Bloom & Settimo Cielo, San Marco
A fridge stocked with prosecco and a roof terrace with dreamy views: this pair of chic B&Bs – the upper floors are Bloom’s, the lower Settimo Cielo’s – has six individually-styled rooms. One is a sea of cream, with billowing organza curtains, painted beams and an ornate wooden headboard. Another (right) is decked out in sumptuous pink and gold with a plush velvet sofa, gilt mirror and flocked wallpaper.
Casa Martini, Cannaregio
From your bedroom balcony at this quirky little B&B – just a stone’s throw from the Rialto Bridge – you can gaze down over the bustling fruit and vegetable market. Choose from 18th-century Venetian or Provençal, 19th-century Tuscan, or contemporary designed rooms – some featuring rich damask fabrics and Murano chandeliers. There is also a couple of flower-covered terraces where you can sip an espresso in the day or a drink in the evening before heading out for dinner.
iQs, Castello
Hidden behind Piazza San Marco, iQs is the younger sibling of design hotel, DD724 and private house DD694. It’s a stylish bolthole reached from the canal via a private pier. The interior features four ground-floor suites that mix cutting-edge Italian design and technology with sculptures, contemporary art and photography. The look is sleek and modern and offers an interesting alternative to more traditional Venetian hotels. The dramatic ambience is rounded off with a gothic courtyard, around which the suites are arranged.
Leonessa, Dorsoduro
This gorgeous apartment in a Renaissance palazzo is all soaring white beams, bleached walls and pale floors, offset by modern artwork, Le Corbusier-style sofas and a large steel dining table. Bedrooms are putty-pale (walls, beams and floors) with vivid blood-red coverlets on the beds.
Locanda Novecento, San Marco
Tucked down an alley, this higgledy-piggledy boutique hotel has bags of charm. The nine rooms have oriental accents and exotic fabrics, there’s a cosy lounge and breakfast is served in a walled garden. The owners also host regular art exhibitions.
Calle dell Erbe 272, Giudecca
Interior designer Ilaria Miani has created a contemporary, sumptuous hideaway on Giudecca Island. Bedrooms come with apple-green walls and red velvet pillows. In the kitchen and living room, the palette is paler: mustard-hued walls, sofas and stainless steel fittings. Outside, the decking offers views across to St Mark’s Basilica.
