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The opulent design by architect Aline Asmar d’Amman seamlessly blends original architectural details with plush velvet-upholstered sofas, Murano glass chandeliers, and bespoke furnishings.
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The dining program is overseen by Heinz Beck, the lauded German chef behind La Pergola, Rome’s only three-Michelin-star restaurant.
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The hotel’s exclusive list of experiences includes wine tastings at Venissa, the winery and Michelin-starred restaurant on the island of Mazzorbo, and fittings at the atelier of Antonia Sautter, the woman behind the most exclusive masked ball during Carnevale.
Dusk was starting to descend as I followed a codega, a masked guide, out into the narrow streets of Venice. Dressed in a long black cape and a white Bauta mask, she led the way with a lantern, just as codegas did in the 15th century, when Palazzo Donà Giovanelli—the noble palace reborn as the newly opened Orient Express Venezia—was built. Back then, she said, Venice was plunged into total darkness every night, making it dangerous for Venetians to navigate the narrow lanes and canals, so nobles would hire these lantern-bearers to escort them around the city.
As she led me through covered passageways and over bridges, she explained that the Cannaregio district, where the hotel is located, developed as a diverse neighborhood where merchants from all over settled. Meanwhile, Venice’s wealthy families built palazzos with private gardens, the ultimate luxury in this floating city. After a 40-minute stroll, we were on a pier where a gondolier was waiting. A bit cliché now, yes, but in the days of the Venetian Republic, every noble family had a private gondola to transport them around town. As I glided along the narrow canals by moonlight, I tried to imagine what the city was like then.
The grand hotel staircase.
Credit: Giulio Ghirardi/Orient Express Venezia
“Palazzo Donà Giovanelli has so many layers that you peel. The first time I walked into the palazzo, I had this sense of Old World theater but also vitality,” says architect Aline Asmar d’Amman, gesturing up at the grand octagonal staircase crowned by a celestial vault. It took eight years of painstaking restorations to return the building to its former glory and transform it into the city’s newest luxury hotel. Orient Express Venezia is the second in the portfolio of the reborn Orient Express brand, which launched last year with the opening of the Orient Express La Minerva in Rome and La Dolce Vita Orient Express train.
“We want this hotel [Orient Express Venezia] to feel like an open living room in Canareggio,” says Gilda Perez-Alvarado, CEO of Orient Express. “It’s a private mansion, in the end. That’s what it’s always been for 600 years. We don’t want it to lose this residential essence.”
The hotel’s opening marks the first time anyone can book a room at Palazzo Donà Giovanelli, or even stop by for an aperitivo or a meal, for that matter. As I wandered through the elegant salons of the piano nobile, with ornate frescoes, gilded moldings, and carved wooden doors, I was enveloped by centuries of history. There seemed to be a hidden treasure around every corner, from the Music Room to the Ballroom where Princess Vittoria Farnese was wed in the 16th century.
Read on for my review of the Orient Express Venezia.
The Rooms
The hotel’s 47 guest rooms and suites range from cozy 323-square-foot Superior Rooms to spacious and opulent Signature Suites with soaring ceilings, original frescoes, and chandeliers. Regardless of category, all accommodations feature comfortable beds, bespoke wardrobes and minibars, Lavazza espresso machines, Dyson hairdryers, and marble bathrooms with sculpted pedestal sinks and full-sized Guerlain bath products.
The six Signature Suites are fit for royalty, with canopy headboards and moire wallcoverings that evoke the undulating water of the canals. The Orient Express Apartment has a monumental sculpted fireplace, wood marquetry floors, and 18th-century mirrors, while the Cherubini Suite is crowned by a 1958 chandelier by Carlo Scarpa and frescoes depicting cherubs.
Food and Drink
La Casati Restaurant.
Credit: Giulio Ghirardi/Orient Express Venezia
The hotel’s dining program bears the imprint of decorated chef Heinz Beck, who also created the menus for the Orient Express train. La Casati, named for the eccentric 1920s marquise Luisa Casati, is the hotel’s all-day dining destination. Don’t expect burgers and Caesar salad; the menu offers sophisticated twists on Venetian fare like pasta filled with creamed cod, yellow tomatoes, and sumac, or beef braised in amarone wine with grilled red chicory.
Beck’s eponymous fine dining restaurant and the Wagon Bar, inspired by art deco trains, are coming soon. In the warmer months, both La Casati and Heinz Beck Venezia will offer the chance to dine al fresco in the palazzo’s garden.
The Spa
The Sala della Cultura.
Credit: Giulio Ghirardi/Orient Express Venezia
Although not yet open, the spa will feature two treatment rooms. One will include a steam bath as part of the rasul treatments, drawing inspiration from ancient Ottoman spa rituals. Massages and facials will incorporate the organic Sicilian skincare line Furtuna Skin. A gym overlooking the canal will be equipped with Technogym equipment, free weights, and strength training machines.
Accessibility
The public spaces, including the restaurants, are fully accessible, and there’s an elevator to bring guests to the upper floors. There are two ADA-accessible rooms.
How to Book
Interior of the hotel lobby.
Credit: Giulio Ghirardi/Orient Express Venezia
The hotel participates in Accor’s All loyalty program, which offers members perks such as 10 percent off standard rates, upgrades, and late check-out. It is also part of American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts. Card members receive a $100 resort credit, complimentary daily breakfast for two, and more.
Nightly rates at Orient Express Venezia start from 1,210 euros ($1,395).
Every T+L hotel review is written by an editor or reporter who has stayed at the property, and each hotel selected aligns with our core values.
Read the original article on Travel & Leisure