Orient Express Opens Second Hotel in Venice: Just 47 Rooms in a Renaissance-Era Palazzo

The luxury train brand Orient Express, a joint venture between Accor and LVMH, has opened its second hotel worldwide. Located in the quieter Cannaregio district of Venice, Italy, all rooms overlook the Grand Canal.

Orient Express Venice is housed in the Renaissance-era Palazzo Donà Giovannelli, marking the first time the building has operated as a hotel in nearly six centuries.

The hotel features just 47 rooms, suites, and residential suites. Official website rates start at approximately €1,870 per night (about RMB 14,846). The property retains many 19th-century frescoes, velvet upholstery, Murano crystal chandeliers, and marble fireplaces, evoking the opulence and charm of the Renaissance.

Under the direction of architect and interior designer Aline Asmar d’Amman (pictured below), the hotel underwent eight years of comprehensive restoration, including drainage, foundation reinforcement, stone-by-stone treatment, and preservation of original frescoes and decorations. The restored building retains its original historical character while incorporating refined contemporary elegance, allowing ancient Venetian craftsmanship to complement modern design. The hotel maintains a water entrance, allowing guests to arrive by boat through a Gothic-style portal.

The hotel features a restaurant by three-Michelin-starred chef Heinz Beck, called Heinz Beck Venezia, a train-inspired Wagon Bar, and a spa that blends ancient Roman bath rituals.

The Venice hotel is Orient Express's second property, following the opening of its first hotel in Rome in 2025. The brand also launched a new luxury train, La Dolce Vita, in Italy last year. Orient Express aims to position Italy as a frontier for luxury travel.

In June this year, Orient Express's sailing yacht Corinthian will set sail, cruising the Mediterranean, Adriatic, and Caribbean seas.

| Source: Official press release

| Image credit: Hotel Instagram; official website