7 Most Romantic Hotels in Venice, Italy, for All Budgets

Lit with a painter’s dreamlike hues – with monumental buildings and colorful faded palaces lining its canals – romantic Venice can’t fail to enchant.

It’s simply one of the most beautiful places to visit in Italy!

A top honeymoon destination, Venice is home to some of Europe’s most romantic hotels.

Yes, you need really deep pockets to stay at some of them.

But, fortunately, Venice also has lovely couple’s digs that don’t break the budget.

7 Incredibly romantic hotels: Venice, Italy

We’ve visited Venice many times.

Here are our picks for the most romantic hotels in Venice (we’ve stayed at all of them).

If planning a visit to Italy, you’ll want to check these out:

1) Palazzo Abadessa

This gem is one of the most romantic hotels in Venice, Italy. And it’s also very easy on the budget too.

Formerly a 16th century palace, it’s been turned into a charming Venice hotel.

The hotel’s atrium has marble floors and stained lead-glass windows that overlook a canal.

Palazzo Abadessa is handily located in the quiet northern Cannaregio district, a 15- to 20-minute stroll from St. Mark’s Square.

Some people think it’s too far from the center of things, but we like walking – and crossing Venice’s beautiful bridges and canals. That’s partly what Venice is about, right?

(And the fact that it’s a bit of a walk to get to no doubt accounts for why Palazzo Abadessa costs less than it would if it was more centrally located.)

Guest rooms:

The palazzo contains 15 rooms and suites, each unique, adorned by Murano chandeliers, antique furniture and silk wall coverings.

Eating and drinking:

You can sip complimentary Prosecco and nibble on snacks, set out on silver trays in the hall, before heading off to dinner.

Breakfast (included) in the tranquility of the walled garden is a special treat.

Fortified by fresh-baked croissants, sliced fruit, ham, cheeses and as many cappuccinos as we could drink, we happily set off each morning to explore Venice’s splendors.

2) Hotel Cipriani

For the ultimate romantic splurge, book the Hotel Cipriani – it’s one of the top honeymoon hotels in Venice, Italy.

At this serene Belmond-branded property – set amid lush gardens on Guidecca Island – the atmosphere is “private country estate.”

Expect unparalleled service, of course – the hotel has one staff member per guest.

A private mahogany motor launch runs continuously 24 hours to St. Mark’s square, which is a five-to seven-minute ride from the hotel.

Rooms and suites:

The hotel itself has 96 rooms and suites.

Lavish details can be found in the wood floors, marble bathrooms, Murano glass chandeliers, gold-framed mirrors and a mix of antique and modern furnishings.

Linked to the hotel through an ancient courtyard and flowered loggia is the Palazzo Vendramin, a 15th century residence which has ten two-bedroom apartments, each featuring a private entrance hall, sitting room, two baths and a kitchen.

There’s also the adjoining Palazzetto Nani Barbaro with five suites. All palazzo suites have personal butler service.

Dining:

Make sure to dine by candlelight at the Michelin-starred Oro restaurant.

We started with a Bellini in the courtyard while perusing the menu, before moving to the outdoor terrace, overlooking the lagoon, to feast on fresh sea bass and thin green pasta noodles with ham au gratin.

It was one of the most magical dining experiences ever!

3) Hotel La Calcina

Yes, there really is such a thing as a lovely, 3-star hotel in Venice – one that makes a great Venice honeymoon hotel if you’re trying to be careful with your spending.

Previously known as Pensione La Calcina, the family-run Hotel La Calcina is found in a historic 4-floor building in the Zattere area, located on the Giudecca Canal.

Where John Ruskin stayed:

Poets, artists and writers liked to sip coffee in the hotel’s café in the 1800s.

How romantic to think that the bard of Venice – the painter, writer and art critic John Ruskin (who wrote “The Stones of Venice”) – made La Calcina his home in 1877!

Rooms:

The 29 rooms have parquet floors and wooden furniture. But all are different. The most romantic rooms are larger and overlook the Giudecca Canal.

Tip: The most romantic room is No. 4. It has a unique terrace looking right out over the canal.

Prosecco before dinner here?

While spickety clean, the bathrooms aren’t exactly honeymoon-worthy, however.

4) Hotel Excelsior Venice Lido

The beach island of Lido is a great option for escaping the crowds that flock to Venice in the summer – and if you want a more beachy holiday feeling.

A complimentary water taxi (15-minute ride) whisks you away from Venice to the 5-star Hotel Excelsior on the Lido.

Rooms and suites:

Built as a long-stay resort hotel at the beginning of the 20th century, the Excelsior’s 193 rooms and suites are lovely and spacious.

Reflecting a whimsical Moorish-style décor, they feature arches and ivory lattice woodwork.

Tip: You don’t really need a to book a pricier sea view room.

Rooms with a courtyard view are just as enticing (though corner rooms looking out to the Venice skyline and lagoon are perhaps the best deal).

The beach:

The Excelsior enjoys an enviable location right on the beach.

And nothing says romance better than reliving the golden age of luxury by lounging about in one of the hotel’s white cabanas!

Make like Bogie and Bacall as you relish comfy sunbeds for two with mattresses, deck chairs with cushions, chilled champagne and free WiFi – though Humphrey and Lauren wouldn’t have had the WiFi!

The pool is also gorgeous for relaxing. (And it overlooks the beach.)

Note: You pay extra for one of those white cabanas lined up in rows on the beach. And the gray sand can be hot.

5) Hotel American Dinesen

Now don’t be misled by the name.

This isn’t an American hotel. It’s very Venetian. (But totally suited for North Americans.)

The 4-star Hotel American Dinesen is tucked away in a quiet location in Dorsoduro, near the Accademia Bridge. It has its own private canal dock, so you can arrive by boat, if you wish.

For a quiet place to read your Venice guide book or relax with a drink from the bar, settle into a comfy corner on the hotel’s outdoor terrace on the first floor.

Rooms:

The 30 elegant rooms and suites are a good size.

And while dressed in Venetian damasks and silk wall coverings, they look contemporary, with polished wood floors and modern rain showers in the bathrooms.

Go for a Superior Canal View room with a Juliet balcony.

You get sweet views of the San Vio Canal. (Hey, honey, check out the gondola floating by!)

Two more romantic hotels in Venice, Italy

More options?

Here are two more great Venice hotels for couples.

The price point of the following hotels is between the “affordable” (#1 and #3 above) and “mid-range” (#5 above) categories, on the one hand, and the “seriously expensive” (#2 and #4 above) categories, on the other hand.

They’re in the “mid-deluxe” range for a lovely honeymoon-worthy Venice hotel.

(We haven’t stayed in them, but based on our research, these beautiful boutique hotels in Venice are ones we’d definitely pick, and we’ve bookmarked them for future stays.)

6) Ca Maria Adele

Named the hotel “Best for Romance” in Europe in the 2019 Conde Nast Johansens’ Awards for Excellence, Ca Maria Adele is an intimate boutique hotel in Venice’s quiet art district (near the Hotel American Dinesen, #5 above).

Rooms are lavishly decorated, with Murano chandeliers and lots of gilt.

7) Hotel Ai Reali di Venezia

A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, this upscale 4-star Venice hotel is housed in a refurbished 17th century palace, a two-minute walk away from the Rialto Bridge.

It offers 32 rooms and suites, a fine dining restaurant with canal views, piano bar and (rare for Venice) a spa with a pool and Turkish bath.

Now you know the best romantic hotels in Venice!

Where would you like to stay when visiting Venice as a couple?

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Photo Credits: 5, 6 © Janice and George Mucalov, SandInMySuitcase | Other hotel photos courtesy the respective hotels

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