Undisputedly Venice's sexiest hotel with its 289 mirrors, cool dim lights, and the atmosphere of a member club, the Palazzina is the first hotel created by the renowned French designer Philippe Starck in Italy.
The five-star hotel, since its opening in 2009, has become famous for the most glamorous parties of the Film Festival and Art Biennale circuit, “home” to many international celebrities.
Hidden in Calle Grassi, close to Campo Santo Stefano, the sixteenth-century palace immediately reveals a mysterious charm: with no signs or indications on the front door, the hotel’s unconventional allure is well exemplified by two bull heads sculptures by glass artist Aristide Najean who collaborated with Starck also for the creation of the beautiful Murano glass chandeliers that adorn the lobby and the central salon.
For the interior, Starck has paid a tribute to the Venetian heritage by using materials such as mahogany wood (a tribute to gondolas), glass, as well as four thousand bricks recovered from an old farmhouse in Laguna and hand-selected one by one to adorn the walls of the palace.
For the 25 rooms, of which 5 suites, the French designer has created an extremely sleek design featuring total white curtains, carpets, and sofas, Fornasetti’s abat-jours lights and chairs, backlit mirrors, and the iconic black mask that Starck has chosen to decorate the bedrooms’ lampshades and that has also become the hotel’s logo.
The heart of the Palazzina are The Restaurant, open from breakfast to dinner, and The Lounge & The Terrace, ideal spaces for lunch, an aperitif, or an intimate evening.
The Restaurant is located in the imposing baroque hall on the ground floor, framed by 19th-century columns and two bejeweled tables over seven meters long each: one made of mirror, used as a bar counter where you can enjoy cocktails prepared by expert bartenders, and one made of marble, the only open-view show kitchen in Venice, where you can enjoy the spectacle of the team busy preparing the dishes.
The menu combines traditional local dishes with international bestsellers, made with locally sourced ingredients. Everything, from pasta to desserts and even many liqueurs, such as vermouth, is strictly homemade.
For DJ sets organized for special occasions or Sunday brunch, check out the hotel’s social media channels.
The Secret
For the realization of all the Mirrors of the Palazzina, Starck chose Barbini, an ancient family of glass masters present in Murano since the second half of the 16th century. They are famous for having collaborated, at the court of Louis XIV, with the Manufacture Royale des glaces de miroirs in Paris which created the famous Gallery of Mirrors in Versailles.
Useful Info
Palazzina Grassi Venezia
San Marco 3247
30124 Venezia
Tel. +39 041 5284644
Rooms: from 350 euro with breakfast
Starters: from 18 euro
First courses: from 24 euro
Second courses: from 30 euro
Breakfast/Brunch: 50 euro
