The hotel will offer relaxed luxury overlooking the Venetian lagoon and set new quality standards for authentic five – star hospitality.
Signalling an exciting new era of Venetian hôtellerie, Starhotels announces design details of the Hotel Gabrielli‘s extraordinary and careful renovation of the historical 13th-century palazzo and its six surrounding buildings that altogether form this Venetian heritage.
Hotel Gabrielli, located on a prime spot on Riva degli Schiavoni and with a direct view on Isola di San Giorgio, will re-open its doors at the beginning of 2025, as reasserting itself as the crown jewel of Venice, an unofficial distinction it has held since its original opening in 1856.
Owned and run for five generations by the Perkhofer family as a “Family affair” and long-time home to returning guests, the property has always been an open house for luminaries from the worlds of art, literature, fashion, and politics and being a milestone during the Grand Tour, it was the preferred location for Orient-Express travellers who used to stay here before departing on their trains.
Elisabetta Fabri, President and CEO of Starhotels, comments “When you’re in this location, everything breathes history and charm. We want to write the new chapter of the famous Hotel Gabrielli, creating an intriguing and whimsical atmosphere, a very classical Venetian experience with contemporary comfort.”
Bringing the property into its new chapter is Starhotels with Salvatore Pisani, appointed Complex General Manager of Starhotels Venice hotels, and Milanese designer Andrea Auletta, who together are leading the renovation and the new design, which seeks to bring back to life the typical Venetian experience with a contemporary touch throughout the building. Auletta and his Studio are working hard to retain the property’s charming distinctions, with interiors that are deeply embedded in the nostalgia, history, and tradition of this Grand Hotel.
Restoration is essential to the interior design brief from Starhotels and the result will be a Venetian experience that pays tribute to the memories of the past, whilst offering a new fresh elegance. Many original features, such as the precious Quadrifora windows on the main façade, ancient courtyard columns, marble bathrooms, and pavements in Istrian stone, are coming back to life. Highlighting the property’s heritage, luxurious fabrics by famous local brands will give guests the illustrious feel of residing in a classic Venetian Palazzo.Local artisans have also been involved to enrich the hotel’s authentic elegance. Original Murano chandeliers and mirrors, painted wooden beams and luxury marble wall coverings will show the authentic craftsmanship of the Venetian Serenissima.
In the colour palette, shades of warm grey can be found against ivory, white, and golds and these nuances of colours recall tones of the sea and sky as seen from the hotel’s windows, immersing guests in a unique, tranquil atmosphere.
Reducing the number of keys from 120 to 73 to allow more living space, the new rooms are all designed for 21st-century living, offering multiple areas with the maximum five-star comfort and privacy, with separate sleeping, lounging, and dressing areas in the larger suites. Spacious front rooms and suites overlooking the lagoon offer postcard looks of Venice. Each room is uniquely designed. The Presidential Suite will be one of the biggest accommodation on the island with a private altana, the classic panoramic terrace, making it an extraordinary light-house apartment overlooking the roofs of Venice and the lagoon.
In its new chapter, the hotel will feature a Mediterranean restaurant on the ground floor with a variety of public areas for formal and informal dining and cocktail experiences.
Here the highlights will be a Venetian garden adjacent to a romantic Canal with private access and a scenic Roof Terrace with Sky Bar with direct view on san Giorgio. Auletta has chosen rich textures, glasses, and mirrors to create an ambient able to create a multi-sensorial cocktail experience.
On the noble floor, an intimate Spa takes place with an exclusive treatment room, a cosy gym and a private Spa.
Salvatore Pisani, Complex General Manager of Splendid Venice and Hotel Gabrielli, adds “We are bringing Hotel Gabrielli back to life and we can’t wait to show the hotel next year. Its excellent location away from the busy tourist areas but within easy reach of Piazza San Marco, the new Gabrielli will be the place for exclusive events, dreamy ceremonies, and the ultimate travel experience.”
Opening at the beginning of 2025 with a respectful nod to the past and a forward-looking concept, the new Hotel Gabrielli part of Starhotels Collezione aims to redefine Venetian chic and re-establishing itself as not only an iconic landmark, but a new contemporary hotel designed for life and luxury travel in the 21st century.
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