Not the sort of place you want to rock up to with a backpack and no reservation, this enchanting 16th-century locanda (inn) feels just like a luxurious English manor house. Worthy of Napoleon, Churchill and Prince Charles (yep, they've all stayed here), the elegant dark wood, stone floors and plush furnishings ensure an old-world-meets-new-luxury feel.
Hogging its own lakeside niche on Punta San Viglio, it's all housed in the Villa Guarienti, designed by star Venetian architect Sammicheli, and set within a formal Renaissance garden.