Rooms

The 13 rooms and suites are spread over 5 Burano houses, each with a gorgeous, colourful facade. But while they may be authentic on the outside, we doubt many locals have such chic interiors. Scandi-minimalist in style, they're mainly white and an ode to design pieces: Arclinea desks, Moroso chairs, Bolzan Letti beds, to name a few. Spacious bathrooms have colourful tiles, rain showers and Fregonard toiletries; larger rooms get a tub too.

The sofa areas in the Suites can fit an additional 2 guests so they're good for families - or for a longer, romantic stay. We particularly liked the one we saw, with an exposed-brick wall and hideaway snug up a flight of stairs. Junior Suites are a bit smaller, with an in-room desk area, while Superior Rooms are perfect for 2 guests. Views are of the bright, colourful houses and busy waterways - totally captivating - and several rooms have a patio area with table and chairs.

The ground floor of each house has a communal living area, with tea-and-coffee making facilities and a couple of dining tables. We loved their mosaic-style floors, and thought they would be a good place to relax with a drink in the evening and chat to other guests.

Features include:

• Bathrobes
• Hairdryer
• Minibar
• Safe box
• WiFi

Eating

For breakfast, cross the footbridge to Mazzorbo, then walk through the vineyard to Venissa's Osteria Contemporanea (approx 10 mins). Here a continental buffet of homemade bread and croissants, creamy natural yoghurt, jam and cake await.

Dinner is offered at the Osteria too, and it's all affordable and very good, with a daily changing degustation menu (4 courses, closed on Thursdays in winter). We ate here and were wowed by a cuttlefish dish with a pumpkin cream and black squid ink.

Be sure to treat yourself to at least one meal at Venissa's more formal restaurant, which has a Michelin-star. The food is incredible, with offerings like soft-shelled crabs, baby squid and eel freshly plucked from the lagoon.

There are various other restaurants for dinner on Burano. Many close early so plan ahead.

Features include:

• Breakfast
• Coffee maker
• Restaurants nearby

Activities

• Visit Burano's lace-making shops and museum; if you're lucky, you'll see elderly women mid-creation, weaving and knotting. They're passionate about passing the tradition down to the next generation
  
• Take time to chat to locals, many of whom have fascinating life stories. You may meet Carmellina, who has worked in the family bakery since the age of 8; her circular bussolà cookies are the stuff of legend. Or Bruno, who spent his working life blowing glass on Murano, then retired and is now a gardener at Venissa
  
• Vaporetto boats glide from Mazzorbo to Murano, famed for its tourist-friendly glass workshops, as well as Torcello and Venice itself
  
• Spend a day in Venice and return as the tourists are leaving Burano. We loved wandering the labyrinthine cobbled streets, stopping off at galleries and St Mark's
  
• Tour local Prosecco vineyards with a guide from Venissa and taste the hotel's incredible wines
  
• The golf course on the Lido is said to be the best in Italy. It’s easily reachable by vaporetto from Mazzorbo
  
• Cross the bridge and stroll around Mazzorbo. It’s completely untouristy, without a single shop, but the views are sensational as the sun goes down on the lagoon

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Cycling

Kids

Families are welcome and will love the relaxed, independent vibe of the experience, as well as the friendly locals and family feel of Burano. Parents will find the basic kitchenettes useful for whipping up snacks and storing food in the fridge; note there are no microwaves.

Best for:

All ages

Family friendly accommodation:

Junior Suites can fit a baby cot or extra bed; Suites have a sofa, which can be converted into a bed for 1-2 children.

Distances:

• Airport: 49km (Marco Polo)
• Shop: 2 mins' walk
• Hospital: 40 minutes' vaporetto (Venice)

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Casa Burano is on the island of Burano in the north lagoon of Venice, 40 minutes by vaporetto from central Venice.

By Air:
Fly into Marco Polo or Treviso. The former is connected to the city by water bus or bus; to reach the city from Treviso, you have to take a bus or a taxi through the suburbs. From the centre of Venice, you need to find the Fondamente Nuovo stop to get the vaporetto to Mazzorbo (where you check in). It’s the same water bus you would take to reach Murano and Burano.

By Train:
Venice’s Mestre station is the closest to the city. From here you can take a bus or taxi into Piazza Roma, the terminus for all wheeled vehicles, and will then need to take 2 water buses or vaporetto to reach Burano (taking about 1 hour).

Detailed directions will be sent when you book through i-escape.com.