
Best Wellness Hotels in Venice
The Floating City’ contains 177 canals and 417 bridges which, combined with a feast of Renaissance, Baroque and Gothic architecture, make it one of the most picturesque places on the planet. Once an independent empire, it’s since become an iconic tourist destination, not least for couples seeking the ultimate romantic getaway. And with no cars in sight, but plenty of gondolas, some time in a city that dates back over 12 centuries will provide an immersively old-world experience. Here’s a selection of the grandest hotels to call home, while you’re visiting Venice.
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Veneto, Venice
JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa
(5 stars)Nestled near cultural landmarks such as the Guggenheim Collection and Accademia Gallery, Il Palazzo Experimental serves as a hub for both tourists and locals. Its 32 well-appointed rooms and suites are bathed in natural light and offer views of a serene canal and garden. The collaboration between the Experimental Group and the founders of the Italian Supper Club has led to the establishment of Adriatica Restaurant, promising an authentic Italian culinary journey with locally sourced ingredients. The bar, designed by Cristina Celestino, pays homage to Venice through a symphony of marble and antique mirrors, drawing inspiration from Carlo Scarpa.
Veneto, Venice, San Marco
Nolinski Venezia
(5 stars)Nolinski Venezia, EVOK’s first destination outside of France, is a historic 43-bedroom hotel located in the former old Stock Exchange building in Venice. The hotel’s design, crafted by the French-Italian duo Lecoadic-Scotto, blends Art Nouveau, Stile Liberty, and Modernism in perfect harmony. Situated close to the iconic Piazza San Marco and La Fenice opera house, the hotel captures the refined art de vivre and carnivalesque fantasy of Venice. Nolinski Venezia offers a peaceful oasis discreetly away from the popular shopping district, featuring its own courtyard restaurant and an indoor rooftop swimming pool with stunning 360-degree views of the city skyline. The gastronomy at Nolinski Venezia is overseen by Two-Michelin-starred Chef Philip Chronopoulos, who introduces two restaurants. The courtyard-based Il Caffè Restaurant, inspired by Venetian palaces and the art of the gondola, serves traditional Italian dishes with a contemporary twist, using 100% Italian ingredients. The Library Bar, adorned with art by Simon Buret and a curated library of over four thousand books, offers guests a chance to enjoy live piano music while savouring exquisite cocktails created by Jérémy Bacquet, the Creative Director of the Evok Group’s Bars.
Veneto, Venice, Venice-Lido
Ausonia Hungaria Wellness & Lifestyle
(5 stars)This Grande Dame hotel opened in 1907, under the original name of the Hungaria Palace Hotel. Nicolo Piamonte was the architect of the building’s neo-Rennaisance exterior, whose interiors followed an Art Noveau and Liberty style. Now the five-star venue close to Lungomare d’Annunzio Beach includes a full-service spa with 12 treatments rooms, an outdoor pool, a restaurant, a winter garden and two bars (one of which is on the rooftop). A lavish refurbishment has retained original details and stunning frescoes but added many modern amenities like espresso makers and air-con. There are 60 bedrooms in total, including suites, all filled with lashings of character.
Veneto, Venice, Venice-Lido
Hotel Excelsior Venice Lido Resort
(5 stars)Right on the Lido, this luxurious resort has a subtly Moorish interior design. Reminiscent of a former era, the turn of the 20th-century building’s furnishings encapsulate a sense of North African mid-century style. The Excelsior boasts bedrooms with terraces overlooking the sea, tent-like private cabanas on the beach, a swimming pool, complimentary water shuttles, in-room Salvatore Ferragamo bath products, and a renowned intimate candlelit restaurant and some incredible seafood. It may be a glamorous venue – an optimum place to star spot during the film festival – but the resort is very welcoming of families, offering a kids’ club among its amenities.
Veneto, Venice
Aman Venice
(5 stars)Arrive via Aman Venice’s private jetty into the gardens that lead down to the water. Built in the 16th century, this was once the Palazzo Papadopoli, a grand Baroque masterpiece which retains its original frescoes to this day. The decor is Neo-Renaissance and very opulent, its 24 bedrooms balancing this period grandeur with the modern niceties like Bang & Olufsen flatscreen TVs and Nespresso coffee makers (as this was the first building in the city to get electricity, it’s fitting that it should include some cutting-edge gadgets). Aman Venice has a small spa, Arva restaurant, a bar and a library stacked with books, board games and puzzles.
Veneto, Venice, Giudecca
Hilton Molino Stucky Venice
(5 stars)So many of the city’s buildings have a story to tell. And while many of them were once grand palaces, this one used to be a flour mill. But the Neo-Gothic landmark creation was later reimagined for far more sophisticated purposes – now it’s the largest hotel in the area, retaining some of the original industrial features. Found on the island of Giudecca, it’s a way from the heart of the action, providing a tranquil space to house 379 bedrooms. Its rooftop pool, adjacent to the expansive spa is a highlight, offering panoramic views. There’s also a 24-hour fitness centre, three eateries, a bar and plenty to keep children occupied.
Veneto, Venice, San Marco
The Gritti Palace, A Luxury Collection Hotel
(5 stars)The Gritti Palace dates back to 1475, although didn’t become a hotel until just before the turn of the 20th century. Opening right up onto the Grand Canal, with its own private jetty, the Luxury Collection property has 82 bedrooms. Inside, guests can enjoy the Sisley Paris spa, hammam and hairdressing services, or take cookery classes at the Gritti Epicurean School. Its Club del Doge restaurant serves an award-winning Venetian heritage-themed menu. These dishes are (in part) crafted using vegetables from the hotel’s private garden, which is hidden on an island in the lagoon. The resulting gourmet meals can be taken in the sumptuous dining room, or on the candlelit waterside terrace. And the Gritti Palace’s Riva Lounge – styled to reflect the mid-century design of the Monaco Yacht Club – is one of the most glamorous spots in town for late-night cocktails.
Veneto, Venice, Giudecca
Hotel Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel, Venice
(5 stars)Found on Giudecca island, the Cipriani is but a few minutes away from the tourist centre, accessed via the Belmond’s own luxe launch moored at the edge of its gorgeous gardens. Once on its grounds, you’ll find tennis courts, a 15th-century wing housing period bedrooms with butler service, a private marina and an expansive pool terrace that meets the Grand Canal. Offering lovely lagoon views as you sunbathe and swim, this area has an Olympic size pool, filled with seawater. Another highlight is its Michelin-starred formal restaurant, Oro. Those seeking a more laid-back ambience can dine lagoon or pool-side at two further eateries.
Veneto, Venice, San Marco
The St. Regis Venice
(5 stars)Guest staying in the 130 guestrooms and 39 suites of the St Regis all benefit from the brand’s attentive take on butler service, while some also enjoy private terraces with plush furnishings and panoramic views. The building, just a few minute’s stroll from the Piazza San Marco, is over 150 years old and avant-garde both inside and out. Its Italianate garden provides a backdrop in which you can eat, drink, or just relax, away from the tourist throng and features geometric patterning, curlicue topiary, rose planting and pathways. Or you can dine on modern Venetian cuisine in Gio’s Restaurant and sip cocktails in the Arts Bar.
