Rosewood plans next Italian hotel in historic palazzo

Italian real estate company Gruppo Barletta has tapped Rosewood Hotels & Resorts to manage the Rosewood Venice, which is set to open in 2020 as the brand’s second property in Italy and eighth in Europe. 

“The opening of Rosewood Venice will mark a significant moment for the Rosewood brand as we continue to build out a prominent presence in Europe,” said Radha Arora, president of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts.

Located in the city's Cannaregio neighborhood, the Rosewood Venice will be close to many of the city’s most popular landmarks, including the Strada Nova, Piazza San Marco, Basilica di San Marco and Palazzo Ducale.
 
The hotel will be the repurposed 15th-century Palazzo Dona’ Giovannelli, constructed in the mid-1400s by Filippo Calendario, the master architect of the Palazzo Ducale. The structure was the home of the Duke of Urbino as well as the venue for his son’s wedding to Princess Vittoria Farnese. The palazzo has since undergone two renovations, the first in the 1800s by architect Gian Battista Meduna and the second in the mid-20th century.
 

Designed to preserve the building’s original detailing and heritage while  incorporating modern amenities, Rosewood Venice will have approximately 50 guestrooms and suites overlooking the canal. The hotel’s main entrance on the Rio di Noale provides water access to the first internal courtyard and to the octagonal staircase created by architect Gian Battista Meduna, whose other work includes the renovation of the Cathedral of San Marco. The building’s main floor, or piano nobile, has frescos, stucco and coffered ceilings as well as fireplaces and tapestries. 

The property also will have two walled courtyards for dining as well as two signature restaurants (including a piano bar), a spa, fitness center and event space. 
 
Rosewood Venice will join Rosewood’s network of European properties including Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco in Tuscany, Rosewood London, and Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel in Paris. Upcoming properties in Europe include Rosewood Edinburgh, Rosewood Vienna, Rosewood Munich and Rosewood Hotel, Grosvenor Square in London.