Off-limits hotels, hidden entrances, and fenced-off areas: Disappointing photos show how locked down Jeff Bezos' wedding was

And in Venice on the weekend of Bezos and Sánchez’s wedding, even if you do ask, you sometimes get a door to a five-star hotel closed on you slowly and told, “Not a chance.”

That’s what happened to me when I tried to enter the Gritti Palace Hotel. The Gritti Palace Hotel has hosted big names over the years: Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Winston Churchill. This weekend, it was one of several hotels believed to be hosting celebrity guests.

I walked tentatively into the hotel’s vestibule, flashed my press pass at a manager and a bellboy, and asked if I could have a look around or interview the manager. I expected a “no,” and, sure enough, I got one.

“Not possible,” said the smiling manager. “No, sorry. Not a chance.” I was gently ushered out. The door closed politely, but firmly, behind me.

I had a similar experience at four other luxury hotels.