I wasn’t expecting much from the exterior of this top-rated Venitian hotel…it’s in the Dorsoduro area and others have said: the magic starts when you enter. Because of my low expectations I was pleasantly surprised by the gorgeous awnings and stained glass accents. This place has attention to detail down pat! Another bonus is that we were able to use public transportation to get here. 6 euros each for a very nice and brief drive in a cool and comfortable bus which looked brand new. The bus took us to piazza Roma, which is a great place to by the Alilaguna passes (the public boat/taxi which is about 50 euros pp and runs nonstop to anywhere you’d like to go) and also a place to get an espresso if you are feeling a bit jet lagged after a long flight. We were and enjoyed a coffee and an aperitif called negroni. When in Italy always drink something w Campari or Aperol…it makes the experience complete. Back to the hotel- we walked 5 min and found it. We were told to sit in their gorgeous garden and served coffee and prosecco (Italian version of champagne) and given wonderful hazelnut tortes. Sunshine and a perfect start. Hospitality means so much. The room is small but luxurious…and to be fair, it’s large for an Italian room 🙂 the bathroom has two windows overlooking the canal as does the bedroom. The furniture looks custom made and the bed is comfortable. The nespresso maker is a nice touch, as are the free items in the mini bar. The closet is roomy…though we will be moving to our next hotel tomorrow which is in Guidecca (an island in the venice area which is a 10 min boat rode away)so we won’t be unpacking…just relaxing and enjoying our time here.