Venice is one of my favorite cities in Italy! Well many places in Italy are a favorite so that is really not a helpful statement but I cannot visit this place enough. On a recent visit, I had the pleasure to stay at the luxury hotel - Luna Baglioni. It is the oldest hotel in Venice and dates as far back as the 12th century, once serving as the shelter for the Knights Templar. This historic Venetian hotel, member of the Leading Hotels of the World and Fine Hotels & Resorts, is ideally located near Piazza San Marco, right in the heart of Venice. Facing the Grand Canal, it has an elegant entry next to the small private jetty for their guests, allowing them to arrive directly at the hotel via water taxi or gondola. For guests not utilizing private transportation, it should be noted it is conveniently located steps away from the public vaporetto stop.
I was quite happy with the fact even though it is very close to San Marco’s Square, the hotel was still a very quite, my main sound memory is only of church bells chiming. The hotel is in keeping with a typical Venetian style - ornate but on the darker side in a magnificent, aristocratic Venetian Palace that is decorated with period furnishings, ceiling frescos and Murano chandeliers.
The hotel is laid out in a fashion that is in keeping with older historic buildings I have visited. Some of the rooms were up/down short sets of stairs off of the hallway while other rooms were accessed via narrow hallways just large enough for the luggage to get through. It is understandable as the hotel was built and added to over the centuries and some rooms enlarged and others added to make use of all the available space. All of these nuances give the hotel a charming feel of a more ancient time while providing all of the modern day comforts. The room keys are just that, physical brass, old fashion, skeleton keys with an ornate tassel attached to it. It reminds me of the scenes in old movies when you leave the hotel you drop off your key and pick it up when you return. Quaint and special.
My room was larger than I had expected, and much brighter due to the oversized windows on one wall. The closet was average by American standards and the safe was on the small side, not allowing me to store the laptop inside.
The bathroom was very spacious with double sinks, vanity mirror and another oversized window letting great light in. One amenity I always check for is the connection to the internet, is it Wi-Fi connection and is it complementary. The welcome answer at this luxury hotel is YES, on all counts.
The hotel has a nice restaurant with a quiet bar area but there is no view or rooftops or canals, so if you are short on time or this is a first visit it would not be my first recommendation. Right around the corner from the hotel, you will find the main high-end shopping areas of Venice with many fine shops and restaurants to explore.
The Luna Hotel Baglioni is one of the many luxury hotel choices in Venice with a warm welcoming atmosphere that is relaxed but upscale.
If you had to choose a time of year to visit Venice, when would it be?
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