Hotels with a history

A Grand Dame: The Danieli “has attracted artistic bohemians, minor royalty and their millionaire lovers for over a century.” - Lonely Planet  

Palace of art: Gritti Palace “Built in 1475, this ‘romantic and top-notch’ Venetian-Gothic palace is the former residence of the Vatican ambassadors to Venice.” - Conde Nast Traveller  

Baroque opulence: Palazzo Abadessa “In the bohemian Cannaregio quarter, fronted by a secret walled garden, this was the private mansion of the Priuli family of Doges, and dates to the late 16th-century.” - I-escape  

Chic, boutique hotel: Metropole “The plush Metropole has been a hotel since 1895, housed in a stylish palazzo that dates back to 1500. Guests have included the likes of Marcel Proust, Sigmund Freud and Thomas Mann when he was writing Death in Venice.” - The Guardian  

Island hideaway: Locanda Cipriani “shot to fame through Hemingway, who loved the place, and wrote one of his novels while staying in one of their six rooms. After the war, partly due to his influence, it started to become a hot spot for stars and the dolce vita.” - Elizabeth Minchelli

Beachside chic: Hotel Excelsior “is reminiscent of a Venetian renaissance palace, complete with a golden, onion-domed tower. Inside, the hotel is an intriguing blend of Belle Epoque architecture and Moroccan design touches … no surprise that it remains a popular destination for stars during the film festival.” - The Telegraph