The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice

We spent one night in Venice at the end of a long trip and splurged on The Gritti Palace, paying $1,500 for a standard room. Celebrating a special occasion, we were upgraded to a deluxe room which was of comfortable proportions. Unfortunately, being a busy time of year, no rooms with views were available. On that note, try not to go to Venice in July, it's the hottest we've ever been on Earth. Due to the heat, we returned to the hotel for every meal, and found the food delicious and beautifully presented and the dining location unbeatable. Of course it was very, very expensive but seemed worth it to escape the throngs of tourists in the busiest corner of Venice. The room was faultless, though in hindsight, I would have prioritized having a room with a view. The marble bath with soaking tub was divine. The staff surprised us with champagne and strawberries at one point. Service was a 10/10. Every staff member we encountered was pleasant and helpful. I don't know that I would stay in this section of Venice again- you must traverse all the basic shopping (Rolex, etc.) you see in every major city to get to the sites. I would pick a more charming, local neighborhood and make one trip in for Doge's Palace.