Hotel Metropole Venice

Character and identity

Set on the Riva degli Schiavoni a short walk from St Mark's Square, the Metropole occupies a former convent, orphanage and music school where Vivaldi once taught. The Beggiato family has run it for generations, and their magpie collections of antique fans, handbags, corkscrews, nutcrackers and crucifixes fill the public rooms alongside burnished mirrors, crimson drapery and deep sofas. The 67 rooms and suites vary wildly in size and mood. The Met restaurant holds a Michelin star under chef Luca Veritti, the Oriental Bar (Vivaldi's old chapel) handles cocktails and afternoon tea, and a private water entrance lets you arrive by taxi straight into the lobby.

Who's it for

Bottom line

What sets this place apart is its personality: a genuinely eccentric, antique-stuffed family hotel with a serious kitchen and one of the best lagoon views in the city, priced below its grander neighbours. Book a Lagoon View Suite for the rooftop terrace, the Damasco for the hammam, or an Executive Suite for Gothic canal views; avoid the Classic category. Aim for shoulder season unless you want Carnival in February.