Picolo recommends · Hotel in Venice, Italy
The Gritti Palace
Breakfast on a terrace so close to the Grand Canal that a passing gondolier could almost reach your coffee, with the Salute dome straight ahead.
The morning starts outside, at a table on the terrace, with the white church of Santa Maria della Salute filling the view across the water. Gondolas, water taxis and delivery boats pass within touching distance, and the canal does the entertaining.
Inside, the house a doge once lived in still looks the part: silk on the walls, Murano glass overhead and furniture with genuine age. The Giglio waterbus stop sits by the door, and St Mark's is a short walk through the lanes.
Picolo’s verdict
Why we chose The Gritti Palace
We chose it because it delivers the Venice people picture before they arrive, without irony. The setting on the Grand Canal is hard to beat, and the service is the attentive, old school kind that suits an anniversary or a once in a lifetime trip.
It is one of the most expensive addresses in the city, and the mood is formal. If you prefer clean modern design, a younger crowd or a hotel where children can roam freely, you will be happier elsewhere.
What you get
- Terrace on the Grand Canal
- Breakfast and dining by the water
- Giglio waterbus stop beside the hotel
- Rooms with silk walls and Murano chandeliers
- Personal, traditional service
A day at The Gritti Palace
- Morning
- Coffee on the terrace while the canal traffic wakes up.
- Midday
- A short walk to St Mark's before the day trippers peak.
- Afternoon
- The traghetto across to the Salute and the Dorsoduro side.
- Evening
- An aperitivo by the water as the light turns gold.
Location
San Marco, Venice, Italy
Open in MapsQuestions about The Gritti Palace
Is The Gritti Palace on the Grand Canal?
Yes. It stands right on the Grand Canal in San Marco, facing Santa Maria della Salute, and its terrace sits at water level.
Is The Gritti Palace good for families?
It is better suited to couples. The atmosphere is formal and the interiors are full of antiques, so families with young children may find it restrictive.
How do I get to The Gritti Palace by waterbus?
Use the Giglio vaporetto stop, which is right next to the hotel. Water taxis can also bring you to the door from the station or airport.
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Updated 6 Nov 2026All articles
How Picolo chooses
Our editors pick every hotel themselves, and most of them we have stayed at. No hotel can pay to be included or ranked higher. When you book through our links, Hotels.com pays Picolo a small commission. It never changes the price you pay, and it never decides what we write.
