Italy

Venice Hotels Beyond St Mark’s: Canal-Side Palaces, Castello and Island Escapes

Discover San Clemente Palace Kempinski a 5-star hotel in Italy
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Venice is at its most magical away from the crowds around St Mark’s Square: canal-side palaces in quieter sestieri, the leafy Castello district, and hotels on the islands of the lagoon, linked to the centre by water bus or private boat.

These ten hotels are the ones our guests rate most highly.

You’ll find on this page

At a glance: compare the hotels

Hotel Where Stars Board TripAdvisor Adults only
Hyatt Centric Murano Venice Venice City, Venice 4★ Bed and Breakfast 4.6/5 No
Maison Venezia UNA Esperienze Venice City, Venice 4★ Bed and Breakfast 4.6/5 No
NH Collection Venezia Murano Villa Venice City, Venice 4★ Bed and Breakfast 4.6/5 No
Avani Rio Novo Venice Venice City, Venice 4★ Bed and Breakfast 4.6/5 No
Hotel Santa Chiara Venice City, Venice 4★ Bed and Breakfast 4.6/5 No
SINA Centurion Palace Venice City, Venice 5★ Bed and Breakfast 4.5/5 No
San Clemente Palace Kempinski Venice City, Venice 5★ Bed and Breakfast 4.5/5 No
Hotel Indigo Venice Sant Elena Venice City, Venice 4★ Bed and Breakfast 4.5/5 No
Locanda Vivaldi Venice City, Venice 4★ Bed and Breakfast 4.5/5 No
Hotel Metropole Venice City, Venice 5★ Bed and Breakfast 4.4/5 No

Star ratings are official; TripAdvisor scores were correct when we last checked and can change. Board options vary by room and date.

Quick verdicts

Our top picks

1. Hyatt Centric Murano Venice

Hyatt Centric Murano Venice, Venice City
  • Venice City, Venice
  • 4-star
  • Bed and Breakfast
  • TripAdvisor 4.6/5

Hyatt Centric Murano Venice is on the glassmaking island of Murano, with a relaxing courtyard and local flavour, close to the Glass Museum.

Best for: Murano

See Hyatt Centric Murano Venice →

2. Maison Venezia UNA Esperienze

Maison Venezia UNA Esperienze, Venice City
  • Venice City, Venice
  • 4-star
  • Bed and Breakfast
  • TripAdvisor 4.6/5

Maison Venezia is a stylish boutique hotel in a renovated historic building in a canal-side location, about 650 metres from the Rialto Bridge.

Best for: Boutique

See Maison Venezia UNA Esperienze →

3. NH Collection Venezia Murano Villa

NH Collection Venezia Murano Villa, Venice City
  • Venice City, Venice
  • 4-star
  • Bed and Breakfast
  • TripAdvisor 4.6/5

NH Collection Venezia Murano Villa on Murano has a lovely spa centre and an upcycled industrial-chic style.

Best for: Spa

See NH Collection Venezia Murano Villa →

4. Avani Rio Novo Venice

Avani Rio Novo Venice, Venice City
  • Venice City, Venice
  • 4-star
  • Bed and Breakfast
  • TripAdvisor 4.6/5

Avani Rio Novo Venice has a modern design, close to the Grand Canal and to restaurants and shops.

Best for: Modern design

See Avani Rio Novo Venice →

5. Hotel Santa Chiara

Hotel Santa Chiara, Venice City
  • Venice City, Venice
  • 4-star
  • Bed and Breakfast
  • TripAdvisor 4.6/5

Hotel Santa Chiara is on the Grand Canal, with elegant Venetian décor, a restaurant overlooking the canal and excellent public transport links.

Best for: Easy arrival

See Hotel Santa Chiara →

6. SINA Centurion Palace

SINA Centurion Palace, Venice City
  • Venice City, Venice
  • 5-star
  • Bed and Breakfast
  • TripAdvisor 4.5/5

Five-star SINA Centurion Palace is a charming historic building on the Grand Canal, about 700 metres from St Mark’s Square.

Best for: Grand Canal

See SINA Centurion Palace →

7. San Clemente Palace Kempinski

San Clemente Palace Kempinski, Venice City
  • Venice City, Venice
  • 5-star
  • Bed and Breakfast
  • TripAdvisor 4.5/5

Five-star San Clemente Palace Kempinski is on its own private island, with first-class facilities and a complimentary boat service to St Mark’s Square.

Best for: Private island

See San Clemente Palace Kempinski →

8. Hotel Indigo Venice Sant Elena

Hotel Indigo Venice Sant Elena, Venice City
  • Venice City, Venice
  • 4-star
  • Bed and Breakfast
  • TripAdvisor 4.5/5

Hotel Indigo Venice Sant’Elena is a boutique-style hotel with a relaxing garden in a peaceful location close to the Biennale gardens.

Best for: Peace and quiet

See Hotel Indigo Venice Sant Elena →

9. Locanda Vivaldi

Locanda Vivaldi, Venice City
  • Venice City, Venice
  • 4-star
  • Bed and Breakfast
  • TripAdvisor 4.5/5

Locanda Vivaldi is a historic building in the Castello district, about 300 metres from the Doge’s Palace.

Best for: Castello

See Locanda Vivaldi →

10. Hotel Metropole

Hotel Metropole, Venice City
  • Venice City, Venice
  • 5-star
  • Bed and Breakfast
  • TripAdvisor 4.4/5

Five-star Hotel Metropole is an iconic Venetian hotel with a stunning waterfront location, about 400 metres from the Bridge of Sighs.

Best for: Iconic luxury

See Hotel Metropole →

Canals, Castello or the islands?

Canal-side (Santa Croce, San Polo, Dorsoduro): quieter streets and easy vaporetto access. Castello: local life, gardens and the Biennale, a short walk from St Mark’s. Murano: the glassmaking island, peaceful at night and about 10 to 20 minutes by vaporetto. Private islands: complete calm, with a hotel boat into the city. Water buses and water taxis link everything; pack light, as there are many bridges.

How we chose these hotels

We looked at every Venice hotel we sell outside the busiest streets around St Mark’s and chose those our guests rate most highly. We excluded hotels already featured in our other guides, so you get fresh choices. Every hotel here is well rated by our guests on TripAdvisor, and every one can be booked with us as an ATOL-protected package with flights and transfers. Prices change daily, so use the search box at the end of this page for live availability, or ask a Travel Designer for a tailored shortlist.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the quietest place to stay in Venice?

Castello, Sant’Elena, Murano or one of the private-island hotels.

Is it worth staying on Murano?

Yes, if you want peace at night; the centre is a short vaporetto ride away.

Which hotels are on the Grand Canal?

SINA Centurion Palace and Hotel Santa Chiara.

How do I get from the airport?

By water bus, water taxi or bus to Piazzale Roma.

Find your Venice holiday

Search live prices with flights and transfers, all ATOL protected, or ask a Travel Designer to compare these hotels.

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Keep planning

Updated October 2026. Hotels can be booked as ATOL-protected packages with flights and transfers through Travelisto.