Amongst the luxury hotels in Venice, the Gritti Palace has always been the preferred choice of the cognoscenti. Despite providing every conceivable comfort and being a member of Starwoods "Luxury Collection", the Gritti retains a unique atmosphere that you usually associate with a small well loved family run pensione.
All the bedrooms at the Gritti, the 15th century palazzo of Doge Andrea Gritti which opened as a hotel in 1948, are stunning. Strangely only the master suites and deluxe doubles have views of the Grand Canal, the remaining rooms including all the Junior suites have views of the small quiet square or a tiny side canal and rather a depressing wall. Of the eight exquisite Canal View suites, our favourite was the Hemingway in restful shades of pale green. Rooms are all individually decorated in traditional Venetian style; Murano chandeliers, swaged curtains and antique furniture Bathrooms are generally a good size but some could do with a little updating.
Service is immaculate, the atmosphere patrician yet friendly, and the prices, whilst lofty, far more reasonable than the Cipriani's. The bar in the winter is magical, walls covered in smoky antique Venetian mirror glass and a barman who could have served Hemingway. In the summer months, breakfast and evening aperitivi are taken on the terrace restaurant which has recently been restored to rave reviews. And as Somerset Maughan pointed out, there are few greater pleasures in life than taking a drink on the terrace at sunset, watching the Salute opposite bathed in lovely colour. Before bed, he advises, glance at the portrait of old Andrea Gritti, who after a tumultuous life lived his last years here in peace.
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