Venice has been the allure of elite travelers for centuries and now with a host of new suites, luxury on the lagoon is having yet another renaissance.
By Scott Goetz
BAUER IL PALAZZO
ROYAL SUITE
Key selling points | This suite’s rooms were once the palace’s first floor receiving rooms, where owners displayed their wealth to impress visiting nobility. The suite includes a spacious ballroom with 17th-century original stucco, 16-foot ceilings, marble floors, five Gothic windows, and a terraced balcony that overlooks the Grand Canal, the Basilica of San Giorgio Maggiore, the Santa Maria della Salute Church, and St. Mark’s Basin.
Standout service | The hotel created a private traditional Venetian dinner in the suite for royal couple Charles and Camilla.
Style | Ornate 17th-century Venetian luxury, by Francesca Bortolotto Possati, 1999
Special amenities | Interiors with Bevilacqua and Rubelli fabrics, Murano chandeliers, toiletries handmade in Venice by Santa Maria degli Angeli, pillow menu, 46-inch Hantarex TV, custom minibar with top wines and liqueurs, chocolates handmade by the executive chef, fine wine, and champagne
Square footage | 1,076
Number of bedrooms in suite | One
Number of bathrooms | Two
Number of rooms and suites in hotel | 72, including 34 suites
Who’s slept here? | Elizabeth Taylor, the Prince and Princess of Wales, Al Pacino, Queen Rania of Jordan
Nightly rate | $20,250
Location | San Marco, 1413/D
Contact | Reservations Manager Davide Buccheri, 39-041-520-7022; dbuccheri@bauervenezia.it; www.ilpalazzovenezia.com
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THE GRITTI PALACE, VENICE–A LUXURY COLLECTION HOTEL
REDENTORE TERRAZZA SUITE
Key selling points | Unique to Venice, this suite has a 2,691-square-foot private rooftop terrace with a dipping pool and provides a 360-degree view of the Grand Canal and the Church of the Redentore. Interiors feature walls decorated with hand-painted frescoes or flocked with heritage Lorenzo Rubelli fabrics, restored antiques, and art books.
Standout service | Rooftop terrace equipped with private bar, sun lounges, and furniture for outdoor entertaining.
Style | 19th-century Venetian lifestyle by Donghia Associates, 2013
Special amenities | Direct private elevator from lobby of hotel to suite and to rooftop terrace, in-room bar with premium label spirits and wine cabinet, Wi-Fi, 40- and 46-inch Bang & Olufsen BeoVision 10 TVs, Bang & Olufsen BeoSound docking station, Luxury Collection beds, Acqua di Parma amenities
Square footage | 818, plus 2,691-square-foot rooftop terrace
Number of bedrooms in suite | Two
Number of bathrooms | Two and one half-bath
Number of rooms and suites in hotel | 82 rooms, including 21 suites
Who’s slept here? | Robbie Williams
Nightly rate | $17,550
Location | Campo Santa Maria del Giglio, 2467
Contact | General Manager Paolo Lorenzoni, 39-041-794611; paolo.lorenzoni@starwoodhotels.com; www.thegrittipalace.com
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HOTEL DANIELI, VENICE–A LUXURY COLLECTION HOTEL
DOGE DANDOLO ROYAL SUITE
Key selling points | Imposing 18th- and 19th-century Murano glass chandeliers hang from wooden beamed ceilings meticulously restored by hand in gold leaf in this corner suite at the 14th-century Palazzo Dandolo. Interiors rich in historic Venetian splendor include a ceiling fresco by Jacopo Guarana and an extensive bookcase displaying rare silver pieces from the Danieli private collection. Of the three private balconies, two overlook St. Mark’s Basin with a view that stretches as far as the Lido.
Standout service | A private violin concert serenade was arranged in the atrium leading to the suite for Wang Yeping, the wife of China’s former president, Jiang Zemin.
Style | Gilded baroque by Pierre-Yves Rochon, 2012
Special amenities | Antique Murano chandeliers, Bang & Olufsen BeoVision and BeoSound entertainment systems, Acqua di Parma bath amenities, signature Luxury Collection king-size bed, antique carpets, heritage terrazzo floors, Italian spumante
Square footage | 1,615
Number of bedrooms in suite | One
Number of bathrooms | One and one half-bath
Number of rooms and suites in hotel | 215, including 26 suites
Who’s slept here? | Giorgio Napolitano, Wang Yeping
Nightly rate | $16,200
Location | Riva degli Schiavoni, 4196
Contact | General Manager Antonello de’ Medici, 39-041-522-6480; danieli@luxurycollection.com; www.danielihotelvenice.com
HILTON MOLINO STUCKY VENICE
PRESIDENTIAL SUITE
Key selling points | This two-story suite, located at the top of a tower, is the largest in Venice. A private elevator opens onto a wide parquet corridor of the first level leading to a master bedroom and a twin-bedded room, each with its own walk-in wardrobe, a marble bathroom, and breathtaking views. On the second level is a fitness and wellness room with a Jacuzzi and a stairway that leads up to the panoramic tower.
Standout services | The hotel arranged a private piano concert to celebrate an anniversary for guests.
Style | Contemporary and elegant, by in-house design team
Special amenities | 32-inch plasma TV with Dolby surround sound, private elevator, private and exclusive access to the Tower, private wellness center, including Jacuzzi and sauna, private meeting and dining room, two private walk-in wardrobes with cherrywood paneling, Murano glass chandeliers, artwork by Marco Nereo Rotelli, Fortuny fabrics, personal wine cabinet
Square footage | 3,229
Number of bedrooms in suite | Two
Number of bathrooms | Three and one half-bath
Number of rooms and suites in hotel | 379, including 44 suites
Who’s slept here? | Politicians, heads of state, and sports stars
Nightly rate | From $10,800
Location | Giudecca 810
Contact | General Manager Alessandro Cabella, 39-041-272-3502; vcehi_gm@hilton.com; www.molinostuckyhilton.com
HOTEL CIPRIANI
DOGARESSA SUITE
Key selling points | Built within the Palazzo Vendramin, an 11th-century palace, this suite offers a unique vista of the basin of San Marco through gothic windows. The sitting room, the largest in the Palazzo Vendramin, is decorated with original 18th-century Coromandel screens, a remarkable collection of antiques enriched by the priceless Fortuny and Rubelli fabrics. An airy bedroom overlooks the island’s gardens and has an elegant pink marble bathroom.
Standout service | For a Venetian dinner in the suite, the hotel organized a “Menu of Love,” complete with masks made by local artisans. Three types of champagne accompanied the meal, served by a waiter/actor masquerading as a Casanova-like spy.
Style | Venetian Gothic by Gerard Gallet, 1990
Special amenities | Rivolta Carmignati linens, Bulgari, and Penhaligons bath amenities, Fortuny textiles, Murano glass lamps, tailor-made butler service, champagne and fresh fruits, custom Murano glasses with guests’ names on them
Square footage | 1,173
Number of bedrooms in suite | One
Number of bathrooms | One
Number of rooms and suites in hotel | 95, including 21 suites
Who’s slept here? | Meryl Streep, Angelina Jolie, and Brad Pitt
Nightly rate | From $8,477
Location | Giudecca 10
Contact | General Manager Giampaolo Ottazzi, 39-041-240801; gottazzi@hotelcipriani.it; www.hotelcipriani.com
CENTURION PALACE HOTEL
PRESIDENTIAL SUITE
Key selling points | 18-foot-high ceilings and gothic windows with balconies set a dramatic scene in the living room that is decorated in a palette of royal red and white. With interiors that seem to be inspired from the Guggenheim museum next door, this two-bedroom suite, which has the possibility of connecting to room 401, a corner Junior Executive Suite with an antique fireplace, offers unique views at the mouth of the Grand Canal.
Standout service | The hotel provides luxury water taxi shuttle service to and from San Marco in the evening during certain times of the year.
Style | Contemporary with a subtle Venetian touch by Guido Ciompi, 2009
Special amenities | Pedersoli linens, 32- and 42-inch LG flat-screen TVs, Logitech iPod docking station, Marie Danielle/Penhaligon’s bath amenities, plush bathrobes and slippers, chocolate at turndown, fresh strawberries with chocolate in room upon arrival
Square footage | 743
Number of bedrooms in suite | Two
Number of bathrooms | Two
Number of rooms and suites in hotel | 50, including four suites
Who’s slept here? | Shakira, Al Pacino, Daniel Radcliffe
Nightly rate | From $5,670
Location | Dorsoduro 173
Contact | General Manager Paolo Morra, 39-041-34281; gmcenturionpalace@sinahotels.com; www.sinahotels.com
AMAN CANAL GRANDE
THE ALCOVA TIEPOLO SUITE
Key selling points | This is the best room in the Palazzo Papadopoli, once the home of the richest family in Venice. The suite is named after Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, the greatest decorative painter of 18th-century Europe, whose paintings and stucco adorn the bedroom ceiling. Adjacent is the sitting room, a beautifully restored example of 19th-century Orientalism with watercolor chinoiserie wallpaper.
Standout service | The Count and Countess Arrivabene still live in the palazzo, which allows Aman’s guests to stay in a palazzo that feels like home—the home of the Count.
Style | Rococo and contemporary by Denniston, 2013
Special amenities | Large bathtub by Italian supplier AGAPE, linens by Rivolta Carmignani, Bang & Olufsen telephones, speakers, and 40-inch TVs, slippers by Furlane, organic bath products made by women at Giudecca Prison
Square footage | 1,100
Number of bedrooms in suite | Two
Number of bathrooms | One
Number of rooms and suites in hotel | 24
Who’s slept here? | The Count’s mother, his grandmother, and her mother before her
Nightly rate | $4,783
Location | Palazzo Papadpoli, Calle Tiepolo 1364, Sestiere San Polo 30125
Contact | General Manager Olivia Richli, 39-041-270-7333; orichli@amanresorts.com; www.amanresort.com
LUNA HOTEL BAGLIOINI
GIOGIONE SUITE
Key selling points | Located on the hotel’s top and fifth floor, this duplex suite overlooks Venetian rooftops and the lagoon from a secluded altana (wooden terrace) where guests can enjoy dinner or cocktails. The suite’s first level offers an elegant living room, decorated with silk wall coverings, objets d’art, and antique furniture, while the upstairs features a regal bedroom and Italian marble bathroom with Jacuzzi.
Standout service | Staff surprised a guest’s young son on his birthday with balloons and a cake prepared by the chef.
Style | Refined Venetian with olive green and gold accents by Baglioni Hotels’ in-house design, 2008
Special amenities | Ortigia bath amenities, iPod docking station, fireplace in the living room, complimentary Internet access, Jacuzzi, unpacking and packing service, two complimentary garment pressings, 24-hour multilingual concierge
Square footage | 753, plus 377 square feet of outdoor space
Number of bedrooms in suite | One
Number of bathrooms | Two
Number of rooms and suites in hotel | 91, including 15 suites
Who’s slept here? | Neil Armstrong, Sean Connery, Andrea Bocelli, Frank Sinatra, Prince Rainier, Nelson Mandela
Nightly rate | From $4,781
Location | San Marco, 1243
Contact | Hotel Manager Gianmatteo Zampieri,
39-041-528-9840; g.zampieri@baglionihotels.com; www.baglionihotels.com
CA’ SAGREDO HOTEL
THE LIBRARY SUITE
Key selling points | This suite occupies the original library of the Sagredo family’s 14th-century palazzo and is the embodiment of period palatial living with Grand Canal views of the Rialto Bridge. Accessed by the palazzo’s impressive main stairway, its 17th-century design features historic furniture, inlaid double-wood doors, a collection of antique books and printings with 18th-century wardrobes that hold Zaccaria Sagredo’s massive collection of more than 10,000 printed books and 309 drawings.
Standout service | The staff filled a suite with rose petals for a magical proposal.
Style | 17th-century Venetian, by several Venetian decor restoration experts, 2007
Special amenities | Murano glass lamps, complimentary high-speed wireless Internet access, TK-inch flat-screen TV, Gilchrist & Soames bath amenities, VIP gifts by Ermenegildo Zegna, La Perla, and Burberry
Square footage | 646
Number of bedrooms in suite | One
Number of bathrooms | One and one half-bath
Number of rooms and suites in hotel | 42, including 11 suites
Nightly rate | $3, 900
Location | Campo Santa Sofia 4198/99, Ca’ D’Oro
Contact | General Manager Lorenza Lain, 39-041-241-3111; info@casagredohotel.com; www.casagredohotel.com
THE WESTIN EUROPA & REGINA, VENICE
DELUXE TERRACE SUITE #453
Key selling points | This suite is coveted for its large terrace and panoramic fourth-floor view of the Grand Canal, which places Santa Maria della Salute Church and S. Giorgio Island seemingly at arm’s reach. The interior has the inspired atmosphere of an ancient Venetian palace, using refined material and furniture typical of the 18th century, with Moorish-style headboard, crystal chandeliers from Murano, and decorated and inlaid furniture.
Standout service | The hotel arranged a full day of pampering for guests of the suite, which included breakfast in bed, a cooking lesson, massages, and dinner on the terrace.
Style | Grand Venetian, by Irene Pansadoro, 2011
Special amenities | Westin’s Signature Heavenly Bed, Philips 37-inch flat screen LCD TV, Etro bath amenities, The Westin Signature Heavenly Bath & Shower, personalized luxury amenities
Square footage | 517, plus 323 square feet of exterior space
Number of rooms in suite | One
Number of bathrooms | One
Number of rooms and suites in hotel | 185, including 16 suites
Who’s slept here? | Giorgio Armani, Federico Fellini, Gina Lollobrigida, Nancy Pelosi, John Travolta, Claude Monet
Nightly rate | $3,375
Location | San Marco 2159
Contact | Hotel Manager Alessandra Pagano, 39-041-240-0001; europa®ina@westin.com; www.westin.com/europaregina
MADE-TO-MEASURE ITALY
Ker & Downey adds fashion to the top suites of Venice with a Milan and Venice combination trip that offers the best of Venice with a private Gucci experience and a stay in one of the Four Seasons Hotel Milano’s new suites.
The first of its kind, Gucci’s new three-floor flagship men’s store in the heart of Milan offers a personalized fashion experience called Gucci Made to Measure, where VIPs select fabrics from exclusive textiles, buttons, and other finishing details, and then get meticulously measured in a VIP room for bespoke tailored suites. This iconic fashion house will also create bespoke shoes, letting clients choose materials and color and then emboss them with the customer’s initials.
The Royal Suite at Four Seasons Hotel Milano occupies the entire fifth floor of the hotel and includes a library, a step-out balcony from the master bedroom with sweeping views of the city, as well as a sitting and reading room with a fireplace that overlooks the suite’s private terrace and garden. The suite also features a sleek kitchenette, equipped with wine refrigerators and modern tools for cuisine preparation.
The Fashion Suite evokes the spirit of the 1950s and ‘60s with its modern design of Kelly green with black-and-white accents. Large French doors open onto a long terrace bordered with hedges and a Knoll table and chairs fitted with cushions upholstered in a chic herringbone fabric.
Contact: David R. Jones, Vice President Ker & Downey, (281) 371-2500; djones@kerdowney.com; www.kerdowney.com
