The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice

"In a city with such a concentration of luxe hotels, none do it quite like this Grand Canal classic. Though the 15th-century palazzo—now a member of the Luxury Collection—has been open to guests since 1895, a 15-month, $200 million revamp in 2013 ensured that it’s no creaky museum piece. (Most modern extras are cleverly concealed.) But it’s the sheer grace of the place that makes it so appealing. Of course, it’s all inimitably exquisite, with rich Rubelli fabrics and priceless art; but this silky cocoon also manages to be utterly affable. Nothing is too much trouble, from the staff who serve cocktails from the martini trolley to chef Daniele Turco, who creates wonders with castraure—those special Venetian baby artichokes. A restorative facial in the spa? A spin in the Riva Aquariva boat? Full immersion in local food at the culinary school? Only if you can take your eyes off that watery spectacle outside: This is still one of the most beautiful hotels in one of the most beautiful, and most fragile, spots in the world." - Sarah James, Anne Hanley

"Several Ciga hotels remain in the group, including the Gritti Palace in Venice." - Jennifer Flowers

"This legendary hotel set on the Grand Canal has hosted a who’s who of international jet-setters, from Ernest Hemingway and Peggy Guggenheim to Scarlet Johanssen and Bill Murray. And it’s no wonder. The Gritti Palace is practically synonymous with Venice." - Erica Firpo, Laura Itzkowitz

"The ultimate grande dame in Venice is every inch a museum of the city’s decorative history, with its silk and damask wall coverings, acres of painted stucco and precious marble, and gilded ceiling beams from which Murano chandeliers hang like elegant jellyfish."

"If you were to enter The Gritti Palace without realizing it offered board and lodging, you might find yourself looking for the ticket counter. The ultimate grande dame in Venice is every inch a museum of the city’s decorative history, with its silk and damask wall coverings, acres of painted stucco and precious marble, and gilded ceiling beams from which Murano chandeliers hang like elegant jellyfish. It was only in 2013, when it reopened following a $38 million revamp, that The Gritti was able to square the wow of the guest experience with the wow of its antique splendor. (In the 1940s, when Ernest Hemingway penned his Gritti-set novel Across the River and Into the Trees, it didn’t even have en-suite bathrooms). You don’t need to book the airily magnificent Somerset Maugham Royal Suite to feel that you have joined the club; a not-so-modest, entry-level Deluxe Room will do just fine. It too is swathed in stylish Rubelli fabrics; it too feels like Casanova might be hiding in the wardrobe. The Gritti Terrace, with its views across gondola-infested waters to the great Salute church, is one of Venice’s finest breakfast spots, and the late-2023 arrival of executive chef Alberto Fol from Hotel Danieli is a local win. At the deliciously private Bar Longhi, happiness is pulling up a stool at the inlaid marble counter, asking head barman Cristiano Luciani to fix one of his moreish wild fennel martinis, and channeling your inner Peggy Guggenheim. From $850. —Lee Marshall" - CNT Editors