Highly recommended. The first thing you must understand about Venice is that the hotel location will determine how much you enjoy your visit. This hotel is ideal in every way.

Initially we stayed at the Hilton Molino Stucky, which was a disaster. When we switched to the Hotel Palazzo Stern, we had very low expectations. What a wonderful surprise. The Palazzo Stern is beautiful, luxurious, convenient, comfortable and the building is a work of art.

The location is superb. It is located on the Grand Canal in an enviable spot, overlooking the Accademia bridge, but far from the tourist crowds. It's right next to the Ca Rezzonico vaporetto stop, and it has its own dock for water taxis. That is very convenient. By foot, you will find the Accademia bridge is a short distance from the hotel, and St Mark's Square is an easy stroll from there.

The Hotel Palazzo Stern is situated in a fascinating neighborhood. It is not the touristic part of Venice. Instead, it is filled with art and craft shops from local merchants. We found beautiful fashion and design and jewelry shops in the small streets near the hotel. There are also a dozen very good restaurants within a five or ten minute walk from the hotel: we ate most of our meals in this neighborhood because we liked it so much. There are also many small bars in the next neighborhood (follow the signs towards Ferrovia / Piazza Roma and you will be there in five minutes).

Inside, the hotel is a jewel box. The building has a fascinating history. In the late 1800s, the art-collecting Stern Family from Paris purchased what was then a small ceramic studio located on the Grand Canal. Previously there had been a legendary palace on this site, but that family went bankrupt and the house was stripped for building materials. As a result, the Sterns were able to build a showcase for their vast collection of art work and sculptures. Imagine: a 19th-century recreation of a classic Venetian palace, decorated with medieval sculptures from all over Italy and Europe. The entire building is like an art history tour with striking details in every corner.

The rooms are quiet and well appointed with luxurious fabrics and nice amenities. We stayed in a suite overlooking the Grand Canal. I can say that this is one of the finest hotel rooms I have ever stayed in (after 30 years of world travel). The view from the window was magnificent. All day long we watched with joy as the boats traveled up and down the Grand Canal past our room. The bathrooms are clean, built with excellent materials and very comfortable appointments.

I cannot recommend this hotel highly enough. I strongly urge you to consider staying here and making this your home in Venice.

We, a family of four, thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Hotel Palazzo Stern in Nov 2012. We stayed in the junior suite with two comfortable adult sized beds for my 11 and 14 year old boys. The hotel located in the artistic quarter of Venice (Dorsoduro) was an easy stroll to the major attractions in Venice yet away from the tourist crowds. In my opinion, Dorsoduro is the most charming area in a city that is already oozing with charm. Being next to the vaporetto stop along the Grand Canal made things extra convenient on days where we were lazy to walk or had heavy bags to carry (St Mark's is a couple of stops away - close but not too close!!). The hotel is a luxurious and intimate with beautiful fittings, moldings and carvings. It is clear that a lot of thought went into the preservation of this building without sacrificing creature comforts of demanding guests. Pictures of the hotel did not do justice to how pretty this hotel is. Service at the hotel matched the top quality of the hotel. Everyone at the hotel was eager to serve and recommendations to attractions and restaurants were spot on. The terrace by the canal was perfect after a day of exploration- a end of the day highlight for me. Highly recommended!

very good location, close to san marco, academia, dorsoduro and vaporetto station (10 meters) Staff is very nice, efficient and professionnal. Breakfirst is very large choice. Room is quite and the view of our room on the roofs and steeples is very beautiful

This charming hotel right on the Grand Canal is in a fabulous location, just steps from the Ca'Rezzonica vaporetto stop making it easy to get anywhere in the city. The historical features of the hotel add to it's uniqueness as well as the delightful terrace overlooking the canal. It is also an easy walk to many sights and museums The staff is friendly and very helpful, the breakfast is lovely and the rooms quite comfortable and well appointed. Dorsoduro is a delightful quiet neighborhood away from the hubbub of San Marco with many good restaurants and shops. We were in Venice in an early November high flood tide which was actually lots of fun - we were able to buy rubber boots nearby and continue about our sightseeing without so many other tourists around!