Hotel Metropole Venice

Even by Venetian standards, the Hotel Metropole is steeped in history — this was once an orphanage where Vivaldi gave music lessons. More recently, though still decades ago, it was acquired by the Beggiato family, and remains a family-owned and -operated hotel, decorated with the owners’ collections of art and antiques. And while it’s been renovated to keep pace with the times, its style is deliciously decadent, and eclectic — spanning a couple of centuries, and incorporating influences from all along the Silk Road, from Venice to Shanghai and everywhere in between.

Its location is impressively central, right on the Riva degli Schiavoni promenade, not far from St. Mark’s Square and local landmarks like Harry’s Bar. Inside, though, it’s anything but busy, and the rooms and suites, many of which face either the canal or the lagoon, are little self-contained worlds of luxury.

The Michelin-starred Met Restaurant is the hotel’s pride and joy, a modern fine-dining venue that’s full of antique art and theatrical atmosphere. The hotel’s tea room is another point of emphasis, trading on knowledge from all along the Silk Road; the Oriental Bar, meanwhile, is set in the very chapel where Vivaldi once taught. And now there’s a spa and wellness center to rival any small luxury hotel — another example of the Metropole’s ability to continue to evolve without sacrificing its essential character.