With spectacular views over the Grand Canal, The Westin Europa & Regina offers a welcome reprieve from the bustling tourist city below

The Westin Europa & Regina sits at the very beginning of the Grand Canal. Made-up of not one, but five historical 17th-century palaces, the property, offers unrivalled views to some of Venice’s most spectacular sights – including both the Basilica di Santa Maria Della Salute and the Punta Delia Dogana.

It’s right in the heart of the theatre district, Vall XXII Marzo, and just a stone’s throw away from Venice’s biggest tourist hotspot, Piazza San Marco. Even the streets nearby the hotel are lined with tourists, window shopping Italian luxury labels like Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo and Zegna.

While guests may choose to brave the maze of quiet back streets leading to the hotel’s entrance, those wishing for a quieter – and certainly more picturesque arrival – should make use of the hotel’s dedicated canal mooring.

 

The Westin boasts a stunning location. The canal-side terraces of the bar and restaurant are some of the largest and best in Venice and provide ample opportunity to sit and watch the world go by on the Grand Canal. Bar Tiepolo is one of the more atmospheric drinking establishments in all of Venice.

Styled to look like an old-school Venetian Salon, its waterfront terrace is one of the best in the city, with Instagram-worthy views of the sun-setting behind the Basilica di Santa Maria Della Salute on the other side of the canal.

For a bite to eat, guests must sample the food at Restaurant La Cusina. Chef Albert Fol has been in charge of the eatery since 2008 and presents the best of local, seasonal food with flamboyant plating. The restaurant is equally suited to nights on the open-air terrace when it is warm, or inside the cosy dining room if the weather fails you.

 

The hotel is massive – by Venetian standards – and offers one of the best varieties of rooms in the city. The hotel is a myriad of corridors, the result of the hotel being built from five separate palaces dating from the 17th to 19th centuries. As such, rooms come in all shapes and sizes. The best overlook the Grand Canal itself, with bigger suites offering rooftop terraces that let you admire the city beyond.

One of the biggest draws to The Westin Europa & Regina is the canal. The hotel has a gondola station practically on its doorstep, while the art district, Venice Opera House and St Mark’s Square are just five minutes away.

Indeed, while the stellar bar and restaurant are certainly worth visiting, it’s the hotel’s location and stunning views over the Grand Canal that will have guests coming back for more.

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