JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa

Character and identity

Set on the private Isola delle Rose, a 40-acre island reached by a 20-minute hotel launch from St Mark's Square, this 266-room resort occupies a former sanatorium reworked in 2015 by Italian designer Matteo Thun. Accommodations spread across five distinct zones: the main building, the lagoon-facing Residenza, L'Uliveto amid a century-old olive grove, loft-style Maisonette units with private gardens, and a stand-alone Villa with its own pool. Expect a rooftop infinity pool, a family pool in the park, four restaurants including Sagra Rooftop and Fiola at Dopolavoro (Fabio Trabocchi's Venetian cooking), and an expansive spa with an indoor-outdoor vitality pool.

Who's it for

Bottom line

The defining question is geography: this is an international resort experience on a private lagoon island, not a Venetian city stay, and you should book it only if that trade is what you want. If it is, splash out on a suite in La Residenza, L'Uliveto or La Maisonette for a private garden or plunge pool, and target the shoulder-season warm weather when the rooftop and outdoor pools come into their own.