One of the greater pleasures of Venice these days is witnessing the revival of its Grand Canal frontage as one long-abandoned palazzo after the other is spruced up and repurposed for an appreciative Millennial audience.
The former Palazzo Bacchini delle Palme in the Santa Croce quarter has just emerged from an extensive two-year restoration as the 18-room Palazzo Venart. Just about every single square inch has been coaxed back into Technicolor life, the finished product a testament to the crack team of art historians and artisans, and antique experts from the Fondazione La Fenice.
The original wood and gold-leaf ceiling and terrazzo and ornate parquet floors set the scene, the restorers reimagining the Golden Age of Venice as set-pieces of silk walls, French court piano, swathes of brocade, and original tempera frescoes that are believed to have been inspired by the ones at the Palazzo Grassi.
There are modern touches, of course, not the least of which are the filigreed renderings of Venice’s emblem, the golden winged lion, and a cheerfully coloured abstract of the dome of Saint Mark’s Basilica in the hotel’s garden. In an adjoining private courtyard lined with magnolia trees, the two-Michelin starred Enrico Bartolini presides over the kitchen at Ristorante Glam, sending out regional treats like spaghetti with smoked eel and wild fennel, veal sweetbreads with local artichokes, and beetroot risotto.
ADDRESS
Santa Croce 1961
-
Meet Malak Mattar, the Palestinian artist behind the 'Together for Palestine' concert at London's Wembley ArenaThe London-based artist curates a landmark concert of music and art in support of Gaza, alongside Brian Eno, James Blake, Jamie xx, Neneh Cherry and more
-
A new coffee table book proves that one designer’s trash is another’s treasureThe Rizzoli tome, launching today (16 September 2025), delves into the philosophy and process of Retrouvius, a design studio reclaiming salvaged materials in weird and wonderful ways
-
A carbon-emission-busting house, yeast-biomass building, and more ‘Designs for a Cooler Planet’‘Designs for a Cooler Planet’ returns to Aalto University in Finland as part of the annual Helsinki design and architecture week, highlighting buildings, materials and solutions towards a better future
-
This Italian palazzo-turned-café adds a dash of drama to your morning espressoDesigned by studio AMAA, Caffè Nazionale brings new energy to a 19th-century former town hall in the northern Italian town of Arzignano
-
Pierre-Yves Rochon celebrates ‘the great tradition of Italian design’ in Four Seasons Hotel Milano refreshThe sophisticated hotel’s 118 rooms and suites have been redesigned by the acclaimed designer and long-time collaborator of the brand
-
At this elegant new aparthotel in Florence, local living is done rightThis Time Tomorrow offers bespoke itineraries and neoclassical interiors that echo the city’s layered soul
-
Do luxury hotels need a farmer-in-residence?From Ibiza to Indonesia, hospitality brands are cultivating a new travel experience, where wellness begins in the soil and ends at the table
-
Il Sereno’s new Listening Suite is what phonophiles’ dreams are made ofDesigned by Patricia Urquiola and Il Sereno founder and audiophile Luis Contreras, the new Lake Como-facing suite unites Japanese listening culture with Italian design
-
Inside Belmond’s most exclusive holiday villa yet, a lavish Ligurian palazzoOnce the theatre of lavish parties, Villa Beatrice is now a palatial haven of seclusion with easy access to Portofino’s Splendido, a Belmond hotel
-
The most stylish hotel takeovers to pop up at this summerFrom Capri to Ibiza, luxury fashion brands are taking over seaside resorts with exclusive boutique pop-ups and bespoke poolside accessories
-
Detour Discotheque is bringing ‘the world’s dreamiest party’ to PugliaThe pop-up event, La Dolce Vita Disco, promises dancing, good food and sunshine in a 16th-century Italian farmhouse
