A 17th-century former palace refurbished into a luxury hotel in 2013, Hotel Ai Reali is set on a quiet canal between the Rialto and Piazza San Marco. The elegant, typically Venetian-style rooms feature antique furniture, silk embossed walls and marble bathrooms, and most have original wood floors and balconies. Two suites offer canal views, and junior suites have fireplaces. A restaurant, Alla Corone, serves Italian cuisine, and there’s a lounge bar looking out onto the canal plus a small garden. The top floor houses the chic spa, which includes a swimming pool, sauna, turkish bath and jacuzzi.  Finally, pets are more than welcome at the hotel.