MY STAY
Canal arrival & room
The Gritti Palace gave me Venice from the moment I stepped off the water taxi. The Grand Canal was close, the old furnishings felt rooted in the city and a Heritage Suite could have almost apartment-like space. A smaller room at the same famous address would be a quite different stay, so the exact category and outlook mattered.
Terrace dining
I liked lingering over a meal on the canal terrace. A hawk keeping gulls away from the outdoor tables was a practical touch I had not expected, and booking the table seemed wiser than turning up hoping for the best. Breakfast hours were worth checking before making early tour plans.
Birthday service
The service could be quietly special. Coming back from breakfast to birthday roses, balloons and a small tiramisu would make anyone smile. A mid-stay upgrade that meant changing rooms, on the other hand, was not automatically worth unpacking twice. I preferred a good room I could actually settle into.
Would I return?
The canal arrival and terrace capture Venice more vividly than a grander room with the wrong outlook would. St Mark's was close enough to explore, but the smaller square outside offered a pause when coming back. This was a hotel for the city itself, not a big pool or island-resort facilities.