LOCANDA DE LA SPADA, Venice

Locanda De La Spada - A 14th-century palazzo on Canal Grande with observation tower and Venetian marble floors

Located in the picturesque Campo Santa Maria del Giglio square, this 4-star Venice hotel occupies the top floor of Palazzo Contarin-Marin. Locanda De La Spada features 9 air-conditioned rooms with iPod docking stations, LCD televisions, and floors in Terrazzo Veneziano marble or parquet. Select rooms include balconies overlooking Canal Grande, while all accommodations offer silk furnishings and private bathrooms with rainfall showerheads, bathrobes, and bidets. The property serves a daily complimentary breakfast buffet with pastries, and guests can enjoy drinks at the bar/lounge. A gondola pier and the Santa Maria del Giglio water-bus stop (line 1) are positioned directly outside Locanda's main entrance. The location places visitors 0.5 miles from Piazza San Marco and a 4-minute walk from the Basilica of St Mary of Health.

Pros

Observation tower offering panoramic views from Chioggia to the mountains and Venice's Lido

Historic restoration completed in partnership with Venice's Superintendency for Architectural Heritage

Positioned behind the Fenice Theatre with direct access to water transportation

Cons

No elevator access in the historic building

Limited room count may mean reduced availability during peak seasons