The St. Regis and Gritti Palace are about 5 minutes walk from each other, and both fall under the Marriott Bonvoy brand of hotels. They are both incredible hotels, but they have very different styles, so you will likely prefer one over the other. We investigate which is best below.
Luxury travelers get pretty passionate about their favorite hotel in Venice. For us, the best luxury hotel in Venice is Hotel Cipriani in the summer for its magnificent pool area and the Aman Venice in the winter for its exclusive, palatial, and boutique setting.
We have compared Aman Venice Vs. Cipriani Vs. Gritti Palace separately. However, if you want to stick to the Marriott brand, there are numerous amazing Marriott hotels in Venice.
1. Best Location: St. Regis Vs. Gritti Palace
The St. Regis and Gritti Palace are about 5 minutes walk from each other, with the St. Regis being slightly closer to Piazza San Marco. This means the St. Regis is slightly better located for the main sights, although there is little to choose between the locations of these hotels beyond their proximity to Piazza San Marco, as both are on the same canal and have wonderful views.
2. Style & Character
The St. Regis has undergone a significant transformation to infuse art deco-style luxury into a historic setting. It boasts a Grand Canal-side garden, contemporary art, and a design that pays homage to the city’s vibrant hues. The St. Regis feels modern and glamorous with its 129 guestrooms and 40 suites, which offer sleek lines and pastel furnishings.
The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, has been a classic Venetian icon for decades. With its enviable location on the lower reaches of the Grand Canal, it has long been a favorite among luxury travelers. It offers a more traditional Venetian luxury experience, with opulent decor and a strong sense of place that captures the essence of Venice.
If you’re looking for a more contemporary luxury experience focusing on art and design, the St. Regis is best. If you’re drawn to the classic Venetian luxury experience with a strong sense of history and place, the Gritti Palace wholeheartedly immerses you in Venetian style.
The 5 Best Venice Hotels with a Pool
Hotels with pools in Venice are rare, but they exist, and in this review, we pick the five best Venice hotels with a pool. Did you know you can even book a hotel room in Venice with a private plunge pool and a spectacular view over the lagoon? This private plunge pool and the two main pools at the resort are available at the JW Marriott Hotel in Venice. I feel blessed to have swum in the beautiful pool at the Belmond Cipriani Venice. This hotel undoubtedly offers the best pool in Venice. The peaceful salt water pool is huge and is surrounded by beautifully kept greenery and foliage.
3. Beach & Pools
Neither of these hotels has a pool or a beach. For the best pool in Venice, you must try Hotel Cipriani. If you want to stay within the Marriott brand, the JW Marriott Venice also offers two pools and sits on its own private island and is worth considering. The JW Marriott has a modern style and is a shuttle boat from the main attractions in Venice, but it remains an excellent luxury Marriott choice.
4. Rooms
Both hotels have beautiful rooms. Once again, you are choosing between styles when choosing between these hotels. If you want contemporary, choose the St. Regis. If you want the full Venetian experience, it’s got to be the Gritti. In particular, the suites at the Gritti Palace are decorated with intricate detailing, handpainted gold leaf, and historic furnishings. The setting is fussy and ornate with wonderful Venetian flair. Whichever hotel you choose, the canal view rooms are worth paying the extra for. They are brighter and offer mesmerizing views.
Hotel Review: Belmond Hotel Cipriani Venice
Belmond Hotel Cipriani Venice is undoubtedly one of the best luxury hotels in the world. Once you've stepped inside this glamorous Narnia and sampled its stunning rooms, exquisite gardens, and perfect pool, you will find it hard to leave. This exclusive hideaway under the Mediterranean sunshine also happens to enjoy dreamy views across Venice.
5. Food & Drink
Both the St. Regis and the Gritti Palace offer wonderful restaurants. We particularly like the waterfront restaurant at the Gritti, which stretches along the front of the hotel and is set on a deck hovering above the water. The St Regis has a similarly gorgeous deck where you can dine and lounge with a cocktail on the water’s edge. The deck at the St. Regis is punctuated by potted greenery, which gives it a more relaxed and less formal setting. We particularly like the comfy sofa-style rattan seats on the water’s edge where you can enjoy a cocktail.
Both hotels have a formal and a less formal dining area on their respective waterfront decking. The St. Regis also has a particularly nice Arts bar, which is indoors and very art deco. If you stay in Venice when the weather is cooler, this is one of our favorite indoor bars in Venice.
Book your next luxury hotel stay via our luxury travel concierge for free breakfasts, which will be on the terrace at St. Regis and Gritti Palace in Venice in the summer, prioritized room upgrades, and more, as well as your usual Marriott Bonvoy points.
Aman Venice Vs Belmond Cipriani Vs Gritti Palace Vs Hotel Danieli
Aman Venice Vs. Belmond Cipriani Vs. Gritti Palace, Hotel Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel, which is the best luxury hotel in Venice? All these properties are luxury 5-star hotels, but they offer quite hugely. The refurbished Hotel Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel, is set to open in 2025. Belmond Cipriani, Gritti Palace, and Hotel Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel, are all brilliantly located for different reasons. Belmond Cipriani is located on Giudecca Island across the water from St Mark's Square.
If you book either of these hotels via our luxury travel concierge, you will get a free breakfast for two (along with a prioritized room upgrade and $100 USD hotel credit). You will also get your usual Marriott Bonvoy points and perks when you book via our concierge.
6. Price
If you want to stay in Venice for cheap, you won’t be picking either of these hotels as both are extremely expensive. If you want luxury rooms at a more reasonable price we reccomend the Hilton Stucky Venice, which is surprisingly reasonable for such a high room quality and offers an extremely generous breakfast buffet which is included for free if you book your stay via our luxury travel concierge (you also get double Hilton Honors points when you book some Hiltons with us!).
Best Marriott Bonvoy Hotels In Venice
Which Marriott Bonvoy hotel is the best in Venice, Italy? We have already reviewed the hotel with the best club lounges in Venice, now we look at the best Marriott Bonvoy hotels in Venice. Ritz-Carlton hotels are often some of the best Marriott Bonvoy hotels in an area. They also tend to offer the best club lounges in most cities. Interestingly, you can get a bunch of free benefits at the Ritz if you book it via our luxury travel concierge.
Book the Gritti Palace and the St. Regis Venice via our concierge for free breakfast, prioritized room upgrades, and more. Plus, you will accrue your usual Marriott Bonvoy points when you book with us and stay at either of these hotels.
7. Conclusion
Both St. Regis and Gritti Palace are magnificent hotels. St. Regis feels contemporary, with furnishings in an art deco style. Imagine lots of curves in its design and turquoise and pastel color schemes. Gritti Palace embraces the ornate decor of Venice. If you want to feel the soul of Venice and indulge surrounded by antiques intricately decorated in gold leaf, this is the place for you.
I personally prefer the St. Regis of these two hotels, but the Gritti is undoubtedly spectacular and luxurious, too. As I mentioned above, my favorites in Venice are the Cipriani and the Aman, but Venice is such a unique place, and each of these hotels is wonderfully unique, so you need to decide which works for your luxury stay.
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