You arrive at JW Marriott Venice by water taxi and pull directly into the hotel lobby like something out of James Bond. You’re impressed from the word go. My Junior Suite was spacious and stunning, with its 2 bathroom compartments (featuring a giant bathtub, double sink, shower and separate toilet room) and a lounge area, in a sophisticated marble, cream and black palette. I slept like a log in my kingsize bed, and the next morning, autumn sun shone through through the sliding doors. My room was one of the 250 in the main hotel building but there are bi-level suites and villas too, each with either private pools or private gardens and offer complete luxury, of course, at greater cost.
I made the most of the breakfast buffet, fighting off children (I jest) for scrambled eggs, muffins, fresh fruit and waffles, before hitting the spa! Ahh, the spa. I love a good swim-out pool and this was a swim-out pool with a view across the lagoon! Not just that, but there were multiple saunas and steam rooms, and outdoor sun loungers too. It may have been late October but I had the most perfect blue skies and could happily hop from lounger to pool without feeling the chill. You could see the tower of St Mark’s Basilica from your lounger! As GOCO Spa is a destination in itself for many visitors and locals, there is a 25EUR fee for use for hotel guests (35EUR for everyone else). It does seem a little steep given you’ve paid for the hotel and its facilities, but it meant the spa wasn’t too busy and perfectly clean.
After a quick stroll around the grounds (though not so quick — it’s a whole island after all with 3 boat piers, 4 restaurants, meeting rooms, and even its own church!) it was time for lunch up on the rooftop restaurant, Sagra. The view from the top is even more impressive and there’s a pool up there too so you could quite happily set up camp for the whole day. Lunch was delicious; sat in the blazing sun looking out over the lagoon I had monkfish and grilled vegetables. It was by no means cheap(!) but it’s definitely an experience I’ll cherish — my table must have had one of the best views in Venice!
If you’re looking for a hotel where you can regularly pop back to your hotel for a coffee/ lie-down/ drop off your souvenirs, JW Marriott Venice isn’t necessarily it, but in all other instances, it’s glorious. I tripped into Venice itself after lunch on the free hotel shuttle boat which pulls directly into Piazza San Marco and only takes 15 minutes.
Dinner was at Dopolavoro, the hotel’s “ultimate gourmet experience”, which has recently earnt itself a Michelin star. Such accolade doesn’t surprise me one bit; my meal was fantastic. It started on a high with a glass of champagne and a few elegant amuse-bouches and continued on such a level with 3 wonderfully executed “Veneto-inspired” courses, with grilled octopus for my main, and a deconstructed tiramisu as the highlight.
The next morning, I had an early flight so took a water taxi straight to the hotel — the fastest way to travel, not to mention most exhilarating! Bouncing over those waves certainly woke me up, and meant I got to enjoy every last moment of the whole hotel experience. So many hotels and apartments in Venice are very hit or miss but here, you’re guaranteed a good stay from start to finish.
JW Marriott Venice Resort and Spa, rooms from £200/night