Orient Express Venezia

Character and identity

Set inside the 15th-century Palazzo Donà Giovannelli in Cannaregio, this 47-room property opens behind a pink-diamond canal facade that deliberately echoes the Doge's Palace. Aline Asmar d'Amman led an eight-year restoration that preserved frescoes, terrazzo floors, Murano chandeliers and original statuary while threading in a confident contemporary layer. A neo-gothic octagonal staircase by the architect of La Fenice anchors the arrival sequence, and the Piano Nobile salons (a music room with operatic soundtrack, a lapis-accented Sala della Cultura) extend the theatre. Food and beverage is overseen by Heinz Beck, spanning all-day La Casati, the art deco Wagon Bar, and a forthcoming fine-dining room in the orangery.

Who's it for

Bottom line

What sets this apart is the integrity of the restoration: the building does much of the work, and the design, art programme and Heinz Beck kitchens reinforce rather than upstage it. Book a Signature Suite (the Colori Persi, under its 19th-century fresco, is the standout) if budget allows; otherwise entry rooms still carry Murano, stucco and terrazzo detail. Arrive by water taxi.