Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Rooms are vast and unabashedly retro in the 1970s A-frame annexe; the original build-
ing offers tighter, more traditional quarters with charming wrought-iron beds. Bicycle
rental, laundry and babysitting services available.
BAUER PALLADIO HOTEL & SPA €€€
MAP
LUXURY HOTEL
GOOGLE MAP
( 041 520 70 22;
www.palladiohotelspa.com
;
Fondamenta della Croce 33, Giudecca; d from €720; closed mid-
Nov-mid-Mar; ; Zitelle)
Splash out in a serene, Palladio-designed former cloister with
San Marco views, private solar-powered boat service and a superb spa. These premises
once housed nuns and orphans but now offer heavenly comfort in 37 rosy, serenely de-
mure guestrooms, many with garden terraces or Giudecca Canal views. Head downstairs
for local organic breakfast buffets and ecofriendly spa treatments. Check online for dis-
counts.
Murano, Burano & the Northern Islands
IL LATO AZZURRO €
( 041 523 06 42;
www.latoazzurro.it
;
Via Forti 13, Sant'Erasmo; dm €25-40, s €50-90, d €70-115, q €120-190;
; Sant'Erasmo Capannone)
S
Sleep among the artichokes on Venice's garden isle of
Sant'Erasmo in a red-roofed country villa, 25 minutes by boat from central Venice. Spa-
cious guestrooms with parquet floors and wrought-iron beds open onto a wraparound ver-
anda. Meals are largely home-grown, organic and fair trade, bicycles are available, and the
lagoon laps at the end of the lane - bite-prone guests should bring mosquito repellent.
The guesthouse supports a nonprofit cultural organisation, and guests are invited to par-
ticipate in nature excursions, archaeological digs, theatre performances and cultural ex-
change programs.
INN
LOCANDA CIPRIANI €€
B&B
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
( 041 73 01 50;
www.locandacipriani.com
; Piazza Santa Fosca 29, Torcello; per person €100-190, with half board
€160-240; restaurant closed Tue & Jan; ; Torcello)
Not much has changed since this rustic
wine shop was transformed into a country inn in 1934 by Harry's Bar founder Giuseppe
Cipriani. The six spacious rooms are more like suites, with stocked libraries and easy
chairs in lieu of TVs for a true literary retreat - and you're bound to find inspiration for
