Aman Venice

The sumptuous Aman Venice sits within the 16th century Palazzo Padaopoli, right on the Grand Canal moments west of the Rialto Bridge. A work of architect Gian Giacomo dé Grigi, the Aman Venice holds museum-quality treasures including Tiepolo frescoes, gilded ceilings and centuries-old leather wall coverings.

Arriving at the property by boat, step out into the lofty reception hall and ascend a grand stairway to the piano nobile, traditionally the grandest floor of a palazzo, in the Padaopoli’s case designed by renewed 18th century neo-classicist Michelangelo Guggenheim.

Each of the Aman Venice’s 24 rooms are a unique space capturing the opulence of the city’s romantic heyday, featuring original architectural details and the work of a number of Italy’s great artists. Contemporary furnishings complement antique chandeliers, wood panelling, and protected frescos. A selection of the rooms offer incredible Grand Canal views.

Leading from the piano nobile are the Blue Bar and the Yellow and Red Dining Rooms. The former, with a magnificent fireplace and Cesare Rotta ceiling mural, overlooks the canal, while the latter has views of the hotel’s canal side garden – a real rarity in Venice – where alfresco dining is possible in the summer months. Upstairs on the third storey is a spa and its three treatment rooms.

With the canals of Venice quite literally at the doorstep, this city begs to be explored. The Aman Venice also offers its own private box at the nearby Teatro La Fenice for a night at the opera.