As if you needed more reason to visit Venice, we have one. The Centurion Palace has opened in the former Palazzo Genovese, on the Grand Canal, adjacent to the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, and between Punta della Dogana and the Peggy Guggenheim Museum. Suffice to say, there is plenty to do and see at your doorstep.
Recently acquired by SINA Fine Italian Hotels, the Centurion Palace dates to the 19th century and has been restored under the guidance of architect Luciano Parenti. It is now a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World.
The property has 50 rooms and suites on its three floors, including a Presidential Suite, the largest in town, we are told, facing the canal, which can be viewed via a private standing balcony. Some rooms have fireplaces and paneled ceilings; the duplex suites have wooden staircases and a special technique was employed to cover the bathroom walls with gold leaf. Guests can enter the hotel’s lobby from a jetty. The restaurant, Antinoo, serves fresh Mediterranean cuisine, and has a funky bar that’s perfect for people-watching.
Luxury travel advisors can contact Giulio Torelli
Next door, the iconic Peggy Guggenheim Museum displays the scion’s famed art collection, including pieces from the Nasher Sculpture Center.
The modern art scene, on the other hand, gets its due at Punta della Dogana, which opened this summer after 14 months of renovation by Japanese architect Tadao Ando. The 17th-century space now serves as the permanent home to a selection of works from the François Pinault Foundation, one of the world’s important collections of contemporary art.