hotels

One of Venice's liveliest spots is the long waterfront promenade that runs east from the Piazzette and the Doge's Palace. A series of broad sidewalks--each called a "Riva," or embankment--are joined by footbridges and lined with three-, four-, and five-star hotels.

From the windows of hotels along the waterfront, guests can enjoy views of vaporetti, workboats, car ferries, and cruise ships, plus the island of San Giorgio Maggiore with its church and bell tower. The Piazza San Marco, the Doge's Palace, and St. Mark's Basilica are only a few minutes away on foot.

Although the Marittima cruise basin is a good distance away from this neighborhood, connections are excellent: Alilaguna Blue Line airport boats  stop at the San Zaccaria and Arsenale waterbus landings on their route between Venice Marco Polo Airport and the Marittima cruise piers.

On this page, we've grouped hotels by location:

Hotels near the San Zaccaria waterbus stop:

We'll list the Riva degli Schiavoni's hotels from west to east, starting with the first hotel that you'll reach when walking along the waterfront from the Piazza San Marco:

• Danieli (5 stars) is one of the most celebrated--and expensive--hotels in Venice, but it has a loyal following among guests who can afford its luxury. (The Danieli is especially popular with wealthy Americans; we once saw a dapper guest in a Western suit, Stetson hat, and cowboy boots emerge from the Danieli with his young son.) Check guaranteed lowest rates, reviews, and availability:

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• Savoia & Jolanda (4 stars). If you're going to stay here, splurge on a waterfront view: You'll have an unforgettable experience and maximum value for your money. In good weather, the buffet breakfast is served on the hotel terrace. (The hotel is directly behind the Alilaguna airport-boat stop at San Zaccaria, overlooking the riva and St. Mark's Basin.) Check guaranteed lowest rates, reviews, and availability:

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• Locanda Vivaldi (4 stars) offers singles, doubles, and suites in a building that faces the water. It has extremely high guest ratings from Booking.com, our booking partner. Check guaranteed lowest rates, reviews, and availability:

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• Metropole (5 stars) is a luxury hotel with spectacular views and an impressive collection of objets d'art in its public rooms. Less expensive rooms face a side canal or the hotel's private garden. Check guaranteed lowest rates, reviews, and availability:

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• Londra Palace (4 stars). Deluxe doubles and junior suites at this 53-room hotel offer views of the lagoon and San Giorgio Maggiore. The Londra Palace is affiliated with Small Luxury Hotels of the World and has been featured on the Condé Nast Traveler Gold List. Check guaranteed lowest rates, reviews, and availability :

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• Paganelli (3 stars) has been owned by the Paganelli family since 1874, and it's spread across two buildings. Rooms in the annex face the Campo San Zaccaria ; most of the older rooms in the main building have lagoon views. Check guaranteed lowest rates, reviews, and availability:

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If you're willing to venture a short distance inland from the waterfront, consider:

• Campiello (3 stars). This hotel has one- to four-person rooms and suites, some with panoramic views or terraces. It's easy to find: Just walk along the Riva and turn left at the Hotel Savoia & Jolanda. The Campiello is behind the Savoia, on the right side of the street. Check guaranteed lowest rates, reviews, and availability:

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Hotels near the Arsenale waterbus stop:

Arsenale is slightly east of San Zaccaria, toward the Museum of Naval History and the Biennale art exposition's park. It's a bit quieter than the San Zaccaria waterfront, even though it's only a short walk from Venice's main sites. Hotels in the vicinity include:

• Gabrielli Sandwirth (4 stars) is a 14th Century Venetian Gothic palace that looks like something out of a movie. And, in fact, it co-starred in Blame it on the Bellboy, a 1992 film with Richard Griffiths and Dudley Moore. The 105-room hotel has an old-fashioned Venetian decor, a walled garden, and a roof terrace with bar. In warm weather,  breakfast and dinner are served in the hotel courtyard. Check guaranteed lowest rates, reviews, and availability:

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• Bucintoro (4 stars) is in a wonderful location next to the Museo Storico Navale and the San Biagio church, facing the water. Often, you'll see yachts and river cruisers moored along the Riva.  The hotel has 21 rooms, all with free Wi-Fi. Check guaranteed lowest rates, reviews, and availability:

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• A Tribute to Music is a "residenza," or upscale B&B, with 13 single, double, and quad rooms. Rates are quite reasonable for a hotel in this pricey neighborhood. Check guaranteed lowest rates, reviews, and availability:

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• Hotel Ca' Formenta has  14 rooms (all with free Wi-Fi). It's near the water at the foot of Via Garibaldi, a busy shopping and dining street in the Castello neighborhood. Some rooms have lagoon views. Check guaranteed lowest rates, reviews, and availability:

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