A New Luxury Hotel In A Calmer Venice

In previous years pre-pandemic, Venice was the poster child of overtourism: narrow passageways crammed with day tripping tourists with massive cruise ships sailing through the lagoon shaking the foundations of this city built on the water. Once the pandemic swept through northern Italy, removing those tourists as travel stopped throughout the world, one of the few positive aspects was the healing of nature around the city. Instead of appearing murky due to the motorized boats churning up the water, the canals became clear. Fish reappeared including dolphins and swans. Locals reclaimed the streets. The city’s economy needs some tourism to return, though, and it is expected to filter back depending on vaccine availability and border openings later this year. When those tourists return, they’ll find a new, appealing place to stay: the Hotel Ca’ di Dio, a short walk down the lagoon front to St. Mark’s Square.

The hotel, due to open in May, has a history of receiving visitors: a former ecclesiastical compound, it has been a site for Crusaders, pilgrims and other tourists since 1272. Given its location next to the Arsenale, site of the famous Biennales for art and architecture, it will undoubtedly become a site for those visitors as well. The Venice Architecture Biennale is still set to launch in May extending through November. The Art Biennale has been postponed to 2022.

The hotel overall is designed to be an oasis of calm even when tourist numbers inevitably increase. Two internal courtyards house a bar and restaurant for guests, including non hotel guests, to relax. Another restaurant, VE-RO, faces outward, giving guests the postcard views of the lagoon. The restaurant, utilizing vegetables grown in the garden also tucked into the courtyards, will showcase the cuisine of the Veneto region, a cuisine that generally takes a back seat to that of other regions. (And as any regular visitor to Venice knows, the city does have good food if you avoid the overtly touristy restaurants.)

The design by prominent Spanish architect Patricia Urquiola is also meant to showcase local style. “My goal was to create an original and distinctive concept,” says Urquiola, “a Venetian ‘mansion,’ deeply linked to the history of the city with fine woods, rich textiles, colors, finishes and Murano glass; each decorative, architectural and lighting element is the result of the skillful hands of skilled craftsmen who combine the passion for their work with the secrets and techniques of Venetian tradition.” The hotel is also small, just 57 suites and nine rooms spread over three floors. Two of the suites have a large roof terrace with views of the San Marco Basin.

To further guests’ relaxation, the hotel plans to have a full wellness program at the Spa Pura. To help guests bring back mementos of the city, the hotel shop will also feature a selection of glass objects produced exclusively for the hotel by artisans on the island of Murano. Hotel staff can arrange trips over for guests to pick through those artisans’ ateliers themselves but since they want to create a peaceful space within a presumably once again busy city, bringing that glass to guests instead allows more time to spend in the courtyard or the spa.