Hey travelers, where do celebrities stay during the Venice Film Festival? Here's the best hotels.
Every summer, the world's biggest stars arrive in Venice for one of cinema's most prestigious events. The Venice International Film Festival takes place on the Lido di Venezia, and celebrities need more than just a room-they need a safe haven that balances glamour, privacy, and proximity to the red carpet. Celebrity accommodations during the Venice Film Festival feature luxury and privacy at a heightened level that few other locations in the world can match.
Since the Venice Film Festival began in 1932, this city on the water has hosted actors, filmmakers, and very important guests who demand nothing less than the best. From the Lido's seaside resort hotels to secluded island retreats, here's where the stars actually stay.
Let's find out in this complete post by Venice Insider Guide.
Where do celebrities stay during the Venice Film Festival: How We Chose the Best Hotels
Venetian hotels are uniquely suited for celebrity needs, including security and amenities that create a protective bubble around VIP guests. Here's what matters most:
- Proximity to festival venues: Luxury hotels on the Lido provide convenient access to festival events and red carpets at the Palazzo del Cinema.
- Privacy and security: Many celebrities choose hotels with private docks for easy water taxi access, and Venetian hotels often coordinate with private security to ensure guest privacy.
- Historical significance: Celebrities prefer historic hotels for old-world glamour during the festival-places where Elizabeth Taylor, Cary Grant, and Burt Reynolds once walked through the lobby.
- Luxury amenities: Pool, spa, Michelin dining, and personalized service that go beyond what everybody expects.
- Transportation logistics: Water taxi coordination, private motorboat transfers, and secluded boarding points.
- Industry reputation: Venues where the film community gathers, where press conferences happen, and where filmmakers host dinner after premieres.
Where do celebrities stay during the Venice Film Festival: Top 3
We have selected the best hotels where VIPs stay at the Venice Film Festival.
1. Hotel Excelsior Venice
The Hotel Excelsior is the original festival hotel, historically linked to the Venice Film Festival since 1932. Situated directly on the Lido, this seaside resort has been the epicenter of Venice film activity for nearly a century, welcoming stars who march down its crimson carpet before heading to premieres at the Palazzo del Cinema.
Why It Stands Out
The Excelsior holds official festival hotel status with direct red carpet access. When celebrities arrive by water taxi, photographers line the iconic dock-it's one of the most recognizable arrival points in cinema history. The spotlight here is constant, and that's precisely the point.
Best For
Stars who want to be at the center of festival action. If you're attending multiple premieres, doing press rounds, or presenting films, the Excelsior minimizes travel and maximizes visibility.
Key Strengths
- 198 renovated rooms with sea and lagoon views
- Historic glamour-past guests include Greta Garbo, Clark Gable, and Joan Crawford
- Prime Lido beachfront location steps from the Palazzo del Cinema
- Celebrity arrival experience that's become iconic in its own right
Possible Limitations
- High visibility means paparazzi presence is constant
- The busy festival atmosphere limits opportunities to relax
- Being on the Lido means you're removed from central Venice and landmarks like St Mark's Square
2. Hotel Cipriani
Hotel Cipriani opened in 1958 on Giudecca island, and it has been a popular retreat during the Venice Film Festival ever since. Giuseppe Cipriani founded the hotel after his success with Harry's Bar, envisioning a place where the world's most famous faces could escape the frenzy. The hotel joined the Belmond collection in 1976 and has hosted glamorous guests since its opening in 1958.
Giudecca island provides a secluded setting for celebrities during the festival-separated from the main island by a stretch of lagoon, Cipriani Venice operates more like a private resort than a city hotel. Some celebrities choose unique accommodations like private yachts for privacy, but most agree that the Cipriani offers something no yacht can: sprawling grounds, world-class dining, and a sense of history.
Why It Stands Out
Hotel Cipriani features an Olympic-sized swimming pool-the largest swimming pool in central Venice. The secluded island location offers complete privacy, making it the kind of place where you can actually have fun between appearances without worrying about cameras.
Best For
A-list celebrities seeking maximum privacy and luxury. Stars like Julia Roberts, Bradley Cooper, Catherine Deneuve, and Cate Blanchett-actors who prefer intimate retreats between festival appearances-gravitate here.
Key Strengths
- Legendary guests including Sophia Loren, Frank Sinatra, Brad Pitt, and George Clooney (Amal Clooney has also been spotted on the grounds with friends)
- Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck stayed at Hotel Cipriani in 2021
- Keira Knightley was seen swimming at Hotel Cipriani during the festival
- George Clooney's suit was ironed by hotel staff during the festival-the kind of taking care that defines the experience
- Past guests include Meryl Streep and Frank Sinatra
- Hotel Cipriani has hosted celebrities like Brad Pitt and Sophia Loren across decades
- Private motorboat shuttles for guests to reach festival venues
- The hotel has a Michelin-starred restaurant named Oro, led by a talented chef
- A Dior Spa is available for guests at Hotel Cipriani
- The hotel grounds include red-clay tennis courts and a vineyard
- Hotel Cipriani offers private motorboat shuttles for guests, making the boat ride to the Lido almost as glamorous as the red carpet itself
Possible Limitations
- Rooms at Hotel Cipriani cost around $2,200 per night, climbing much higher during peak festival dates
- Distance from festival venues requires boat transport, which can add logistical complexity on a busy night
As Condé Nast Traveller has noted, the Cipriani remains the gold standard for celebrities who want resort-level luxury without leaving Venice. It welcomes important guests year round, not just during the festival.
3. Palazzo Stern
Not every star wants the grand resort treatment. Celebrities stay in ultra-private, historic palazzos to escape the paparazzi, and Palazzo Stern is one of the best-kept secrets along the Grand Canal. The Grand Canal area offers a glamorous and central location for celebrity accommodations, and this boutique property delivers exactly that.
Why It Stands Out
Palazzo Stern offers a historic palazzo setting with personalized service. With only 24 rooms, the staff can create a bespoke experience that larger hotels simply can't match. Recently, it has won attention from travelers and industry insiders who comment on its authentic Venetian character.
Best For
Celebrities who prefer boutique luxury over large resort hotels. If you want an authentic Venetian palace experience-period mosaics, canal-side terraces, the kind of place where you might bump into a bunch of interesting people at breakfast-this is it.
Key Strengths
- Gothic palace architecture with stunning canal views
- Intimate scale with only 24 rooms
- Prime Grand Canal location near cultural sites, the Gritti Palace, and Hotel Danieli
- Ideal for stars traveling with a small group rather than a large entourage
Possible Limitations
- Limited resort-style amenities compared to larger properties-no pool, no spa
- Fewer privacy options due to smaller size and city-center exposure
- Aman Venice and Hotel Cipriani are favored for their exclusivity and privacy by those who need the highest level of seclusion
Where do celebrities stay during the Venice Film Festival depending on the choice
We have selected the best hotels where VIPs stay at the Venice Film Festival.
Based on Festival Involvement Level
A heavy festival schedule-premieres, press, interviews-demands Lido proximity. The Excelsior is the obvious pick. Selective appearances allow for the island escape that Cipriani provides, where you can relax between events in Italy's most exclusive retreat.
Based on Privacy Needs
High-profile arrivals benefit from the established celebrity protocols at the Excelsior, where everybody knows the choreography. Private retreat preferences favor secluded island locations like Giudecca, where the paparazzi can't simply wander over.
Based on Luxury Expectations
Resort amenities-the pool, spa, tennis courts-make Cipriani unmatched. Boutique intimacy and palace history make Palazzo Stern compelling for a different kind of traveler. And for those who want the newest option, keep your eye on properties reopening across the city.
Final Thoughts
Where do celebrities stay during the Venice Film Festival? The answer depends on what they need from the experience.
So, the Hotel Excelsior remains the traditional choice for stars with packed schedules, while Hotel Cipriani offers an unmatched luxury retreat on its own island. Palazzo Stern proves that smaller, more personal locations can deliver their own kind of magic.
These properties have hosted entertainment legends for decades-from Sophia Loren to George Clooney, from the golden age of cinema to today's summer blockbuster stars. The right hotel doesn't just complement a festival experience. It defines it.
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