This ten-room gem near the church of San Stae is easily one of the best deals in Venice. Guests enter the Mocenigo through a private courtyard where aperitivi are sipped and breakfast is served in good weather; that relaxing welcome sets the tone for the whole place. Rooms are elegant and airy, upholstered in cream, green, and deep red, and furnished with a mix of 18th-century pieces. Our favorite: the large first-floor junior suite with a four-poster bed, a terrace overlooking the courtyard, and a whirlpool tub.

An offshoot of the venerable Bauer Hotel and Il Palazzo on the Grand Canal, Casa Nova, in a sixteenth-century building, offers a taste of living like a Venetian in a prime location—with a doorman to handle requests and with all the facilities of a grand hotel next door. The ten rooms and eight suites don't have canal views but are quintessentially Venetian, with richly woven silk damasks on the walls and Murano glass light fixtures. Though St. Mark's Square is less than a hundred yards away, Casa Nova's secluded location seems far from the madding crowd.

The Bauer Hotel and adjacent Bauer Il Palazzo are the twin pet projects of Francesca Bortolotto Possati, whose family has owned the properties since 1930. The five-star Bauer Hotel doesn't look like much on the outside, but the blocky 1949 building's 91 rooms and 18 suites are all plush and pleasant, with lots of velvet furniture and brocade upholstery. The location in Campo San Moisè, among some of Venice's smartest shops and just a stone's throw from Piazza San Marco, is hard to beat. For more pampering, check into the Bauer Il Palazzo, a former annex that's now a 44-room, 38-suite boutique lodging. Here, the luxury is super-discreet; those wishing to stay incognito can slip in and out via private launch at the water entrance. For true over-the-topness, there's the Bauer Casa Nova, one of the city's most posh rental villas; it's right next to Piazza San Moisè. The latest entry to the Bauer fold is Il Palladio, a 50-room five-star in the former charitable institution that surrounds Andrea Palladio's church of Le Zitelle, on the Giudecca. For all their jazzy hues, the rooms strike us as a little dowdy; the property's best features are the ground-floor spa, with its extensive range of Daniela Steiner beauty treatments, and the pretty garden.

This gorgeously restored fifteenth-century palazzo on the Grand Canal benefits from its ideal location: near the Rialto but outside the fray around San Marco. The historical tour offered at check-in is worth your time: Among the highlights are original frescoes by Giambattista Tiepolo and Pietro Longhi in the grand hall, a high-ceilinged ballroom with oversized windows overlooking the canal, and huge Murano chandeliers—all of which conjure the masked balls that once took place here. The 42 guest rooms are beautifully appointed with sofas and chairs covered in pale silk damask and custom wallpapers in pretty, light patterns, and all come with large bathrooms. Less inspired is the uneven service from concierges who tend to send guests to the city's tried and tired restaurants.

Opened in 2004, this property right near the Peggy Guggenheim Collection achieves what so many others have failed to pull off: It seamlessly mixes Venetian traditions and modern design, with stunning results. From the striking reception area, where Byzantine columns rise out of a pool of water, to the sheet-glass door opening onto a private boat mooring, to the 12 stylishly decorated bedrooms, Ca Maria Adele has single-handedly redefined what elegant lodging looks like in this town. The nine "deluxe" rooms (two of which are suites) are restful and sophisticated, with minimalist wood furniture and damask wall coverings in colors of sand and cream. The five "concept" rooms, however, really push the envelope; check the photos on the hotel website before you book to make sure you can deal with the seriously sensual black Sala Noir or the overwhelmingly scarlet Doge's Room. The blue-tinted Sala dei Mori, with its tiny balcony overlooking the Salute church next door, is our favorite. Only the bathrooms—which are large and well-appointed but strangely neutral—are a slight disappointment.

When it first opened, around the corner from the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, in 2003, DD724 was considered a huge departure (some say a refreshing one) from the traditional damask-and-chandelier lodgings elsewhere in the city. Nowadays, though its neutral tones and wenge wood don't seem so shocking, it still attracts those who can't take another fresco or brocade swag. The owner's collection of contemporary Italian art hangs on the walls, and chairs covered in checked Frigerio prints add a touch of mod. Most of the six bedrooms are spacious enough (unit G overlooks a walled garden, and B has a pretty view out of windows on two sides), but the bathrooms, breakfast room, and corridors all feel cramped. Finding the hotel entrance can be a bit challenging, too: The sign high on the wall of the cul-de-sac is easily missed. The hotel now has two sister properties: DD694, a large suite even closer to the Guggenheim, with original terrazzo flooring that adds a splash of antique Venetian warmth to the cool shades-of-brown design mix; and newly arrived IQs, a four-suite luxury home-from-home with its own porta d'acqua (water-level entrance) in a Gothic palazzo north of St. Mark's. Daring to be dark in this city of light, the suites' sober decor is enlivened by splashes of color (a red Moroso armchair, a vase of flowers) and given depth by rich materials (leather, mosaic, fur, and crystal). In winter, the somber color scheme can feel oppressive, but in summer it's a soothing refuge from the heat and glare outside.

Cloistered among sweeping, verdant grounds on the island of Giudecca, across the Grand Canal from Piazza San Marco, the Cipriani is a luxurious world unto itself. It's frequented by the ultrarich and the ultrafamous—many of whom never even bother to take the hotel's private launch across to the bustle of Venice proper. For them, the Cipriani, with its restaurants, bars, tennis courts, spa, and Olympic-size saltwater pool, is its own destination. The decor in the public spaces and 104 rooms is mostly opulent, with lashings of silk brocade, murals, frescoed and gilded ceilings, and all-marble bathrooms—though bedrooms not yet touched by an ongoing refurbishment effort are (at this price) frustratingly faded. The service is formal, at times even a little frosty. If you simply can't cope without a private butler and space for an entourage, opt for the 11-suite Palazzo Vendramin or the five-suite Palazzetto Nani Barbaro, across the garden from the hotel. But be sure to book far in advance: These mini-palazzi are popular with visiting sheiks and their security staff.

Rubbing shoulders with the Doge's Palace and the Bridge of Sighs, the Danieli has been a hotel since the early 19th century. Back then, it was the choice of Grand Tourists like Charles Dickens and Richard Wagner. Now part of Starwood's Luxury Collection, the 225-room hotel spreads from its original 14th-century palazzo to incorporate two 20th-century buildings. Formerly slightly dowdy, this modern "Danielino" wing has been the first part of the hotel to benefit from a major restoration project, under the creative direction of Hôtel Costes designer Jacques Garcia. Deep reds and earthy greens lend an almost Asian touch, but the repeated arch motifs are decidedly Venetian. The number of rooms has been reduced to provide more suites—ten new ones have lagoon-facing terraces—and the top-floor restaurant has been remodeled, with Gian Nicola Colucci, formerly of London's Four Seasons, brought in to preside over the kitchen. Throughout the hotel, rooms are outfitted with Fortuny and Rubelli fabrics, and while antiques adorn the magnificent Venetian Gothic reception hall, the ambience is more Hollywood mansion than aristocratic palazzo. The view from the roof terrace across the Bacino di San Marco to the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute is stunning.

Built on the Grand Canal in 1525 for then-doge Andrea Gritti, this magnificent palazzo has lost none of its pomp and ceremony. Now part of the Starwood Luxury Collection, the hotel has museum-quality art and antiques filling its public spaces. The 91 guest rooms and suites are outfitted in traditional, opulent Venetian style, with massive Murano glass chandeliers, intricate painted wood paneling, and sumptuous brocades. Just three of the first-floor suites have breathtaking views over the canal, but vista-deprived guests can console themselves with a terrace table at the hotel restaurant.

The Benetton family acquired this 99-room hotel eight years ago and have since incorporated three adjacent buildings. The first houses an additional 30 small but comfortable accommodations that are a mix of Venetian opulence (silk fabrics, Murano glass) and minimalist understatement. The second is the storied Palazzo Dandolo, where Casanova seduced courtesans in the seventeenth century and which is now reserved for public functions. And the third is the Palazzo Selvadego, where Luciano Benetton's personal architect, Moreno Carniato, brings a masculine elegance to the magnificent late-Gothic palace's 34 rooms. Although the staff won't win any hospitality awards, the hotel's fabulous location on the Grand Canal at St. Mark's makes up for it.

On a busy calle in the San Polo district, this six-room charmer is one of the most attractive of a crop of new Venetian B&Bs. It's basically a traditional apartment on two floors that has been jazzed up by owner Francesca Adilardi, who has a flair for playful, decorative design. Each room is themed: In light-filled Mondo Nuovo, under the rafters, a reproduction of the famous Tiepolo carnival fresco of the same name takes up most of one wall, while pretty Turandot features throws on the bed and Chinese-style stenciling on the otherwise grandmotherly antique furniture. The overall effect is theatrical, feminine, and fun, but there's also a satisfying attention to detail. Beds are huge, bathrooms well appointed (though only three of the six have tubs), and all rooms have free Wi-Fi.

Orseolo's four bubbly, enthusiastic young owners make sure that guests have a memorable Venice vacation. With their unfailing charm, readiness with tourist information, and warm willingness to arrange anything from restaurant tables to seats at the opera, they'll make you feel like one of the family. Their domain is a charmingly restored family home with 15 pleasant, bright rooms (a few with baldachin beds) is just a two-minute walk from Piazza San Marco. Guests never feel like they're in the middle of a tourist parade, though—in fact, the Orseolo's secluded courtyard actually makes the hotel difficult to find. (For those without a good map: Make your way to Campo San Gallo, then push the unlocked low iron gate almost opposite the church and head into the courtyard beyond.) The breakfast spread is a perfect way to fuel up for a day of wandering.

"The location—facing the Grand Canal—is perfect" at this 1860 neoclassical hotel. Rooms with period furniture are individually decorated, some in florals, some in stripes. Do Leoni restaurant prepares Italian stalwarts with fresh fish from the Rialto Market. "Staff are outstanding in every respect, from remembering names to handing you an umbrella when needed."

(53 rooms)

It may be a Hilton, but it's one of the brand's most distinctive and luxurious properties. Opened in June 2007, the 389-room giant occupies the largest single historic complex in Venice—a former flour mill and biscuit factory founded by Swiss-Italian Giovanni Stucky in 1895. At the eastern end of the Giudecca Island—an authentic, lived-in slice of Venice—the hotel is housed in a series of connected buildings, with original details like cast-iron columns and (in the efficiently run Espace spa) Belle Époque terrazzo flooring. The layout is so complex that they give you a map at reception, but the hotel's high point—in both senses of the word—is easily located: the rooftop pool (relatively shallow, at not quite four feet deep throughout) and sundeck, which enjoy 360-degree views over Venice and the southern lagoon. Venice's tough historic-preservation regulations mean there are no umbrellas and relatively few lounge chairs (in summer, you need to be up here soon after the pool's 9 am opening to be sure of a place). Here, too, is the aptly named Skyline Bar—worth a visit for a panoramic sunset cocktail experience even if you're not a hotel guest. The pleasant but dull bedrooms revert to Hilton type, with cookie-cutter classic modern decor and decent-size bathrooms. Individual travelers should be warned that the hotel is heavily convention-oriented: In spring and autumn especially, be prepared to be surrounded by hundreds of osteopaths. Considering the hotel's business slant, it's a shame Internet access is so pricey, with a minimum charge of $17 for one hour.

Adorned with carved-wood furniture, wall hangings, rugs, and objets picked up in Africa and the Far East, this nine-room townhouse a few minutes' walk from Piazza San Marco is everything a Venetian inn should be: welcoming, eclectic, and just a little frayed around the edges. Amid the comfortable ethno-antique clutter, the guest rooms have mod cons like WiFi and individual climate control. Art exhibitions are often hung in the oak-beamed breakfast room, while breakfast—a wonderful array of pastries, fruit, and freshly squeezed orange juice, with cappuccino made to order—can be taken on the pretty paved courtyard when it's warm out.

Until 2002, this 16th-century palazzo just north of the Ca' d'Oro gallery was Marisa Rossi's private residence; now that she's turned it into a hotel, she continues to treat guests like visiting friends. Family heirlooms, massive chandeliers, and paintings from the school of Tintoretto adorn the magnificent entrance with its sweeping double staircase, as well as the spacious reception rooms and 13 bedrooms. The ones to book are the six junior suites; some are immense, and all open onto the vast second-floor salone. But perhaps most inviting of all, after a hard day's sightseeing, is the palazzo's gorgeous walled garden, with its centuries-old trees and shady walks.

This former family palazzo from 1569 on the Grand Canal is part of the new generation of intimate guesthouses that are giving travelers an alternative to the usual grande dame hotel. The 18-bedroom property now houses a cheeky boudoir design with heavy velvet curtains, feathered bedside lamps, massive mirrors, and seductive chaise longues in rooms kept light by huge windows overlooking the canal. The baldachin-style bed comes with two duvets (putting an end to couples' wrestling for the covers). Other attractions are the sizable bathrooms (the rooms themselves are spacious by European standards), a stylish Art Deco bar that doubles as the breakfast area (a meal that is delicious rather than passable), and a great location on vaporetto route No. 1. One caveat: The arrival by water taxi is quite lovely, but the way by foot is marred by a narrow unsigned alley full of "exotic" smells.

It's not often that a stylish but also relatively affordable new hotel opens right on the Grand Canal. Next to the Ca' Rezzonico water bus stop—a scenic half-hour ride from the main train station—the palazzo owes its present appearance to former owner Ernesta Stern, a wealthy socialite and art collector who had this eclectic home built on the ruins of a 15th-century palazzo in the years leading up to World War I. It's basically a high-quality pastiche, but this makes it a great setting for a hotel: With its mosaic-studded private chapel, colonnaded waterside terrace (where breakfast is served), and imposing carved wooden staircase, it evokes the dreamy spirit of Venice without the solemnity of a museum. The mostly spacious 24 bedrooms are done in a relaxed antique Venetian style in shades of wheat and magnolia. The panoramic rooftop terrace features a four-person whirlpool tub—but guests have to pay an extra $90 an hour to use it. Don't write off the standard rooms at the back of the hotel; they lack the Canal view but are a lot quieter and overlook a pretty garden.

This pretty, secluded 17th-century palazzo, set in a quiet area of Dorsoduro just off the Grand Canal, has two wonderfully lush gardens—perfect for relaxing on warm afternoons before dinner. Its 27 rooms are spacious and Venetian-traditional, with brocade fabrics and Murano glass chandeliers; some of the bathrooms are marble. There's a stately wood-paneled breakfast room, though you can also eat in the front garden in nice weather. The staff tends to be more efficient than warm, but that doesn't keep guests from returning year after year—especially those art-lovers who like the proximity to the Accademia gallery.