The Gritti Palace, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice
An opulent palace on Venice's Grand Canal
Unapologetically Venetian, the majestic Gritti Palace, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice blends the charms and elegance of the city with an intimate luxury.
The Gritti Palace’s history stretches back to 1475, when it was transformed into its current Gothic shape by the Pisani family. In 1525, it became the private residence of the Doge of Venice, Andrea Gritti.
Famed designer Chuck Chewning helped bring the 15th-century palazzo’s storied past to life with a creative repurposing of the space’s valued artwork, vast collection of antiques and hand-carved details that were left to collect dust.
Recently restored to reflect the historic elements of the building, the Gritti is even more opulent than before. Every detail of the restoration focused on bringing the history of the building to life – right down to the ornate wooden lamps that date back to the 18th century and the painted dressing table mirrors.
Beyond the restoration, the hotel serves as a popular place to stay during some of the city’s biggest festivals, like the Biennale, Carnival and the Venice Film Festival. So if you happen to find yourself sipping a glass of Amarone in the lobby during those times, don’t be shocked to see an A-lister breeze by.
The Gritti Palace’s history stretches back to 1475, when it was transformed into its current Gothic shape by the Pisani family. In 1525, it became the private residence of the Doge of Venice, Andrea Gritti.
Famed designer Chuck Chewning helped bring the 15th-century palazzo’s storied past to life with a creative repurposing of the space’s valued artwork, vast collection of antiques and hand-carved details that were left to collect dust.
Recently restored to reflect the historic elements of the building, the Gritti is even more opulent than before. Every detail of the restoration focused on bringing the history of the building to life – right down to the ornate wooden lamps that date back to the 18th century and the painted dressing table mirrors.
Beyond the restoration, the hotel serves as a popular place to stay during some of the city’s biggest festivals, like the Biennale, Carnival and the Venice Film Festival. So if you happen to find yourself sipping a glass of Amarone in the lobby during those times, don’t be shocked to see an A-lister breeze by.
Our Inspector's Highlights
- The Venice hotel is just a five-minute walk from La Fenice Opera House and a mere thousand feet from St. Mark’s Square, one of the biggest piazzas in the city. Even better, it occupies a coveted strip of the Grand Canal.
- The Gritti SPA, in collaboration with Sisley Paris, is a retreat where you can embark on a journey of personalized wellbeing. Try the Phyto-Aromatiques treatments, which combine massage rituals from around the world with aromatherapy.
- The lavish rooms have different period details, including antiques, frescoes, paintings, and beautiful fabrics.
- Club del Doge Restaurant brings authentic Venetian cuisine (like squid ink risotto) with a gourmet twist and offers sweeping views of the Grand Canal (an epic place to enjoy a sunset dinner).
Things to Know
- You can take a water taxi directly to the hotel’s jetty. Though it is also near the S. Maria del Giglio vaporetto (water bus) stop.
- Check out the hotel’s Destination Discoveries, concierge-curated experiences. Get a lesson on the luxury hotel’s art collection, attend a cocktail tasting at the bar or learn about lacemaking in nearby island Burano.
The Rooms
- Each of the 82 rooms features a slightly different look and feel. The walls are sheathed in Rubelli silk, the art and antiques are specially picked to embellish the room’s views, and the glass light fixtures are distinctly Murano.
- Similarly luxurious are the bathrooms, which are clad in marble and feature amenities and toiletries from Acqua di Parma.
- The hotel’s nine Landmark Grand Canal rooms give you a bird’s-eye view to the best sights, like Santa Maria della Salute Basilica, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and many other historic palazzos. The Rubelli-custom-designed silk damask walls frame oak parquet and heritage terrazzo floors while the inspiring oil paintings and old patina mirrors decorate the walls.
- The most impressive room is the Hemingway Suite. This ultra-luxurious, 990-square-foot suite has floor-to-ceiling French doors that lead to stand-up balconies overlooking the Grand Canal, stucco walls with silk accents, ceiling cornices with Venetian rococo motifs, Ernest Hemingway’s own club chair, four-poster beds, an antique writing desk and a grand chandelier in the living room.
The Restaurants
- Club del Doge is thoroughly Venetian, in both its sumptuous décor and its refined dishes. Start with cicchetti, Venetian tapas, and then move onto entrées like the traditional veal liver.
- Learn the art of cooking Venetian classics at The Gritti Epicurean School with chef Alberto Fol at the helm. Market visits, themes (like one for Valentine’s Day or one focused on local ingredients) and indulgent dishes make every class different.
- Floating on the Grand Canal like a private yacht, The Riva Lounge doesn’t just offer incredibly romantic views, it provides an intimate look into the city (especially at night). Try the Riva cocktail, made with white rum, blue curaçao, orange bitters and grapefruit.
- Outfitted with hand-sculpted mirrors, Murano glass lamps and a carved polychromatic marble counter, Bar Longhi is the place to sip an innovative cocktail or a glass of wine from the massive list.
Getting There
