Thousands of tourists CANCELLED holidays after Japan's ‘Baba Vanga' predicted terrifying natural disaster
The manga comic claimed the nation would be hit yesterday by a tsunami, an asteroid or even the end of the world.
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Despite a volcanic eruption at Mount Shinmoedake and several earth tremors on its Tokara Islands, thankfully the doomsday prediction failed to come true.
But it was enough for superstitious travellers to stay away.
Nearly four million people visited Japan in April but there was an 11 per cent dip in May.
Most of the cancellations were from people in Hong Kong but also from China, Vietnam and Thailand.
The predictions came in The Future I Saw, in which artist Ryo Tatsuki details her dreams.
In 1999, the comic warned of a disaster in March 2011 — and that month a Japanese earthquake and tsunami killed 18,000 people.
It garnered cult status and a Complete Edition reprint in 2021 included the new prophecy that the 'real disaster' would hit on July 5, 2025.
But Tatsuki's publishers have insisted she is 'not a prophet'.
Moment 'mini-tsunami' sweeps SIDEWAYS across tourist beach injuring 8 injured as freak wave drags sunbathers over rocks
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Choosing a hotel in Venice can be a tricky process. An annual influx of 30 million tourists (compared with fewer than 50,000 locals) means the narrow calli (streets) are crammed with hotels, B&Bs, Airbnbs and self-catering options. Some are mind-blowing, others distinctly mediocre. How do you decide which to pick? For me – as someone who's lived in Venice for the past five years and visited regularly before that – it's all about location. But location doesn't necessarily mean right by the main sights; in a city as busy as this, it can feel like a trial to be staying in the middle of the madness. Venice has six sestieri (neighbourhoods) in its 'centre' (the main part of town, connected by bridges) and you can walk from one side of the city to the other in under an hour. Sometimes being in a quieter district can make the stay less stressful; sometimes staying near the train or bus station means you can ditch the crowded, expensive waterbus system, dump your bags at the hotel and walk into town each day. Maybe you've saved up to blow the budget at one of Venice's five-star grande dames. Maybe you're looking for a smaller B&B. Sustainability might be on your mind – as it should be in this most fragile of cities. Most of the hotels on this list are locally owned and many have initiatives to help you spend your money where it will stay in the local economy. Whatever you're looking for – traditional or modern, boutique or big – you'll find it in Venice. Here, in no particular order, are 12 of my favourite places in La Serenissima. Best hotels in Venice 2025 At a glance 1. Gritti Palace How much do I love the Gritti? Let me count the ways. First, there are the rooms: 82 of them, each crammed (and I mean crammed) with antiques, artworks, heavy drapes and lush fabrics from Rubelli, Venice's famous silk-weavers. All have a water view, whether that's of a gondola-filled side canal, or the Grand Canal itself. Then there's the history – the building dates back to 1475, and you feel it at every turn. There's a school-of- Titian painting over the fireplace, while even the bar has works by 18th-century artist Pietro Longhi. And then there's the terrace, cantilevered over the Grand Canal. You might come for a cocktail. You might do dinner. Either way, you'll see the water twinkling, hear the gondolas sloshing past, catch the eye of greedy seagulls – and stay for another drink. This is the mother of Venice's grande dames and it shows. It's a hefty spend, but worth it. Address: Campo Santa Maria Del Giglio, San Marco 2467, Venezia 30124 VE, Italy 2. Hotel Flora A three-minute skip from Piazza San Marco is this gorgeous hotel owned by the Romanelli family – locals who own the nearby Novecento and the high-design rental Casa Flora next door. Sustainable tourism is a way of life for them, so although you're in the heart of things, you'll be encouraged to try out activities and experiences that benefit the local community. Not that it's all do-gooding; this is a brilliantly comfortable, wonderfully run hotel. Ignore its three-star rating, which gives totally the wrong impression. Rooms here are blessed with antique furniture, cloud-comfy beds with fine linens, and plush bathrooms. Breakfast is served in the tranquil courtyard below. You might be worried about the crowds when staying in San Marco, but there's no need to be here. The hotel sits down a narrow alley off the main drag, so although you're seconds from the sights, it really is peaceful. Address: San Marco 2283/A, Venezia 30124 VE, Italy 3. Hotel Sant'Antonin You may not think of Venice as a city of gardens, but it is if you're staying at this gorgeous hideaway, which is owned by a local family and has been passed down through the generations. In Castello, the quiet sestiere behind San Marco, it has a canal out the front and a lush, pergola-wrapped garden around the back. The hotel sits in an antique-stuffed 16th-century palazzo, though the 13 rooms are more simple than art-swaddled, with parquet or terrazzo floors and lavish bedspreads the only concessions to typical Venetian style – apart, that is, from the room where a chandelier dangles from a frescoed ceiling. They're all spacious, but junior suites are particularly good for families, as they come with sofa beds. The top-level rooms are the ones to go for, with exposed beam ceilings, but best of all is the cute altana, or roof terrace, perched amid the terracotta tops of the neighbouring palazzos. Address: Castello 3299, Fondamenta Furlani, Venezia 30122 VE, Italy 4. Avogaria You'll forget you're in tourist town at Avogaria, a tiny, five-room residence at the far (read: local) end of Dorsoduro. Here in a peaceful 16th-century building, around a 15-minute walk from the Accademia Bridge, or a quick hop to the San Basilio vaporetto stop, is a cosy home-from-home – there's even a fake cat curled up in the window. Rooms adopt a modern take on flouncy Venetian design – think mosaic walls, richly painted colours, beautifully woven rugs and gilded mirrors, with the odd concrete floor and exposed beam (owner Francesco Pugliese is an architect). Three junior suites sport private walled gardens. For an upmarket take on Venice – but still locally owned – this is a lovely choice. Address: Calle Dell'Avogaria 1629, Venezia 30123 VE, Italy 5. Hotel Papadopoli by MGallery I'd never normally suggest a chain hotel, least of all in a city like Venice. But the Papadopoli is part of MGallery Collection – Accor's slick design-focused portfolio, and it really is gorgeous. Just one bridge away from the Piazzale Roma bus station and about seven minute's walk from the train station, it still feels like you're in Venice proper, with a canal wrapping around two sides, and the main facade overlooking the neoclassical Tolentini church and the IUAV architectural university, its entrance designed by 20th-century Italian architect Carlo Scarpa. The back opens onto the Giardini Papadopoli park, one of the few green spaces in this watery city. There are 96 rooms – too many to feel intimate, but not enough for a busy hotel feel. They're snug, but stylish, with a brilliantly modern take on traditional Venetian styling (think damask walls paired with coffered leather headboards and Commedia dell'Arte cut-outs in the corridors, and that's just the standard rooms – deluxe ones are even fancier). It's worth plumping for a canal view, as you get local life along with the water – there are a couple of bars, where students have breakfast, in the piazza opposite. Not that you'll be having breakfast there – because the one here, overlooking the Giardini, is one of the best spreads in town. Address: Santa Croce 245, Giardini Papadopoli, Venezia 30135 VE, Italy 6. Hotel l'Orologio Technically the Hotel l'Orologio (Clock Hotel), it calls itself the Hotel L'O, which tells you that they don't stand on ceremony here. Dispensing with traditional Venetian style, the lobby is a design-led affair themed around antique timepieces (the owner's obsession), while rooms have glowing cog-themed artwork above the headboards, and bright colours and semi-floating beds give a modern feel. But despite being in the real world, at the L'O, you're also situated plum on the Grand Canal (some rooms have spectacular views), right by the buzzy bar area that's sprung up around Rialto Mercato, so you can nip out for cicchetti snacks and an ombra (glass of wine) across the street. 7. Sina Centurion Palace You may not want to like the Centurion Palace if you're in Venice to relive the past. You may think the idea of gold-plated bathrooms – literally – is too much bling; that the modern, silver sculptures glittering in niches on the Grand Canal are 'not authentic'; that the rooms – plain claret, rust-coloured, brown walls, even – are too modern for this most refined of cities. Then you'll get there, and find your fears melt away. It turns out that Centurion Palace is Italian-owned, modestly roomed (there are just 50 in the vast property) and rather lovely; the bar and restaurant both have seating cantilevered over the Grand Canal. Where other five-star hotels in Venice tend to be fairly stiff, the service here is notably friendly – staff are chatty, and conversations go two ways. Walls are painted in plain, brash colours instead of swaddled in traditional damask and the corridors have modern photography rather than cod-renaissance portraits. And the Dorsoduro location is central but quiet – squished between the Salute church and Guggenheim collection, a 30-second traghetto ride from the sestiere of San Marco, but a couple of minutes to the Zattere, Venice's most beautiful waterfront. This was one of the first contemporary-themed hotels to open in Venice, and it's proved so popular that now a modern look barely merits a raised eyebrow in this history-focused city. If you prefer snazzy to antiques, it's perfect. 8. Hotel Palazzo Stern Everyone notices Palazzo Stern as the number one vaporetto glides up the Grand Canal and moors right beside it, at Ca' Rezzonico. Not everyone, however, realises it's a hotel, with its invisible signage and neat little garden, fringed by doric columns. What used to be a house – built in the 15th century and ending up in the hands of a German art collector – has been converted into a 24-room property. The bedrooms themselves won't win many design awards – they're typical old-school Italian four-star – but the house itself is a gem, with a grand lobby, staircase, and rooftop hot tub. It's one of the loveliest properties on the Grand Canal and a true boutique hotel. Address: Dorsoduro 2792/A, Venezia 30123 VE, Italy 9. Cima Rosa Not your average Venice digs, Cima Rosa is rather more stylish than other affordable options. A 15th-century palazzo that was renovated by its architect and interior design owners, it sits on the Grand Canal (three of the rooms have prime views) yet manages to stay removed from the madness. Inside, it's equally unique – the Venetian-American couple who own it have gone for a sober palette of lagoon colours (eau de nil, grey, a hint of blue) paired with antiques they've done up themselves (they have a furniture restoration business). It's an intimate space, with just five rooms spread over two 'wings' and communal areas including a courtyard and canalside living room-slash-kitchen, where continental breakfast is served and guests can cook for themselves. Owners Daniele and Brittany are hands-on hosts, and the feeling is of a chic friend's house, rather than a B&B. This is also a space for sustainable tourism – there are artisan-made souvenirs to buy, and they'll organise tours and experiences that leave money in the local economy. 10. Generator Venice If you're looking for a scene, here's where to find it, in an enormous warehouse on Giudecca converted into a 'poshtel' by the stylish Generator group. On warm evenings, millennials spill out onto the waterfront outside, creating their own mini movida; inside are design-led dorms (think exposed brick walls and beamed ceilings) as well as five ensuite doubles, overlooking the water and San Marco in the distance. That makes it a great pick if you're travelling alone – there's always someone to talk to if you want, but plenty of space if not. And you're both an easy boat ride from San Marco, and an easy walk to the other end of Giudecca, where you'll find some of the city's best sunsets from the Palanca area and the rooftop bar at the Hilton hotel. Address: Fondamenta Zitelle 86, Giudecca, 30133 Venezia VE, Italy 11. Hotel Santa Chiara Staying by the bus depot isn't generally the best plan. But in Venice – especially if you're on a tight schedule, or have lots of luggage – things are a little different. The Santa Chiara sits at the mouth of the Grand Canal – not its most beautiful point, but a mere 20m from the airport bus stop. That means instead of sitting on the Alilaguna ferry to reach town (perhaps the most spectacular airport commute, but normally around 90 minutes) and then dragging your cases across bridges and around alleyways, you can get the bus from the airport to the Piazzale Roma terminus and go from the arrivals hall to your room in 25 minutes flat. Sans luggage, you can then walk to anywhere in Venice in about 15-40 minutes, rather than having to brave another long vaporetto ride. It is, it's no exaggeration to say, revelatory. The hotel is split across two buildings: a 19th-century convent and a concrete-ish modern building (adventurous or excrescence, depending on your sensibilities), which are joined in the middle so you don't feel the split. Deluxe rooms are the ones to go for (classic rooms are in a separate annexe) – they're modern and well equipped, with stylish feature wallpaper, comfy beds and faux-walnut furniture. Breakfast is taken in a sunny room plum on the Grand Canal, while rooms can either have a canal view or one of the bus terminus behind (the latter are extremely well soundproofed, so there are no worries on that score). The hotel is also wheelchair-accessible – as is Piazzale Roma – so, if you have mobility issues, it's an excellent base. 12. JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa Venice summers are hot and humid – and have infuriatingly large crowds to match. But if you have to visit in summer, along with everyone else, here's a solution. The Marriott sits on its own island in the southern lagoon – a former hospital, which explains the rather clinical buildings. But it's been turned into a place of starkly modern, if comfortable rooms (designed by Matteo Thun) and sprawling gardens, including tennis courts, lawnside bars, tree-lined pathways and even an outdoor screening area. Lounge by the pool in the garden or head up to the rooftop to sunbathe and take a dip with a view of Venice across the water, and the Dolomites beyond. When you're ready for the crowds, a shuttle whisks you over to San Zaccaria, right by the Doge's Palace, in around 20 minutes. Address: Isola delle Rose, Laguna di San Marco, 30133 Venezia VE, Italy Why trust us The hotels featured in this list have been carefully selected by The Independent's expert travel writers, each with a deep knowledge of the destinations they cover. Our contributors either live in these locations or visit frequently, ensuring a personal and informed perspective. When picking which hotels to include, they consider their own experience staying in the hotels and evaluate location, facilities, service and all the other details that make for an exceptional stay for all types of traveller. What currency do I need? The currency you will need in Venice is the Euro (EUR). When is the best time of year to visit? The best time of year to visit Venice really depends on what is most important to you: good weather, fewer crowds or cheaper costs. The shoulder seasons of April to June and September to October bring pleasant weather and fewer crowds to compete with. July and August are peak months for tourism, meaning plenty of crowds, premium prices and temperatures in excess of 30°C. February also attracts large crowds and hotel prices rise due to the annual carnival. November to January bring fewer crowds and colder weather – but visiting Venice at this time of year can be very atmospheric. Which part of Venice is best to stay? Where to stay in Venice depends very much on your travel preferences and budget. San Marco and San Polo are both central, lively and close to many of Venice's main attractions, but they're also crowded – and the former can be expensive. Cannaregio is situated in the historic Jewish ghetto and is home to canal-side bars, a local vibe and cheaper accommodation and food options. Elsewhere, Castello is much more peaceful, with gardens and fewer tourists, and is a great option if you're visiting for the Biennale. And as the home of the Gallerie dell'Accademia and Peggy Guggenheim museum, Dorsoduro is a great option for art lovers seeking an authentic feel and plenty of culture. Where do celebrities stay in Venice? With Michelin-star dining and unrivalled views of Venice, the five-star Hotel Cipriani is a firm favourite with celebrities. Previous guests have included Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and George Clooney. George and Amal Clooney also held their wedding reception at Aman Venice, a luxurious property housed in a 16th-century palazzo. Elsewhere, Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks have bedded down at the Gritti Palace. And as the official host hotel of the Venice Film Festival, the Excelsior Venice Lido Resort has played host to some of the film world's great and good. How to get the best deal in Venice If you're looking to maximise your Venice budget, there are a few simple tips to help save on accommodation and flights. In most cases, it works out cheaper to book everything separately rather than as a package deal. We recommend comparing various platforms like Expedia and as you might find one offering a better rate than the others. Keep an eye out for discount codes and last-minute offers that will save you extra. If you find a great deal, it's worth contacting the hotel directly as they will often price match it or even offer a further discount. For example, Radisson Hotels has a best rate guarantee that beats the price by a huge 25 per cent. Right now, The Independent readers can get an exclusive six per cent off some of our featured Venice hotels with Expedia, which include Hotel Santa Chiara, Hotel Palazzo Stern and Hotel Papadopoli by MGallery.
