Where to stay in Venice

published 25 May 2012

Ca Maria Adele

What's so special

This is a sumptuously stylish Venetian hotel with its own water entrance. Exotically themed rooms make it stand out from the crowd of luxury hotels in the city.

How they rate it

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This "is the perfect high-class boutique hideaway", says Anne Hanley in The Daily Telegraph. "Honeymooners love the themed rooms in this boutique hotel, as do style-conscious travellers interested in an alternative use of the Venetian brocade-and-glass idiom." There's "a welcoming hush to this little place, where you'll be made to feel immediately at home". The bedrooms are all "delightfully decorated with subtle tones, beautiful dark-wood furniture and marble bathrooms".

The menu

There is no restaurant in the hotel, but guests can order breakfast each night, and select "where they want to have it: in their rooms, on the terrace or in one of the cosy reception rooms".

The cost

Double rooms start from €310 per night. For more information, visit www.camariaadele.it, or call 00 39 04 152 030 78.

Venissa

What's so special

It's easy to forget that Venice is just one of dozens of neighbouring islands. Tourists tend to crowd into the city and jostle with the locals and each other for space. That leaves hidden gems, such as Venissa on nearby Mazzorbo island, for the few who are in the know'.

How they rate it

Indeed, this "chic hideaway is barely known even to Venetians", says John Brunton in The Guardian. Owned by famed winemaker Gianluca Bisol, the hotel is a collection of transformed farm buildings and fishermen's houses set amongst a new vineyard.

The hotel looks out over "lines of vineyards which have been planted as far as an ancient bell tower". The hotel is beautiful, but it's the peace and quiet that makes Mazzorbo worth the visit "Venice and its crowds seem a million miles away".

The menu

The chef here "is definitely looking to make her mark on the Venetian fine dining scene", so meals aren't cheap. But even at €70, a gourmet meal "is well worth the expense".

The cost

Double rooms cost from €150 per night, including breakfast. Find out more at www.venissa.it. Alternatively, call 00 39 041 527 2281.

Three exotic Moroccan retreats

Palais Namaskar, Marrakech

"The newest pretender to the title of Marrakech's most luxurious hotel", Palais Namaskar, opened last month, says Aoife O'Riordain in The Independent. "Expect tranquil water-features, imposing Moorish arches, views of the Atlas mountains and Balinese gardens." The interior has an "airy, opulent feel", with accommodation ranging from "spacious suites to villas with private pools and four-bedroom palaces". To top it all, "there's even a liveried private jet". Rooms from €390 (Palaisnamaskar.com).

Madada Mogador, Essaouira

This hotel is "tucked just behind the historic, wave-bashed ramparts that encircle Essaouira". There are panoramic views of the Unesco-listed medina and the long, sandy beach from the roof terrace. Inside there are seven bedrooms "done in a spare, contemporary style". There is also a cookery school set within a former almond warehouse. Double rooms start at €120 (Madada.com).

Nord-Pinus, Tangier

"This exotic hotel perfectly reflects the bohemian allure of Tangier." It is set in a restored Pasha's palace and commands views across the Strait of Gibraltar. It has just six rooms, "each decorated in an effortless blend of the traditional and the modern". The restaurant "turns fresh fish from the local market and vegetables from the Rif mountains into tagines, soups and salads". Doubles cost from €190 (www.nord-pinus-tanger.com).