'Money no object' luxury versus a budget B&B in Venice
Hotel Danieli
Money no object? Then the Hotel Danieli is the place to stay in Venice. This 14th-century palazzo is ideally situated close to St Mark's Square and boasts beautiful views of the lagoon.
Hotel Danieli may be "phenomenally expensive", but it is worth every penny, says Simon O'Hagan in The Independent. It is "a riot of chandeliers, marble columns, ornate mirrors and antique rugs, all the accoutrements fit for Venetian nobility". But despite its grandeur, the hotel "has far too much history to concern itself with being hip, and the mark of its classiness is the relaxed and welcoming way in which its immaculately attired staff treat you".
Bedrooms are "luxuriously upholstered, with thick carpets, richly embroidered floor-to-ceiling curtains and sensationally comfortable beds". The best views are in the rooms overlooking the lagoon. Alternatively, you can opt for one of the historical suites located in the 14th-century Palazzo Dandolo part of the hotel.
Double rooms start at €280 a night, excluding breakfast, which costs €52 per person. To find out more, visit www.danielihotelvenice.com, or call 00 39 041 522 6480.
Fujiyama
Finding an affordable, centrally located hotel in Venice can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Luckily, Fujiyama fits the bill perfectly.
Located in the Dorsoduro district, this B&B is ten minutes from the Accademia, just far enough to allow you to escape the tourist hordes. "Affordable oases" such as Fujiyama are "scarce", says Teresa Machan in The Daily Telegraph.
The owners "bring a taste of the Orient to Venice", with their Japanese-style tea room, which "spills into a walled-garden courtyard draped with camellias, jasmine and wisteria". Breakfast is served in the hotel's pretty garden and consists of pastries plus "a raft of healthy teas and good coffee".
The four bedrooms are "spotless and simply furnished". The largest is Shanghai, which has a strong Oriental feel due to its Chinese furniture. The two smaller rooms – Tokyo and Paris – are so small they are best left for single travellers or those "light on luggage".
Double rooms cost from €72, including breakfast. There is a 10% discount for stays of longer than three nights in mid and low season. For more information, visit www.bedandbreakfast-fujiyama.it, or call 00 39 041 724 1042.
What the travel writers are saying
"Extravagance doesn't have to cost the earth," says Chris Haslam in The Sunday Times. You can get luxury holidays on the cheap. When it comes to booking your hotel room, there are a number of ways of getting a top-notch room at a rock-bottom price.
"Hotels are rarely 100% full, and even if they say they are, any general manager worth his salt has a couple of rooms tucked away in case a favourite guest turns up out of the blue," says Haslam. So there are "almost always" larger, better rooms than the one you've booked sitting empty. All you have to do is get upgraded.
The best way to do this is to ask nicely. A friendly email will often do the trick, according to Olivier Lordonnois, the general manager of Hotel de la Tremoille in Paris. If you are going to be celebrating a special occasion, then let the hotel know in advance. Also, try asking politely after you've checked in. "It helps to have a reason – a friend who mentioned 'a disturbing yet invisible presence' in her room at the Waldorf Astoria, in New York, was promptly upgraded," says Haslam. Just make sure you are always polite as those who just complain loudly rarely get what they ask for.
Kate Silverton: My dream holiday
For "tasteful luxury and local ambience", you won't do better than The Chedi in Muscat, says newsreader Kate Silverton in The Daily Telegraph.
"It is an incredibly calming place to stay, with perfect symmetry to its architecture and everything designed with your well-being in mind." Both the food and the service at the hotel were "superb".
Rooms from RO190 (£316). See Ghmhotels.com.