Locanda Leon Bianco by Vanessa Kaoukji

Just around the corner from the Rialto Bridge this charming little B&B is so discrete that staying here is almost like being a resident in Venice. A small little arrow with the words ‘Locanda Leon Bianco’ below it points you through an iron gate and up the main stone staircase to the first floor of a 13th century building. The building is so old, in fact, that the mottled floor of the reception has warped over time. There are only 8 rooms in the hotel and no public space to speak of, so breakfast is served in your room, but the rooms are so charming that all of this is instantly forgiven. The main rooms to recommend are those with canal views. Sweetly decorated with lemony-yellow silk covers contrasting with the dark wooden floors (if its not the original wood, then its certainly very old) , overall the rooms appear very light and airy. The best room has three large windows overlooking the Grand Canal (far better than the junior suite which is huge but without a canal view and you have to put up with the gaudy mural), others have views of the smaller side canal. Utterly charming and with rates to match, the Leon Bianco should not be overlooked.