Pensione La Calcina by Vanessa Kaoukji

Until about a year ago this small but perfectly formed boutique hotel was relatively unknown. But, as was bound to happen, word got around and now you have to be prepared to book 3 months in advance to secure yourself a room during high season.

The facilities

La Calcina used to be just a restaurant with rooms above it; a typical inn immortalised by John Ruskin in 1876. And although photos of the good old days adorn the walls and references to John Ruskin are scattered about, passion for the eminent Victorian is not what drives its popularity. What makes it so special is its charm. Public areas in this boutique hotel are light and airy – marble floors and oak beams successfully mix the new with the old.

Meals can be taken outside on the private pontoon with marvellous views of the Giudecca canal and the occasional cruise liner. There is also a little rooftop terrace where you can enjoy an evening drink or a meal (but you’ll have to book that in advance as well).

The rooms

The 29 bedrooms of this boutique hotel are all individually decorated but continue with the style of the lobby and breakfast area, so that parquet floors and some pieces of furniture are left over from the days of the inn, but the colours are creamy and classic.