A historic luxury address on the Grand Canal where the staff and breakfast carry the stay.
Best for / Tips to get it right
Best for
- Couples marking an occasion: 14 of 38 reviews (37%) praise the staff by name, and guests describe handwritten notes and flowers left in the room.
- Food-first travellers: the restaurant appears in 9 reviews (24%) and breakfast in 11 (29%), with the terrace and the risotto called out directly.
- Families with young kids: 4 reviews (11%) say the team greeted the children by name, and one family called the stay magical for them.
- Design lovers: guests repeatedly describe the historic building, the antique furniture and the Venetian interiors of the public rooms.
- Travellers without a car: the hotel is reached by water taxi and sits a short walk from San Marco, so a car never enters the plan.
Tips to get it right
- Book a table on the Gritti Terrace before you arrive, it is one of the most praised parts of the house and it fills up.
- Ask the concierge to arrange the water taxi arrival at the private pier, several guests describe it as the highlight of the trip.
- If you sleep lightly, request an interior room, one review mentions the bed height and a couple mention street sound.
- Check whether your rate includes breakfast, it is a paid extra on some rates, so confirm before booking.
Why this one
The Gritti Palace sits on the Grand Canal in Campo Santa Maria del Giglio, a quiet square a few minutes on foot from Piazza San Marco. Guests arrive by water taxi, and several reviews describe pulling up at the hotel's private pier as the moment the trip starts. Across 38 reviews we read, the staff is the single most mentioned asset: 14 reviews (37%) single out the team, with one guest writing that Ivan at the front desk was phenomenal. Breakfast follows at 11 reviews (29%), one guest telling others not to miss it while watching the gondolas report for work. The restaurant appears in 9 reviews (24%), from the marble standing bar where Hemingway's drink is poured to the Gritti Terrace. Location shows up in 8 reviews (21%), the pool and rooftop in 5 (13%), and families in 4 (11%), one noting the staff knew the children by name.
What guests keep saying
What guests keep returning to is the team. 14 of the 38 reviews we read (37%) mention the staff, and the praise is specific: a front desk name, a handwritten note on a birthday, a babysitter arranged, a child greeted by name. The word magical appears more than once. Breakfast lands in 11 reviews (29%), often described alongside the view of gondolas passing. The restaurant follows at 9 reviews (24%), where the standing bar and the terrace both get their own paragraphs. Location draws 8 mentions (21%), the pool and rooftop 5 (13%), and families 4 (11%).
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staffpraised 14 / 37%
“Ivan at the front desk was phenomenal”
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breakfastpraised 11 / 29%
“(Don’t miss the breakfast it is beautiful sat watching the gondolas checking in for work).”
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the restaurantpraised 9 / 24%
“The itialian style standing bar is small, but lovely, cool marble.”
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locationpraised 8 / 21%
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pool and rooftoppraised 5 / 13%
“We would highly recommend The Gritti Terrace to anyone visiting Venice and look forward to returning in the future.”
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familiespraised 4 / 11%
“They made our stay in Venice truly magical for my family.”
Check the sources yourself
We show 5 of the 38 reviews we read, with a direct link to each one on its original site. Open any of them and check that the quote and the count are real.
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The Higginsons ★★★★★ 7 September 2026
“From the moment we arrived, the experience felt like something from a dream. We flew into Venice by private jet and then travelled by private water taxi, pulling up directly at the hotel’s private pier — such an incredible way to arrive....”
Backs up: staff Open on Google -
Luca Anselmi ★★★★★ 8 September 2026
“Finally, Riva is shining once again. Already at breakfast a few months ago, I could feel that something had changed since my previous visit: a new light, reflected in the smallest details, the smiles, the attention, and that unmistakable...”
Backs up: breakfast Open on Google
Murano & Burano Islands Guided Small-Group Tour by Private Boat
The bit the hotel does not tell you
The bar off the side street is a small standing marble room, easy to walk past, and guests who find it order what Hemingway drank. If a seat at the terrace matters to you, book it before arrival and not on the day.
Who we pictured staying here
Couples on a getaway
Handwritten notes and roses on a birthday show up in the reviews, and 14 of 38 guests (37%) single out the staff for how they handle occasions. The Grand Canal address and the terrace dinner do the rest.
See allFood-first travellers
The restaurant appears in 9 of 38 reviews (24%) and breakfast in 11 (29%), with the risotto and the terrace table named directly. The standing marble bar off the side street is the detail food-first guests keep writing about.
See allFamilies with young kids
4 of 38 reviews (11%) describe a family stay here, one saying staff greeted the children by name every day. The quiet piazza and the short walk to San Marco keep the logistics simple.
See allWhile you are in Venice
Experiences booked through Viator. We may earn a commission on these, never on your room.
Legendary Venice Doge's Palace & St. Mark's with Exclusive Access
Venice In a Day St Mark's Doges Palace Gondola Ride and City Tour
Eat Like a Local: Venice 3-Hour Small-Group Food Tasting Tour
Venice's Best: Basilica, Doge's Palace, Gondola & History Gallery
Before you book
Where is The Gritti Palace located in Venice?
Is breakfast included at The Gritti Palace?
Does The Gritti Palace have a spa and a pool?
Does The Gritti Palace work well for families with children?
How do you reach The Gritti Palace from Venice airport?
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