The Big Six: Venetian hideaways

Bloom & Settimo Cielo, San Marco

A fridge stocked with prosecco and a roof terrace with dreamy views: this pair of chic B&Bs – the upper floors are Bloom's, the lower Settimo Cielo's – has six individually-styled rooms. One is a sea of cream, with billowing organza curtains, painted beams and an ornate wooden headboard. Another (right) is decked out in sumptuous pink and gold with a plush velvet sofa, gilt mirror and flocked wallpaper.

Bloom & Settimo Cielo, Campiello Santo Stefano, San Marco 3470 (00 39 349 586 6001; bookings viai-escape.com). Doubles start at €125, including breakfast.

Casa Martini, Cannaregio

From your bedroom balcony at this quirky little B&B – just a stone's throw from the Rialto Bridge – you can gaze down over the bustling fruit and vegetable market. Choose from 18th-century Venetian or Provençal, 19th-century Tuscan, or contemporary designed rooms – some featuring rich damask fabrics and Murano chandeliers. There is also a couple of flower-covered terraces where you can sip an espresso in the day or a drink in the evening before heading out for dinner.

Casa Martini, Strada Nuova, Cannaregio 1314 (00 39 041 717 512; casamartini.it). Doubles start at €76.50, room only.

iQs, Castello

Hidden behind Piazza San Marco, iQs is the younger sibling of design hotel, DD724 and private house DD694. It's a stylish bolthole reached from the canal via a private pier. The interior features four ground-floor suites that mix cutting-edge Italian design and technology with sculptures, contemporary art and photography. The look is sleek and modern and offers an interesting alternative to more traditional Venetian hotels. The dramatic ambience is rounded off with a gothic courtyard, around which the suites are arranged.

iQs, Campiello Querini Stampalia, Castello 4425 (00 39 041 2410062; thecharminghouse.com). Doubles start at €200, including breakfast.

Leonessa, Dorsoduro

This gorgeous apartment in a Renaissance palazzo is all soaring white beams, bleached walls and pale floors, offset by modern artwork, Le Corbusier-style sofas and a large steel dining table. Bedrooms are putty-pale (walls, beams and floors) with vivid blood-red coverlets on the beds.

Leonessa, Dorsoduro (00 41 614 11 00 22; trulyveniceapartments.com). Weekly rental starts at €1,950. Sleeps six.

Locanda Novecento, San Marco

Tucked down an alley, this higgledy-piggledy boutique hotel has bags of charm. The nine rooms have oriental accents and exotic fabrics, there's a cosy lounge and breakfast is served in a walled garden. The owners also host regular art exhibitions.

Locanda Novecento, Calle del Dose, Campo San Maurizio, San Marco 2683 (00 39 041 241 3765; novecento.biz). Double rooms start at €160, including breakfast.

Calle dell Erbe 272, Giudecca

Interior designer Ilaria Miani has created a contemporary, sumptuous hideaway on Giudecca Island. Bedrooms come with apple-green walls and red velvet pillows. In the kitchen and living room, the palette is paler: mustard-hued walls, sofas and stainless steel fittings. Outside, the decking offers views across to St Mark's Basilica.

Calle dell Erbe 272, Giudecca (020-3326 1213; merrioncharles.com). Weekly rental from €3,000. Sleeps six.