Violino D'Oro

Hotel review

Located just across a small canal running off the Grand Canal, and a short distance from St Mark's Square, the family-run Violino d'Oro opened in 2023 after a three-year renovation of three 17th and18th-century mansions. The result is a triumphant mix of modern Venetian craftsmanship and low-key but luxurious accommodation, in a super-central location.

No expense has been spared in the use of materials and local artisans, from furnishings and design pieces by Lunardelli, to lighting by Martinelli Luce, and beautiful vases from a workshop in Dorsoduro. Modern Murano glass abounds. All 32 rooms (which include ten suites) have been carefully curated, giving each a unique signature. Mattresses with luxury linens are wonderfully comfortable; bathrooms, with their crystal detailing and seminato flooring, come with pampering products; each room has a Nespresso machine, a locally-stocked mini-bar and a selection of top quality teas and tisanes.

The philosophy of the owners — the family-run Collezione Em — was to recreate the feeling of staying in a friend's house. The effect is beautifully achieved in the ground floor bar and sitting room, with a sumptuous art collection, gorgeous fabrics adorning soft sofas, and vintage antique mirrors. Characteristic Venetian windows give out onto the small piazza to the front of the hotel, and the bobbing gondolas jostling for position in the San Moise canal. In another hotel, this activity could be noisy, but high-spec double-glazing ensures guests, once inside the hotel, are enveloped in their own luxury cocoon.

For breakfast and dining, the intimate nine-table Il Piccolo has views over a secluded and charming square at the back of the property. The food, like much about this place, is locally sourced, with fish from the lagoon and vegetables grown on Sant’Erasmo Island.

A stunning new find, in what is a very crowded luxury hotel space!

James Dunford Wood