Hotel Luna Venice

Stay at the hotel where Lord Byron enjoyed the food

The Baglioni Hotel Luna has its own jetty, which
allows guests to arrive by gondola or water taxi

The iconic Hotel Luna is the oldest hotel in Venice and is also one of the most centrally located, as it is just a short walk from Piazza San Marco and easily accessible from the Grand Canal if you arrive by gondola, water taxi or vaporetto (water bus).

The poet Lord Byron and his old university friend. John Hobhouse, dined in the restaurant at the Hotel Luna on 15 November 1816 and Hobhouse recorded in his journal that ‘the eating was good.’

The Hotel Luna’s history is known to date back as far as the 12th century because it was recorded as having given shelter to the Knights Templar in 1118. The hotel was built on the site of a former church and convent.

By 1574, the hotel had become known as Locanda della Luna, but the actual building in which Byron and Hobhouse dined was erected in the 18th century. The interior was decorated with frescoes by pupils of the great Venetian artist, Giambattista Tiepolo, which guests can still admire today while having their breakfast.

The Luna Hotel has recently been renovated and spacious new suites have been added with terraces that have beautiful views of the island of San Giorgio Maggiore and the lagoon.

The hotel’s award-winning Canova restaurant serves lunch and dinner, offering diners dishes created using modern interpretations of traditional Venetian cooking.

Harry's Bar, once a favourite celebrity haunt, is
just a few steps from the Luna's entrance

You can arrive at the Hotel Luna in style, travelling down the Grand Canal and alighting at the hotel’s private jetty, but there is also an entrance from Calle Vallaresso. This is very handy for visiting the famous Harry’s Bar and the stylish boutiques and shoe shops situated along there, making the hotel convenient for shopping, sightseeing, and experiencing daily life in the centre of the city. But although the Hotel Luna is right at the centre of things, the interior is always quiet and peaceful.

The Hotel Luna is now privately owned by Baglioni Hotels. The high ceilings and original features have been carefully preserved and it has been beautifully redecorated in Venetian style, with Murano glass chandeliers and beautiful furniture and fabrics.

Editor’s note: “I have been lucky enough to stay at the Hotel Luna twice and found the location perfect for exploring Venice, as it is both handy for the lagoon and all the main sights of the city. I loved the hotel’s unique atmosphere and the way its history and traditions have been carefully preserved over the centuries. Staying at the Hotel Luna certainly helped to make my visits to the historic city of Venice magical.”

How to find the Baglioni Hotel Luna:

A few steps from Piazza San Marco, the Hotel Luna has entrances on Calle Vallaresso and Calle larga de l'Ascension, two narrow alleyways off Salizada San Moise, which is the street one joins when leaving the piazza through the archways beneath the Museo Correr, at the end opposite the Basilica. The nearest vaporetto stop is San Marco Vallaresso, right outside Harry’s Bar. For guests arriving by water taxi or gondola, the Luna’s landing stage is next to the entrance on Calle larga de l’Ascension.

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Hotel Savoia & Jolanda Venice

Enjoy a view of the lagoon from a palace on the waterfront

The Hotel Savoia & Locanda occupies a
superb position on Riva degli Schiavoni

Overlooking St Mark’s basin from an excellent location on the Riva degli Schiavoni, the Hotel Savoia & Jolanda can boast a long history of providing hospitality to guests from all over the world.

It has the charm of a Venetian palace but with all the modern facilities such as free wi fi, Sky and satellite tv, a gym and a boat available for the use of guests.

The hotel is very handily placed for the San Zaccaria vaporetto stop for boats that go up the Grand Canal towards Rialto, the station and Piazzale Roma, and, in the other direction, boats that go across the water to the Lido.

The Savoia & Jolanda is just a few minutes walk from the Bridge of Sighs, the Doge’s Palace and St Mark’s square and by going through the alleyways (calle) following the yellow signs with arrows it does not take long to reach the Rialto Bridge area.

Guests have one of the most iconic Venetian views from the hotel’s front windows as you can see the church and island of San Giorgio Maggiore out in the lagoon.

Editor’s Note: ‘I used to love sitting at a table at the bar outside the hotel watching the people going by as the sun set over the lagoon. Every time I have stayed at the Hotel Savoia & Jolanda my room has been comfortable and immaculately prepared, the breakfast has been excellent and the service faultless.’

The Palladian church of San Giorgio Maggiore is one of
the most famous of Venetian views

For more information, to check prices and to book a room at the Hotel Savoia & Jolanda go to our hotel booking partners Hotels.com

A little bit of history 

The Savoia & Jolanda’s origins can be traced back to the early part of the 19th century thanks to the discovery of a black and white postcard showing the building, which was then named Bavaria & Jolanda. It was named in honour of the official union of the Savoia royal family with the Duchy of Bavaria. This was sealed when Princess Enrichetta Adelaide Savoia married Duke Ferdinand of Bavaria in 1650. 

A few metres from the hotel there is an equestrian statue of the first King of Italy, Vittorio Emanuele II, which was erected to commemorate the tenth anniversary of his death. The statue was inaugurated in 1887 by King Umberto I and his queen, Margherita Savoia.

The name of the hotel was changed to Savoia Hotel & Principessa Jolanda in the early part of the 20th century and it finally became Hotel Savoia & Jolanda in the 1940s.

Afterwards the hotel was proud to welcome art patron Peggy Guggenheim, who stayed in a suite there in 1948 on the occasion of the XXIV Venice Art Biennale.

Food and wine

There are plenty of good restaurants in the calle between St Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge and, to get good value for money, opt for one that is some distance away from the piazza.

Fegato alla Veneziana is a classic Venetian dish, made with
calf's liver and often served with polenta

Look out for some of the local specialities, such as sardine in saor (served with a sweet and sour sauce), fegato alla veneziana (tender calf’s liver cooked on a bed of onions) and zuppa di cozze (mussels with white wine, garlic and parsley).

Make sure you try some of the wines from the Veneto region, such as Soave, a white wine that is very well known internationally and is made from grapes grown in the vineyards around the nearby hilltop town of Soave. Also look out for Tocai and Bianco di Custoza, other good white wines from the region, which will be on most restaurant menus.

If your preference is for red wine, Valpolicella is a pleasant, light, fruity wine made in the area between Verona and Lake Garda.

If you like sparkling wine, don’t miss trying Prosecco, which is mainly produced in the Veneto.

Named after the variety of grape it is made from, Prosecco is lighter and more delicate than Champagne because it is bottled while young rather than being fermented.

It is made in the areas of Valdobbiadene and Conegliano north of Venice, although it was probably named after the town of Prosecco near Trieste, where the grape, one of Italy’s oldest, is believed to have originated.

Book a room at the Hotel Savoia & Jolanda with Hotels.com


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Hotel San Cassiano Venice

Enjoy a taste of Venetian glamour at former artist's palace

Hotel San Cassiano

Find out what it is like to live in a palace on the Grand Canal by staying at the Hotel San Cassiano in Venice.

This 14th century palazzo has been the residence of some of the most important Venetian families over the centuries and was home in the 19th century to the painter Giacomo Favretto.

The elegant three star Hotel San Cassiano is still known as Ca’ Favretto (Favretto’s House). Its distinctive, oxblood red painted façade is well photographed by visitors on board vaporetti (water buses) sailing along the Grand Canal between Santa Lucia railway station and the Rialto.

The palace was transformed into a hotel in 1951 and furnished in opulent Venetian style while retaining many of its features and original character.

An extensive buffet breakfast is served in the first floor salone overlooking the Grand Canal where Favretto used to paint. The room has a terrace where you can sit and watch the gondole glide past, seeing the views that inspired Favretto and his famous predecessor, Canaletto.

Guest rooms either overlook the Grand Canal, a side canal or the hotel’s pretty courtyard. Although furnished with tapestries, antique furniture and gilded mirrors they also have smart, modern well equipped bathrooms, satellite television, minibars and air conditioning.

Editor’s note: “I took my mother to stay at the San Cassiano for her birthday and she was able to open her cards and presents outside the breakfast room on the terrace overlooking the Grand Canal, watched by tourists going past who probably thought she was a member of the Venetian nobility!”

For more information, to check prices and to book a room at the Hotel San Cassiano, go to our hotel booking partner Hotels.com or try Expedia UK

Why stay at the Hotel San Cassiano in the Santa Croce area?

Behind the Hotel San Cassiano, which is on the upper sweep of the Grand Canal, lie the fascinating narrow streets and small squares typical of the Santa Croce quarter of Venice.  It is well off for shops, bars and restaurants, with prices tending to be lower than those charged by establishments closer to Piazza San Marco.

The hotel is a short walk from the San Stae waterbus stop and is handy if you are arriving at or departing from either the railway station at Santa Lucia or the bus station at Piazzale Roma.

It is just a short walk from the San Cassiano to the Rialto Bridge with its famous food market and souvenir stalls.

What to see near the Hotel San Cassiano

From the windows of the hotel, on the opposite bank of the Grand Canal, you will have a good view of the Ca' d’Oro, Venice’s famous ‘golden house’, a fine example of Venetian gothic architecture.

It was built in the 15th century for the Contarini family, who provided the city with eight of its doges over the centuries. The palace is now open to the public as an art gallery.

A short walk through the calle away from the Grand Canal will take you to one of Venice’s principal churches, Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, where there are masterpieces by Titian, Bellini and Donatello and the tomb of Italian composer Monteverdi.

Walking in the direction of the Rialto will quickly bring you to the Campo della Pescheria and Venice’s famous fish market, which has recently been developed into a vibrant area with bars and restaurants where you can eat outside looking out over the Grand Canal .

There is now a new water bus stop for this area called Rialto Mercato.

Travel Tip: A single ticket for the vaporetto is €7 so it is worth buying a travel card for your stay in Venice for use on both water and land transport. Prices:12 hours €18, 24 hours €20, 36 hours €25, 48 hours €30 and 72 hours €35.

Directions: To reach the Hotel San Cassiano, take the water bus to San Stae and walk down Salizzada San Stae and Calle Forner before turning into Calle della Rosa where you will find the rear entrance of the hotel. Alternatively, you can take a water taxi along the Grand Canal direct to the hotel’s own landing stage.

Restaurant recommendation

Inside Vini da Pinto

Vini da Pinto is a short walk from the hotel in Campo delle Beccarie close to the Rialto Market (nearest water bus stop Rialto Mercato.) Established in 1890, the restaurant serves good value food and wine with tables inside and outside. Sample the excellent fresh fish dishes and local specialities such as baccalà mantecato, seppie in nero and spaghetti alle vongole. There is a tasting menu to enable you to try small portions of a number of dishes. The restaurant is open every day from 10.00 to 22.00.

Editor’s note: “I return to Vini da Pinto time and time again because I know that I will enjoy a good meal. My favourite is pasta with prawns and courgettes followed by crisply grilled Adriatic sole with salad and chips. The house wine is excellent and very good value.”

Local specialities: Try sarde in saor (sardines served with an Italian sweet and sour sauce), fegato alla veneziana (tender calf’s liver cooked on a bed of onions) and zuppa di cozze (mussels with white wine, garlic and parsley).

Local wines: White: Soave, which is so well known internationally, is made from grapes grown in the vineyards around the nearby hilltop town of Soave . Also look out for Tocai and Bianco di Custoza on restaurant menus.

Red: Valpolicella is a pleasant, light, fruity wine made in the area between Verona and Lake Garda .

Frizzante: Don’t miss trying Prosecco, the lovely, sparkling wine produced in the Veneto .

Named after the variety of grape it is made from, Prosecco is lighter and more delicate than Champagne because it is bottled while young rather than being fermented.

Prosecco

It is made in the areas of Valdobbiadene and Conegliano although it was probably named after the town of Prosecco near Trieste where the grape, one of Italy’s oldest, is believed to have originated.

Italy produces 150 million bottles of Prosecco a year, mostly from the area around Valdobbiadene. Fortunately for the rest of the world, Prosecco travels well and is reasonably priced when put on sale abroad. It is best drunk young.

When on holiday in Italy, Prosecco is an ideal aperitivo before lunch and dinner and a refreshing drink to order in a bar when you are having a break from sight seeing.

Book a room at the Hotel San Cassiano with Hotels.com or try Expedia UK

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