How Venice’s new luxury hotel is breaking the rules
Venice has no shortage of five-star hotels, but Palazzo Experimental does things differently. Here are five reasons we love this luxurious new haven.
Words by Ute Junker
Photos supplied
1. It has a clean, contemporary vibe…
Most Venetian hotels opt for an old-school elegance, and who can blame them? It’s the natural choice for a city where most hotels are housed in centuries-old palazzi. The downside, however, is that it is hard for a hotel to stand out from the crowd. Palazzo Experimental’s decidedly modern interiors instantly set it apart from the competition.
2. …but it still feels like Venice
Designer Dorothée Meilichzon has drawn her inspiration from the city itself. You can see it in the colour palette – the ochres, greens and blues – and in the curves that echo the famous Venetian arches. Most of all, you can see in the stripes that she has borrowed from gondolier shirts and applied to everything from doors to bedheads.
3. It has an inviting restaurant…
Venice likes to keep it old-school, which is why most restaurants are intimate affairs without the sleekly styled interiors that you find in most big cities. And we love that about Venice – but sometimes, you’re in the mood for something a little more slick. That’s where the lovely Ristorante Adriatica comes in, with its Instagrammable interiors and its locally-sourced ingredients.
4. …As well as a sexy bar
The Experimental Group built its reputation on its portfolio of speakeasy-style bars, so of course their Venice hotel has its own outlet. On a cool evening, the bar is an inviting place to hole up; on a balmy night, take your drink out into the hotel’s hidden garden.
5. It has a glorious location
Here’s a secret many people don’t realise about Venice: you don’t need to stay in the heart of the action to be in the heart of the action. The city’s compact size means you can easily get anywhere you want to go on foot; that allows you to choose a peaceful, out-of-the-way spot without getting stranded in the middle of nowhere. The Experimental’s location on the Fondamenta Zattere, looking across to Giudecca, is a quiet residential area, but you are just 10 minutes walk from the Accademia and 20 minutes from St Marks Square. Perfect.
From 220€ a night, see palazzoexperimental.com
