Palazzina Grassi New Luxury Hotel Opens in Venice

Designed to make guests feel "temporarily Venetian," this 16th century former residence captures the charm of the city. Traditional Italian touches such as exposed bricks mix with contemporary design, including glass wardrobes and nine custom-made Murano glass works by the artist Aristide Najean. The result is a luxurious hotel on the Canal Grande that retains the aura and charm of an aristocratic Venetian home.

Palazzina Grassi offers guests a pick-up service in its 1960s Celli boat. Check-in happens on board and guests are dropped off directly at the hotel's private pier. Those who prefer a quieter approach by land can use the hotel's street entrance opposite the Canal Grande. Guests are welcomed with a glass of prosecco or wine from Veneto. Breakfast can be served anytime and anywhere in the hotel. The guest rooms offer large backlit mirrors, warm lighting, floors in Venetian wood, bathrooms using natural stone and bespoke pieces of furniture including dressing tables. In the apartment suites, beds are situated in the center of the room and are surrounded by transparent glass wardrobes, soft rugs and coffee tables made of steel and moonstone onyx. Instead of the usual directory of guest services, visitors can take inspiration from a "list of vices" advising them to eat well, drink, read and surrender to their passions.

The ground-floor PG's restaurant and bar offers a masterpiece in art and design in the form of two long monolith high dinner tables, one made of marble and the other of mirrored glass. Mahogany wood paneling on the walls, soft lighting and pieces of Venetian glass complete the environment. Diners have a view of the show kitchen and bar, a modern reinterpretation of the traditional Venetian "cicchetteria" or "osteria," a popular meeting place where people can gather for conversation and local fare.

The G club, overlooking the Canal Grande, contains a private intimate dining room. Its two interconnected rooms feature a bar outfitted with vibrant red, yellow and silver Murano tiles and offer a cozy space where hotel guests and their friends mix with Venetian society. Set in the heart of Venice next to Palazzo Grassi on Canal Grande, Palazzina Grassi is housed in a 16th century building, former home to aristocrats. The hotel is a short walk from the main museums and art galleries, including the Guggenheim Collection and the Galleria dell'Accademia.