Fodor's Expert Review The Gritti Palace

With handblown chandeliers, sumptuous textiles, and sweeping canal views, this grande dame (whose history dates from 1525, when it was built as the residence of the prominent Gritti family) represents aristocratic Venetian living at its best. Although renovations have been done since the palace became a hotel in the 19th century, many original architectural details remain, including wooden ceilings, patterned flooring, and—depending on the room category—flourishes like 18th-century Murano wall lamps, silk damask Rubelli fabrics, and traditional Venetian stucco. If you enjoy chef Daniele Turco's locally influenced menus at one of the Grand Canal–view restaurants, you can tour the Rialto market and take a private cooking class with the master himself. The treatments at the Acqua di Parma Spa incorporate the Italian-made line's aromatic scents, each named after a different region of the country.