San Clemente Palace Kempinski

San Clemente Palace Kempinski is located on San Clemente Island in Venice's southern lagoon, a 10-minute boat ride from central Venice. First settled in 1131, the island has a varied history. It served as a hospice for pilgrims to the Holy Land, was the 15th- and 16th-century entry point to Venice for distinguished visitors, and hosted a monastery. The island still contains a 12th-century church with a Renaissance facade. The 17-acre grounds feature interconnected gardens and courtyards with lime and cypress trees. A collection of avant garde sculptures dot the property. Several vantage points -- particularly the churchyard -- offer superb views of the lagoon, sunset, and Venice. The buildings on the island were converted into a hotel in 2003, and the present hotel was re-branded as a Kempinski and opened in 2016. The buildings have retained their high ceilings and big hallways, and the Venetian-style interiors have an elegant but restrained feel, with antique furnishings, a mix of classical and modern art, and tapestries. The hotel draws well-heeled couples to its luxury rooms, fine dining, and secluded setting away from the Venice hubbub. Families with children benefit from the seasonal outdoor pool and kids' club.   

San Clemente Palace Kempinski is a 10-minute trip from the San Marco Pier in Venice via hotel courtesy boat. The first boat doesn't depart until later in the morning, so guests miss seeing St. Mark's Square and the canals at first light. The boats run about every 30 to 40 minutes until late. Sights like St. Mark's Square, St. Mark's Basilica, the Doge's Palace, and Campanile are all adjacent to the San Marco Pier, and the Bridge of Sighs is a three-minute walk. The Rialto Bridge -- another famous sight -- is a 10-minute walk. Modern art aficionados are drawn to the Peggy Guggenheim Museum, which takes 15 minutes to reach from the pier by a combination of walking and vaporetto. The Piazzale Roma Square bus station, Venice Santa Lucia train station, and Marittima cruise terminal are all within a 25- to 30-minute vaporetto ride of San Marco pier. There are a few different ways to get to the hotel from Venice Marco Polo Airport. One is a private water taxi, which is quite expensive. A less expensive way is to take a taxi to Piazzale Roma, and then a private water taxi to the hotel. There's also the option of the Alilaguna airport boat (Blue Line) to San Marco Pier, and then the courtesy boat to the hotel.   

Rooms at the San Clemente Palace have a classic look, with antique furnishings, framed art, and two-poster beds combining to create an elegant and discreet aesthetic. Many rooms feature details like silk wall coverings, gilt-framed mirrors, terrazzo flooring, timber ceilings, and Murano glass chandeliers. The color palette is a subdued, with dashes of mauve or mint green in some rooms. Compared to most Venice hotels, rooms are large, starting at 355 square feet (33 square meters) and getting larger in higher categories. Some rooms have views of the lagoon. The plush beds feature Simmons mattresses dressed in cotton linens, and come with turndown service. All rooms include twice-daily housekeeping, minibars, iPod docks, free Wi-Fi (fee for heavy data usage), and 42-inch flat-screen TVs with a good range of international and English-speaking channels. Suites have coffee/tea makers, and some even have extras like walk-in closets, living rooms, and private boat docks. Roomy bathrooms are clad in Italian marble and come with luxury bath products, bathrobes and slippers, make-up mirrors, bidets, and bathtubs and showers (some have separate tubs and showers). Smoking is forbidden in all rooms.

The San Clemente Palace has a number of features that are almost unheard of in Venice (excluding the large Lido hotels, of course). Not only does the hotel have a pool, but it's exceptionally large for the region. The deck gets good sun and offers views of the lagoon, sunset, and Venice cityscape. There is no separate kids' pool, so the atmosphere at the pool can get a little loud at times. A three-hole golf green and outdoor tennis court are available, with free tennis equipment and golf equipment available for a fee. Both overlook the lagoon. A jogging path winds its way through the hotel's grounds. The 24-hour fitness center has a good range of cardio and weight equipment. Each cardio machine has an individual TV, iPod dock, and heart-rate monitor. Spa treatments are available for a fee. 

The excellent free breakfast buffet features Mediterranean items plus a wide selection of hot and cold options. The dining room can get a bit hectic at peak hours, and there are occasional lines to get to reach the buffet. In the summer, breakfast is served outdoors in the scenic churchyard. The hotel's fine-dining restaurant is situated next to one of the hotel's private piers, and offers good views of the lagoon and Venice. It serves excellent Italian and Mediterranean fare, with fresh seasonal produce from the hotel's own garden. The secondary restaurant is near the pool, and specializes in Venetian fare, grilled items, and pizzas from the wood-fired oven. There's also a sophisticated indoor bar. Room service, private romantic dining, and a seasonal outdoor bar are all available as well. The San Clemente Palace also has a kids' club (ages 3 to 11) and child care, though both incur a fee. A dedicated concierge, cooking classes (for a fee), meeting rooms, wedding hosting in the 12th-century church, and a private dock (for a fee) for boats round out the features.