When a historic city like Venice is spoken of together with a luxury hotel like The St. Regis, stifling opulence, old-fashioned regality, and over-the-top lavishness often quickly come to mind. Such is not at all the case at The St. Regis Venice, cultivators of the vanguard and a muse of the arts. On the contrary, the hotel balances its historic provenance with a palpable sense of avant-garde, especially the artistic, for the best of old and new.
From the outside, the Grand Canal entrance, dropping off guests to uninterrupted views of the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, properly allows it the claim of the best address in Venice. Inside, luxury is brightened with lashings of modernity with Venetian styling and interior décor that pay homage to Carlo Scarpa, one of Venice’s greatest artists and architects. Public areas double as an art exhibit for contemporary works from names including Ai Weiwei, Julian Opie, Gregor Hildebrandt, Lorenzo Quinn, and Esther Stocker. The result is a five-star luxury landmark that is artistically relevant in the present despite its privileged position for more than half a century.
Whichever of the hotel’s 124 guest rooms and 39 luxury suites you decide on, count on bespoke design furnishings that borrow inspiration from the modern spirit of the city and the immersive embrace of its water and light plays. For appreciators of art and history, the Monet Suite is the very room where the artist himself once sat and painted his Venice series of paintings, when the palazzo was the Hotel Brittania in the early 20th century. Fast forward a century later, the suite now comes equipped with a king bed, separate living room, twin bathrooms with bathtub, heated flooring, and Acqua di Parma toiletries. You are also granted the same view as Monet from two window balconies that open up to sweeping views of the Grand Canal.
For more of that view along Venice’s largest water channel, the Ginori Garden—a collaboration oasis with porcelain maker Ginori 1735—is the perfect playground, with emblematic floral umbrellas and cushions setting a picturesque stage for leisurely lunches, exquisite dinners, or stylish aperitifs.
Culinary finesse is served at Gio’s Restaurant & Terrace, where Venetian and Italian dishes are crafted with authenticity made exciting with a disruptive twist. For a truly Venetian experience, leave your wine pairing to the sommelier, who comes with extensive knowledge of local varieties and how to best pair them with the specials of the day. Here is also where the St. Regis Afternoon Tea ritual, served on the daintiest Ginori 1735 porcelain, can be savoured, complemented with more impressive views of the Grand Canal.
The St. Regis Bar is a must-stop, where an order of a Bloody Mary is a prerequisite. As the hotel that birthed the Bloody Mary, every St. Regis around the world boasts its own version of the cocktail. The local interpretation here is a Bloody Santa Maria, a crisp and clear mix that’s the only one of its translucent colour, made with clarified tomato juice. Despite its clarity, it is nonetheless the perfect balance of piquant, punchy and tart, served in a short glass shaped after the dome of the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, hence its name.
More clever libations await at the Arts Bar, where, as its name suggests, the worlds of art, design and mixology collide. A new menu has been recently launched, featuring cocktails inspired by the artistic legacy of Venice, now served in specialty glasses created by Berengo Studio. Taste a cocktail that personifies Piet Mondrian’s Composition with Red, Blue and Yellow in glasses that take after the iconic squares. Sip on the smokiness of Banksy’s Venice Biennale graffiti translated for the palate with mezcal, sweetened with artichoke cordial and finished with pink foam—just like the mural. Every drink is designed to pour slices of art and culture from Venice’s very streets and palazzos into Berengo’s art glasses.
After you’ve had your fill of dining, wining and marvelling, the only thing left to do is to surrender to the flawless and intuitive service of the hallmark St. Regis Butler Service. All guests of the hotel can tap into the service but guests staying in the suites will enjoy the attention of a personal butler. Whatever your whims, from arranging a private dinner on a secluded terrace to packing a gourmet picnic hamper for a cruise on the Venice lagoons, they will see to it efficiently and discreetly.
Beyond the renown of its address and behind the prestige of its name, The St. Regis Venice truly and properly sends out an invitation to breathe in the beautiful canvas of history, art and culture drawn from the very essence of the Floating City.
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