The Hotel Denali is a sumptous five star hotel just off of San Marco Square. On our last night in Venice, we decided to stop in for a drink at Harry's Bar. The waiter asked us if we had reservations (For a DRINK!!). Well, we decided to have our drink elsewhere, and found the Denali to be a warm and hospitable choice. The lobby and bar are elegantly decorated with plush velvet chairs and couches. Sittee groups surround dark wood tables perfect for intimate conversations. There was a tuxedo clad singer belting out American classics on a grand piano, and a group of Italians (and their dog) drinking coctails at the bar.
We sat in a grouping halfway between the bar and lobby, where we could see everything going on in the hotel. Besides the people at the bar, the place was virtually empty. A waiter came to take our order as soon as we sat down. He returned with our drinks, and a three-tiered snack tray of cookies, crackers and nuts. We sat in the lobby for well over an hour enjoying the music an atmosphere and despite the suroundings, found it utterly lacking in pretention (unlike Harry's). Highly recommended if you just want to have a quiet drink in a beautiful place.