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Among the last family-owned hotels in Venice and the only one run by a woman, the Bauer Il Palazzo offers a more authentic grand Venetian experience than any other property in the city. (Its sister hosteleries are the adjoining four-star Bauer Hotel, a four-star property, in a modern wing, which is popular with high-end group tours; the new Palladio Hotel & Spa on Guidecca; and the Bauer Casa Nova, with miniapartments that are great for families.) Il Palazzo occupies a gorgeous 18th-century mansion on the Grand Canal facing Giudecca and the Santa Maria della Salute church. Francesca Bortolotto Possati, whose grandfather bought the hotel in the 1940s, has painstakingly incorporated all the modern luxuries that today’s traveler expects while preserving its Venetian heritage. The hallways have been painted with crushed marble using an ancient technique; the suites and rooms feature restored trompe l’oeil ceilings, silk wall coverings and curtains from venerable Venetian fabric houses and delicate gilt furniture. Even the bedside lamps have Murano-glass bases and traditional Venetian paper shades. Of Il Palazzo’s eighty-two rooms, thirty-eight are suites, and each is unique and lusciously Venetian. Rubelli fabrics cover one-of-a-kind antiques, and hand-blown Murano chandeliers cast a soft glow. The best rooms are, of course, those with a view of the Grand Canal. The Royal Suite, on the second floor, has marble floors, frescoed ceilings, fabric-covered walls and antiques. Its balcony has some of the best front-row seats from which to observe life passing by on the canal. The Presidential Suite, on the top floor, is more modern in feeling and has a private wraparound terrace that looks out towards the Giudecca. This is Old World elegance in all its glory, which modern hipsters may not relate to. However, those with refined taste and an appreciation of authentic historic surroundings, such as actor Jeremy Irons, Sting and actress Catherine Deneuve, make this their home in Venice. In fact, the majority of Il Palazzo’s guests are repeat visitors who, once they experience its level of service, wouldn’t dream of staying anywhere else in town. Tip: room number 106 faces the Grand Canal and has glorious painted ceilings.

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For a getaway that’s almost like staying at a resort, book at this iconic hotel on the island of Giudecca, a five-minute boat ride from San Marco. With its beautifully appointed rooms, a spa offering La Prairie treatments, lushly planted gardens and an Olympic-size swimming pool, the Cipriani is as luxurious as you can get in Venice. All rooms are traditional in decor and were designed with comfort in mind. At 183 square feet, the standard rooms are smaller than the suites but still roomy, with views of the hotel’s garden. The Cipriani has long prided itself on creating one-of-a-kind suites; the newest addition is the two-room Dogeressa, with four Gothic-style windows that perfectly frame perspectives of St. Mark’s Cathedral. The sumptuous Palladio Suite, which can be booked as a one- or two-bedroom, faces the lagoon and has a private heated plunge pool overlooking the water. When you’re relaxing in the living room, gazing out the floor-to-ceiling windows, you feel as if you were floating on your own Venetian ship. Families might consider a room in the hotel’s Palazzo Vendramin, whose suites come with kitchenettes. Rooms from $1,141.

If you want to be centrally based and Il Palazzo is booked, this 100-room hotel near Piazza San Marco (the entrance is just across the street from Harry’s Bar) is a good alternative. The Benetton Group bought the classic Monaco as well as an adjacent 17th-century palazzo in 1992 and linked the two in a lengthy renovation that was completed in 2003. The Sala del Ridotto, the centerpiece of the project, which now houses several lounge areas, was painstakingly restored, its ceiling frescoes, marble columns and gorgeous mosaic floors and stucco returned to their Baroque grandeur. Since I stayed at the Monaco in 2004, I’ve heard that people now like to rent the Ridotto for special events: a wedding reception or birthday celebration in this historic space would be wonderfully atmospheric. As the guest rooms in the refurbished palazzo can be on the small side and have mediocre views, it’s best to splurge on one of the elegantly decorated suites facing the Grand Canal. Rooms from $540.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Families should consider staying at the Palazzo Selvadego, the Monaco’s sister property, also owned by the Benetton Group. Housed in a 16th-century building a five-minute walk from the Monaco, the Selvadego has forty rooms with kitchenettes, a stylish decor in warm colors and terraces on the upper floors. You forgo close-up views of the Grand Canal, but for families this property is a good value, and the location can’t be beat. ~SIMONE GIRNER

See also: Bauer Il Palazzo, Boutique