Hotel Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel, Venice

Hidden on the eastern tip of Giudecca island, Hotel Cipriani sits a three-minute private launch ride from St Mark's Square — close enough to reach the Doge's Palace in minutes, far enough to leave the crowds entirely behind.

The property spans a 15th-century palazzo and garden grounds rare in a city where land is measured in metres. An Olympic-length saltwater pool, almost unheard of in Venice, occupies a walled garden facing the lagoon. The Oro restaurant holds a Michelin star and sources its seafood from the Rialto fish market each morning.

Giudecca itself remains one of Venice's least-touristed sestieri, populated by working boatyards and a Palladian church rather than souvenir stalls. The hotel's launch runs on demand until late, making the island's remove a convenience rather than a constraint.