Skip the crowds on the historic center and base yourself on the lagoon islands. Lido and San Clemente offer quieter luxury, easy festival access, and on-site amenities that let you arrive by water taxi, change, relax, and return to the party without the daily back-and-forth to Venice proper.
Choose Kempinski San Clemente Palace for privacy on its own island, historic monastery setting, gardens, pool, and lagoon-facing dining with shuttle service to Venice.
Book festival logistics and upgrades in advance: water-taxi service, private-boat excursions, and curated local experiences will save time and add value.
Why pick Lido or San Clemente during the Venice Film Festival
Venice's historic center fills with general tourists in late summer. During festival week the Lido becomes the practical center for premieres, photocalls, and arrivals. Staying on the barrier island or on nearby San Clemente keeps you close to events while avoiding the daily shuffle across the city.
The Excelsior: convenience, sand, and festival proximity
Recent renovations reopened the Excelsior in May with redesigned rooms and suites and a new terrace restaurant, Amù Venice. The property is the only five-star resort on the Lido's sand and offers a beach club with private cabanas, a heated pool, and sports options including stand-up paddle boarding, water skiing, boating, and tennis. The hotel provides complimentary water taxis to nearby destinations such as Harry's Bar.
San Clemente Palace: a private-island option
Rooms emphasize scale—high ceilings, large windows overlooking gardens or the canal, gilded mirrors, and terrazzo floors. Grounds feature a tranquil heated pool, tennis and volleyball courts, a spa, and a waterside golf training area. The hotel runs regular art and sculpture exhibitions and outdoor screenings. A complimentary shuttle boat runs to Venice all day, which preserves both privacy and access.
Dining options on the island include Acquerello, the main restaurant on the lagoon serving modern Venetian dishes, and La Specialità for poolside casual fare such as thin-crust pizzas, salads, pastas, and fish.
Arrange curated experiences to upgrade your stay
SeeItaly offers upgrades and private experiences that fit festival week travel: a 60-meter wooden sailing yacht (no motor) with a Michelin-starred chef, tours of local palazzos, intimate rooftop dinners overlooking the Grand Canal, and appointments with local artisans for bespoke jewelry, scarves, shoes, or Venetian masks. These options add privacy and memorable moments without relying on crowded public transport.
How to decide between the two islands
Festival-week rooms and curated services require advance planning. If your priority is to be physically near screenings and photocalls, book Lido early. If privacy and a resort-style stay matter more, reserve San Clemente's limited rooms and book the shuttle and on-island dining in advance.
For a festival-week visit that balances access with calm, base yourself on the lagoon islands rather than in Venice's tourist-packed historic core. Lido and San Clemente provide different mixes of convenience, luxury, and seclusion—pick the one that matches how public or private you want your festival experience to be.
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