One of the last great Venice establishments still in private hands, with a strict, utilitarian facade and subdued interiors providing a refreshing antidote to all the gilded and baroque excesses of the city. Refurbished for $38 million in 1999, it represents an exemplary marriage between cutting-edge technology and good old-fashioned craftsmanship. Behind all the trappings of expensive luxury -- local Murano glasswork, rich Rubelli furnishings and Carrara marble floors -- it's a high-tech wonderland, with wireless connections in every room, flat-screen TVs.
