Venice in winter has its charms for some but for me spring is a far more appealing season in which to stroll — and get lost — among the canals and narrow alleyways of La Serenissima.
In good time, the new St Regis Venice San Clemente Palace, from the ever-expanding Starwood group, opens in April following major renovations.
Rich in history, the building has served as a monastery, military outpost and home for Venetian nobility. Its location is pretty special — tucked away on a private island in a lagoon, once the first point of entry to the city, and just a complimentary 10-minute boat ride from the tourist hotspot of St Mark’s Square.
Some 146 rooms and 30 suites, featuring high ceilings hung with chandeliers, overlook the lagoon. The vast gardens — six hectares of cypresses, elms and nettle trees — boast a cabaña-fringed outdoor swimming pool and children’s club, with the 15th-century Church of San Clemente visible from the grounds.
Three restaurants will serve a combination of Mediterranean and Italian cuisine, and to work it off in a gentle way the grounds hold a pitch- and-putt golf course, tennis courts and jogging area.
Doubles from €550 B&B, stregis.com/venice