Hotel of the week: The St. Regis Venice

Sat on the edge of Venice’s famed Grand Canal, the new St. Regis Venice lies opposite the stunning Santa Maria della Salute Basilica church in the former Grand Hotel Britannia, more recently known as the Regina, having undergone a full-blown two-year renovation. 

No expense has been spared in this lavish refurb, and the devil really is in the detail. At first glance it’s impossible to notice the extent to which rich Venetian cultural heritage runs through virtually every aspect of the hotel’s decor. Look closer and you will see Venetian styling in everything from the furniture to the fabrics. 

Where is it? 

The St. Regis Venice boasts a fantastically central location under five minutes walk from the famous Piazza San Marco, while the fancy Calle XXII Marzo lined with designer boutiques is basically on its doorstep.

Back to the jaw-dropping views, which have to be some of the best – if not the best – in the city, with the Punta della Dogana also sitting just across the glistening canal. 

Concierge can arrange for an airport transfer form the mainland which includes your own private boat, not dissimilar to the one the Clooneys took to their Venice wedding. It makes for a dramatic entrance and is well worth the extra cost (if you have the spare cash, it’s around 185 euros).

Style 

The hotel sits across five Venetian palaces. This is an art lovers’ paradise, with artwork, sculptures and glassworks dotted everywhere. Indeed many famous painters are understood to have stayed at the property, including Claud Monet in 1908, who is said to have taken inspiration from the incredible views. 

The hotel is welcoming artists from around the world to take residency and create artworks inspired by Venice, the first of which is Parisian Olivier Masmonteil, who was commissioned to create art for the Grand Salone (pictured below) and Monet Suites.

Which room

There are 169 rooms and suites, around a third of which overlook either the hotel’s gardens or the Grand Canal, and many also boast terraces or Juliet balconies offering ample light. Each room is decorated with a colour palette to represent how light changes throughout the day from dawn to dusk, with light neutrals, soft pinks, pale blues and oranges. Plush velvet fabrics and high pile carpets give an opulent feel, even the curve of the headboard is a nod to the shape of Venetian gondolas.

Service is second to none, when we visited in September the staff were all still fizzing with excitement of the opening – all guests also have access to the signature St. Regis Butler service for the entirety of their stay. 

Food & Drink 

Gio’s Italian restaurant makes for an incredibly special place to start the day at breakfast. A buffet spread is prepared, which includes freshly made eggs of your choice, though guests can choose items from the a la also.  Snap up a table by the water and watch the gondolas bob up and down while listening to opera singers as they pass by. 

By night Gio’s transforms into a fancy place to have dinner and draws well-heeled passers by who are dropped off by boat. Be sure to enjoy an aperitif beforehand in the hotel’s gardens, choose a custom-made Spritz from the trolley or  try the Santa Maria – the hotel’s unique twist on the brand’s signature cocktail, the Bloody Mary. 

After dinner head on to the Arts Bar, where Facundo, the head barman, will give you a warm welcome and take you through the impressive cocktail menu. With a DJ and outdoor terrace (and given most nearby bars start to close down early doors) it’s a good place to carry on the night should you so wish.

Best for

A celebratory romantic city break, think an anniversary or honeymoon, for a couple wanting to immerse themselves in art, culture and architecture and indulge in plenty of pasta and wine. 

Rooms cost from 650 euros for bed and breakfast marriott.co.uk-the-st-regis-venice