Sina Palazzo Sant’Angelo

To arrive by private water taxi at Sina Palazzo Sant’Angelo is to understand something essential about what Venice offers that nowhere else can: you step off a boat and directly into the aristocratic hush of an historic palazzo on the Grand Canal. Located between the Rialto Bridge and the Accademia, this multi-awarded boutique hotel preserves the atmosphere of a private noble residence — Palladian floors, silk wall coverings, antique wood paneling, Murano glass, and a fireplace beside which one can watch gondolas glide past with an aperitivo in hand. The 26 rooms and suites are individually dressed in classic Venetian style, many with Grand Canal views. A secret garden offers a verdant, serene counterpoint to the city’s intensity. La Fenice, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, and Palazzo Grassi are all a short walk — but with this level of retreat to return to, you may find yourself lingering longer than planned.