Hotel Metropole, Venice, Italy
A couple of minutes' walk from the Bridge of Sighs and the Doge's Palace, in a stylish palazzo that dates back to 1500, the Metropole is eclectically chic, privately owned-and-run, full of Venetian charm and has an intriguing collection of antique fans, evening bags, corkscrews, nutcrackers and crucifixes.
Enjoy alfresco breakfasts in the tranquil Citrus Garden and lavish dining at the Michelin-starred Met; unique hand-crafted cocktails, or – from October to March – a Dammann Frères tea ceremony at the Oriental Bar (where Vivaldi composed the Four Seasons and Thomas Mann wrote parts of Death in Venice).