The Place
Since Airbnb muscled in on the world’s tourist hotspots, holiday rental apartments have proliferated, together with their lacklustre decoration and IKEA furniture. At Palazzo Ca’Nova, however, we found something very different: elegant luxury and genuine character in a sensitively restored 12th C building.
Just five minutes from Piazza San Marco, the palazzo contains four wonderful apartments. All are slightly different in size and layout, but all have the same carefully curated decoration: bright, statement pieces of furniture set against white walls, framed artworks, books stacked neatly on the coffee table alongside vases of fresh flowers. They are homely without being untidy, stylishly sophisticated but not impersonal.
Apartment Borsato (sleeps four) boasts an unbeatable view of the Grand Canal from the dining table. Apartment Hayez (also sleeps four) looks out over the sunny square and the bright flowers that wrap around the neighbouring buildings.
Upstairs is a shared terrace with orange trees in pots, comfortable seats and umbrellas. If you’re looking for more privacy, Apartment Canella has its own roof terrace offering panoramic views of the city. Despite the central location, it’s quiet. The St Regis Hotel is just next door, where guests are offered a generous discount on spa services.
It’s perfect for families, or for anyone who values space in an otherwise packed city: a clear example that self-catering apartments can be as good a choice, if not better, than a luxury hotel.
For more recommendations in Venice, head to TripDog.