Hotel Ala by Jamie Dunford Wood

Turned away by the Gritti, or shocked by the price, you could do worse than check in to the hotel opposite, on the other side of the square. The Ala is the flagship hotel of the Salmaso family, who also have the endlessly popular Pensione Accademia, so they must be doing something right. It’s also a Best Western, which always promotes character and family values, and this is no exception. The reception area is bright and airy with stuccoed walls and heavy Venetian antiques, while upstairs the rooms are generally bright and elegantly done up, with new wooden parquet flooring, marble bathrooms and pretty Venetian chandeliers. Walls come in the plain of painted panel variety, but all are elegantly done in the Venetian style while not being too heavy. There are 20 deluxes out of 89, but since these face the square, they are the ones to ask for (for not a lot extra cost), as others can be smaller and darker. Those on the second floor have the larger windows.