The Venice Biennale is the world's most prestigious international art exhibition, presenting pavilions from 90+ nations at the Giardini and Arsenale in Venice every two years since 1895. Artists including Cindy Sherman, Bruce Nauman, and Marlene Dumas have shown career-defining work here, and a Golden Lion at the Biennale is the ultimate accolade in contemporary art. Venice hotels are in exceptional demand during the Biennale opening weeks, particularly for collectors and curators attending vernissage.
Our Picks — Venice
A 15th-century Venetian palace directly on the Grand Canal, restored by The Luxury Collection with magnificent frescoed ceilings, a Club del Doge restaurant terrace literally on the water, and rooms of extraordinary Gothic and Renaissance grandeur. The most storied hotel address in Venice.
San Polo
A 16th-century palazzo on the Grand Canal near the Ca' d'Oro, converted by Aman into 24 suites of understated Japanese-influenced luxury with frescoes by Tiepolo's studio, a garden courtyard, and the most refined service in Venice. For those to whom only absolute perfection will do.
Giudecca
On the island of Giudecca across from Piazza San Marco, the Cipriani has been the retreat of heads of state, celebrities, and connoisseurs since 1958, with Olympic-sized outdoor pool, a private launch service to San Marco, and the most secluded garden in Venice. The definitive place to be undisturbed in the city.
San Marco
A grand Gothic palazzo directly on the Grand Canal with one of the most dramatic lobby-to-canal views in the city, rooftop bar with panoramic San Marco Basin views, and rooms blending heavy Venetian damask with modern comfort.
Cannaregio
A magnificently frescoed 15th-century palace in the Cannaregio sestiere — away from the San Marco tourist intensity — with extraordinary Giambattista Tiepolo frescoes, a canal-side terrace, and the kind of authentic palazzo atmosphere that most Venice hotels merely aspire to.
San Marco
Venice's most famous hotel since its 1822 opening in the 14th-century Dandolo palace adjacent to the Doge's Palace — a Gothic fantasia of gilded staircases, ornate salons, and Grand Canal views from the rooftop restaurant. An essential Venice experience even if you only come for a cocktail.
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