San Clemente Palace Venice

The lush, expansive gardens are simply unmatched, as are the activities on offer – from cycling around the island and reading while watching the sunset, to playing tennis or taking peaceful walks. It’s an experience that’s almost impossible to find anywhere else in Venice. The rooms were spacious, and as the hotel has been recently refurbished, everything is in perfect condition. The main building feels like a palace, with its wide corridors and magnificent staircases adorned with Murano chandeliers, giving the impression of residing in a royal residence. The staff were genuinely warm and welcoming, and the breakfast was delicious – plentiful without being wasteful, striking exactly the right balance in every respect. As the hotel is only a few years past its inauguration, it still feels as though certain aspects could be further refined. If you’re hungry and not especially patient, I would advise against dining at the bar. We tried on three occasions, and the shortest waiting time from order to service was forty-five minutes – once exceeding an hour – far too long for a simple club sandwich. In addition, special requests don’t always seem to be properly noted. I asked for fresh milk to be kept in the minibar throughout my stay; it was only provided on the first day and again on the day I reminded them. On the remaining days, there was none. A minor detail, perhaps, but one that feels out of place in a hotel of such otherwise impeccable standards.

Service appalling but food okay. Waited over half an hour for a drink and people who arrived after got served before. Staff and manager not good, headless chickens???? On an island so nowhere else to go!!

An extraordinary location. Staff were very warm & welcoming. We had requested a special picnic to share with dear friends who live in Trieste & Elena & Darya communicated with me prior to our arrival, & organised it magnificently. Darya looked after us & checked all the details with us, even making a special celebratory effort for one of the young members of the group who had just achieved an extraordinary Italian National milestone. We found many staff members contributed very positively to our stay! Thanks to Tiziano & Elena, but a very special thank you to Darya! Robyn & Rob

We stayed at the San Clemente to help celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary and we were not disappointed with our choice of hotel. From the moment we arrived and until we left (very sad to!) the staff just couldn't do enough to help you and they even surprised us on our last night with a card along with strawberry’s and chocolate in our room! We had an upgraded room which further enhanced our stay and we were blessed with the weather which was great and made exploring the hotel and Venice all the more enjoyable. Breakfast was lovely in the courtyard and there were plenty of options/food to choose from at the various buffet tables and made the more enjoyable with a glass of Prosecco to start the day! We had a fantastic meal one evening at the restaurant on the outside terrace at the front of the hotel watching the sun set over Venice and then seeing it all light up and the water taxis zipping past the island. Plenty to do and see in Venice and was great fun to catch the boat transfer to and from the hotel from St Marks Square. There are also plenty of vantage points on the hotel’s island to watch the world go by with the impressive Venetian back drop. Need to save a few more pennies but we do hope to be back!

Our stay at San Clemente Palace was five stars in every aspect. The room was exceptional and the hotel and gardens provided a welcome respite from the crowds in Venice. Our dining experiences were all amazing and the staff were friendly and welcoming. Although we had booked our stay through Viking Cruises, who were very helpful with our accommodations and activities, it was our hotel concierge, Dan, who arranged our visits to Murana and Burana, complete with private water taxis and hosts when we arrived at each island. Thank you to all of the staff for making our stay a special and memorable event.