Orient Express Venezia is now open, bringing the romance, intrigue and old-world glamour of one of travel’s most iconic brands to the canals of Venice.
Set inside the 15th-century Palazzo Donà Giovannelli in Cannaregio, the sense of occasion is clear from the start. Arrival is turned into theatre, whether you enter through its Gothic water gate, slip through a hidden garden doorway or step from the bustle of Strada Nova into a calm courtyard.
The message is clear: Orient Express Venezia is not a standard city hotel. It captures Venice at its most atmospheric.
Inside, architect and interior designer Aline Asmar d’Amman has brought the palazzo back to life through an eight-year renovation, without sanding away its history. The result honours the legacy of the noble mansion while opening a new hospitality chapter for Orient Express.
Reimagined in the 1800s by architect Giovanni Battista Meduna, the palace still carries layers of Neo-Gothic and Baroque splendour. Original frescoes, carved surfaces, mosaic details, Murano chandeliers and richly textured fabrics sit alongside carefully judged new details, so the whole place feels grand, but still alive. The lobby, il Corte del Conte, has been transformed into a sumptuous living room, while the secret garden offers a softer pause, with fountains, lanterns and that rare Venetian luxury: space to breathe.
There are just 47 rooms, suites and residences, giving Orient Express Venezia a real sense of exclusivity. The six Signature Suites each have their own personality, from restored murals and sculptural ceilings to gilded salons, monumental fireplaces and breathtaking canal views.
Food is another reason to pay attention, with three-Michelin-starred chef Heinz Beck anchoring the hotel’s culinary vision. Every meal is an invitation to explore, from the bold creativity of fine-dining restaurant Heinz Beck Venezia to the relaxed elegance of La Casati, the all-day dining space, and the playful sophistication of the Art Deco-style Wagon Bar.
If you love hotels that feel like destinations in themselves, this is firmly one for the list. It gives you palace grandeur, Venetian mystery and the inimitable allure of the Orient Express, all wrapped into one beautifully staged escape.
