The St. Regis Venice has made its debut Wednesday on the Grand Canal and just steps from Piazza San Marco. The hotel, which St. Regis Hotels & Resorts touts has “the largest waterfrontage in Venice” opens following a two-year, full-scale renovation of the former Grand Hotel Britannia, which opened in 1895 (the same year as the inaugural Venice Biennale). In total, the hotel comprises five “palazzi,” the oldest of which dates to the 17th century.
The hotel has 169 guestrooms and suites, many of which have private terraces or Juliet balconies offering views of Venice’s top landmarks (think: Santa Maria della Salute Basilica and the Punta della Dogana Museum). Behind the hotel lies Calle XXII Marzo—a street which is home to high-end boutiques and contemporary art galleries—which allows for quick access to the Gran Teatro La Fenice, the city’s opera house.
Of the hotel’s 169, rooms 40 are suites and roughly one-third of the total have views of its gardens and the Grand Canal. The top digs are a two-bedroom, art-inspired Presidential Suite and a three-bedroom Penthouse Suite with a wraparound furnished terrace. The five Roof Garden Suites combine garden-inspired interiors with vistas from furnished terraces. All guests have access to the signature St. Regis Butler service.
The St. Regis says Venetian styling can be seen throughout the hotel in tailored fabrics and custom, handcrafted furnishings inspired by the curves of gondolas, the patterns of the Doge’s Palace, the pavements of St. George’s churchyard and the water flow of the canal.
An “eclectic collection” of artwork and sculptures will also be curated. Paying homage to the Grand Hotel Britannia’s tradition of welcoming famed artists, The St. Regis Venice will host artists from around the world to take residence and create pieces inspired by the hotel and its locale. The hotel’s first resident artist, Parisian Olivier Masmonteil, has been commissioned to create original artworks for the Gran Salone and the Monet Suites. The Venetian tradition of glassmaking is celebrated through a partnership with Glasstress; this partnership will see world-class artists of various disciplines collaborating with Murano Maestros (masters) to create glass works of art.
The St. Regis Venice also has a collection of Spa Suites, in partnership with Carita Paris. Treatments may be cultivated around time (i.e. short but effective beauty lifts) or longer, more in-depth therapies and programs. For those keen to uphold their fitness regimes, the Exercise Room (complete with Technogym equipment) is available.
As for the F&B options, modern Italian cuisine will be served at Gio’s, the hotel’s signature restaurant. This restaurant transitions from a smart-casual setting during the day to a more refined scene in the evening. Tip: Gio’s will play host to the nightly St. Regis champagne-sabering ritual. The garden will be the spot, The St. Regis says, for guests and locals to relax and socialize. Tip: Be sure to order a Spritz from the roaming, custom-made Spritz Trolley, or enjoy the Santa Maria—the hotel’s twist on the brand’s signature cocktail, the Bloody Mary.
The Arts Bar serves “art-inspired” modern and classic cocktails. Notable artworks in the bar include pieces from Banksy, Yayoi Kusama, Jeff Koons and more.
For larger celebrations and more formal functions, The St. Regis Venice offers a choice of meetings and events areas that includes the Library, the Astor Boardroom and the Canaletto ballroom.
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