According to Wikipedia, “the Republic of Venice, officially the Most Serene Republic of Venice and traditionally known as La Serenìssima, was a sovereign state and a maritime republic with its capital in Venice.” If you speak a wee bit of Italian, you’ll know that La Serenissima means the most serene, and if you know a wee bit about Venice, as well, you’ll probably wince, sadly acknowledging how un-serene overly-touristy Venice has become (and thus, that pesky tourist tax)…BUT, as two sojourns to Venice recently underscored to me, not all of Venice’s sestieri (six districts) are crawling with eager Instragrammers, carousing college kids, and cruise ship refugees. A pleasant walk from bustling Piazza San Marco (Saint Mark’s Square, the tourist hub and heartbeat of stunning Venice) is the northernmost section of the city, the Cannaregio region. This is the site of the former Jewish ghetto (a word that comes to us directly from the Italian), and a charming, quiet neighborhood. It is typically molto Venetian, with narrow calli (alleyways), dotting the little slices of the Grand Canal and its many tributaries.
It is here that the noble Rizzo-Patarol Palace, now the stunning NH Collection Grand Hotel Palazzo dei Dogi,* is located, an elegant building that was once a monastery as well as the embassy of France and Savoy. The “backyard” garden, which was Venice’s first garden, is a sumptuous, rambling swatch of verdant exuberance, a segreto giardino, or secret garden, with more than 300 years of history. The garden boasts handsome statuary, a Virgin Mary, a Madonna and Child relief (snugly tucked into a wall), a loggia, an ice cave, a wooden bridge, and, of course, tempting lounge chairs and umbrellas. As you approach the hotel from the lagoon, a seductive pergola comes into view, along with the outdoor dining area — all just waiting for you. At its water’s-edge perimeter, you can catch the hotel’s shuttle to the NH Collection Venezia Murano Villa or to St. Mark’s for shopping, sightseeing, or simply plopping yourself down at a café to do whatever.
Rooms (47 of them) in the hotel are as grand as is the palazzo itself. Papal scarlet and vermillion brocades, damasks, and velvets are everywhere. Glittery ormolu, regal tapestries, and painted Renaissance-ish panels adorn the walls, while the lobby is awash with imposing Murano-glass chandeliers, providing sparkling counterpoint to the burnished marble floors, with geometric inlays. Wooden beams are embellished with painterly touches, and a baby grand stands proudly at attention in the lobby.
Breakfast is plentiful and service, polished and professional. If you’re there in the warmer weather, you’ll want to dine in the quasi-enclosed terrace, and savor a variety of appealing pasta dishes, local specialties, and classics. Although I am a lifelong pasta-fancier, I had paccheri (pasta on steroids) there for the first time, smothered in a rich meat sauce. Breakfast was served in the main lobby, and featured the expected — and then some — massive buffet with all manner of Italian treats.
You’ll find the hotel staff more than helpful for your every whim: I wanted to see all that was related to the illustrious designer Mariano Fortuny and the staff aided me in putting together a little itinerary that included more than just Fortuny’s home-museum. Needless to say, the hotel personnel made my stay so pleasant that I could not wait to return each evening to savor a glass of something bubbly, lounging in the lovely main salon or the courtyard. You’ll feel the same way.
Further information:
NH Collection Hotels
All photos courtesy of NH Hotels
- Thailand-based Minor International is a multi-national hospitality conglomerate, the parent of Minor Hotels, which owns or operates a diverse portfolio of over 550 hotels in some 55 countries, across Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, the Indian Ocean, Europe, and the Americas. Perhaps best known are the luxurious Anantara Hotels and Resorts, less established in the States, but widely known in the Pacific Rim and beyond. Among the company’s hotel brands is NH Hotels, comprised of the illustrious NH Collection properties (each a jewel in its own way, with just under 100 in 13 countries) and the more youthful, edgy nhow properties, in addition to the classic NH hotels. Additionally, Minor oversees Avani Hotels and Resorts; the Elewana Collection; the Oaks Hotels, Resorts, and Suites; and the Rivoli Hotels and Resorts.
For me, the treasures are the NH Collection Hotels, as I never know what to expect architecturally, as the company is a magician at buying a castle, say, and then turning it into a five-star property, so that each guest room is unique. Two wonderful properties that come to mind are the NH Collection Firenze Porta Rossa, an astonishing hotel; the property was arguably the site of first hotel in Italy! It features hand-painted frescoes on the ceiling in some of the rooms/suites! Another is the NH Collection Madrid Palacio de Tepa. The original palace was built for the Earl of Tepa, the last viceroy of Spain in Mexico; it was designed by Juan de Villanueva, the royal architect at the period, who also designed the Prado Museum and the Plaza Mayor.
Of course, I do know that at NH properties I will always get polished, professional, and prompt service, a toothsome and delicious menu in the diverse hotel restaurants, and an accommodating, knowledgeable staff…but the “look” and feel of the hotel will always surprise, delight, and charm me.
© Ruth J. Katz 2024 All Rights Reserved
