Creative Commons licensePhoto by flickr user KoldFish

The secret of a successful interlude in Venice is to get lost. Leave behind the crowds around San Marco and the Rialto and wander away, along quiet canals and through dusty squares, pausing from time to time in churches to find a Bellini here, a Vivarini there, and in neighbourhood osterie and bacari for something to eat and drink. Then back to your hotel or guesthouse, where, if the spell is not to be broken, atmosphere counts for everything. Always at least try for a room with a view: you need to book well in advance for high season, and be prepared to pay extra for the privilege. Or consider a winter visit: the skies are often blue, the crowds dispersed, prices are low, and that perfect room with a view is far more likely to be yours. We have divided the pick of the city's accommodation into two lists: Classic (hotels with restaurants); and Guesthouses/B&Bs. If you require full facilities and services, you are probably better off in a hotel; if however you prefer something less hard on the pocket and more personal and in many cases atmospheric, then there are a handful of extremely charming guesthouses or b&bs from which to choose. The order of the hotels in this list bears no reflection on our preference.

Written by Fiona Duncan