Santa Croce, Venice, Italy | +390412440148
On the Grand Canal, across from train station and near vaporettos
Santa Croce setting is a bit more low-key than being near St. Mark's
Gorgeous Venetian rooms with modern amenities like air-conditioning and mirror TVs
Decadent bathrooms with hydro-massage showers or marble bathtubs
The best rooms have views right onto the Grand Canal
Breakfast buffet includes a wide range of selections (fee)
Huge focus on Italian artists and traditional Venetian materials
Elegant bar for drinks and cocktails
Free tours to Murano glass blowing factories
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Takes over 20 minutes to reach St. Mark's on foot
There isn’t a full-service restaurant on-site
With a Rococo-style bar, marble sinks and mosaic tiling in the bathrooms, and original artwork covering most walls, this 15-room, four-pearl boutique hotel embodies the glamour of the iconic Grand Canal on which it sits. The train station is just across the canal, though St. Mark's Square is over a 20-minute walk away. Like sister property, Hotel Antiche Figure, there’s an intimate vibe here. Rooms are a decent size for this part of the city, and they're thoughtfully furnished with 17-century replicas, including TV screens that merge into the vintage mirrors. Bedrooms are kitted out with features like air-conditioning and minibars, and bathrooms feature either hydro-massage showers or bathtubs. Overall, this is a special property, though it lacks a full-service restaurant. For fantastic on-site dining, try Baglioni Hotel Luna instead.
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Scene
Quintessential Venetian style with a focus on art and history
Hotel Canal Grande is a charming boutique property located in Ca’ Polacco, an elegant little palace which has been painstakingly restored. From the outset, this hotel is special. It has a gorgeous terrace with incredible views over the canal, where water taxis can pull up for an impressive entrance. Inside, art takes pride of place, with original paintings hanging in the breakfast area, lounge, and all the bedrooms. There are plush red velvet armchairs and columns in the communal areas, and plenty of Rococo-era furniture found throughout the property. While there is no full-service restaurant, the hotel does have a lounge bar for people who'd like to unwind after a day of sightseeing. Overall, the hotel provides a classy, and totally immersive feeling of stepping back in time to a fabulous palace on the water. Guests tend to be leisure travelers who are looking for some extravagance without the typical fusty style found at other Venice properties. The result is an elegant, but social vibe that mostly draws couples.
Location
In the Santa Croce district, just across the Grand Canal from the train station
The hotel is located in a typical Venetian square that's set apart from the main hustle and bustle of the Grand Canal but still overlooks it. Travelers only venture down here to go to one of the hotels, so the immediate setting is quiet. Even so, it’s only a few minutes from the train station and Piazzale Roma, which has overland connections travelers to the airport and beyond. The property is found in the Santa Croce district, which is a favorite with tourists looking to visit the various churches and major landmarks which are close by. It’s an eight-minute walk to Scuola Grande di San Rocco, which is an important building housing some of Tintoretto’s finest work. Also, within walking distance is Ca’ Pesaro, a modern art museum that's just nine minutes away on foot. The Rialto Market and Rialto Bridge are within a 15-minute walk. However, it takes a bit more effort to get to St. Mark's -- expect over 20 minutes on foot or by boat. It takes about half an hour to get to the Marco Polo Airport via bus from Piazzale Roma.
Rooms
Grand, glamorous rooms, thoughtfully furnished in local, traditional style, with elegant marble bathrooms
Rooms at Hotel Canal Grande are the epitome of Venetian style but err on the side of glamorous rather than gaudy. Don't expect to see the usual clashing royal blues and deep reds often found in old Venice hotels. Instead, this property has opted for softer shades of those colors plus wooden floors, so it looks a lot less dated than competitors. Despite some thoroughly modern touches -- like the TVs that fade into the gilded, vintage-style mirrors -- the rooms are true to their historic roots. Details include Murano glass lamps, beautiful period dressers, and writing desks. The hotel’s obsession with art comes through in beautiful Old-World originals decorating the walls. In fact, rooms are named after the piece of art that hangs inside of them, like Carnevale, Guardi, and Dogaressa. Two of the rooms even have terraces, which are hard to come by in Venice. Suites are larger than the other rooms and include a separate living area with elegant sofas and chairs. Amid all the nods to ancient and antiquated Venice, there are modern amenities that are discretely tucked away so as not to spoil the effect. In-room safes, air-conditioning and heating, and telephones are all standard. There’s free Wi-Fi too. The elegant marble bathrooms include either high-tech showers or shower/tub combos plus heated towel racks and a decent amount of vanity space. Of course, the best rooms -- without a doubt -- look directly onto the Grand Canal (just expect to pay extra).
Features
Plush breakfast room and bar area with a great terrace and free boat trips to Murano island
The hotel’s communal areas are a highlight, though like most central Venice properties, features are few here. The beautiful breakfast room spills out into a cozier, less formal bar and reading corner, with a terrace jutting out into the canal. Purple-red tub armchairs and fresh flowers make it an attractive spot for breakfast. In the evening, it's one of the few hotel bars in Venice where you would genuinely hang out rather than venture to a nearby bacari (wine bar). Breakfast is a continental buffet and includes croissants, cereals, yogurts, and fruit. The spread is extensive and perfect for fueling up before a day of sightseeing. The Canal Grande’s guests are almost exclusively tourists, and free packages to Murano and the other islands to visit the glass factories and watch glass blowing are a nice perk. The 24-hour reception is also adept at suggesting and arranging wine tours and so-called hidden Venice excursions.
