BAUER PALLADIO HOTEL & SPA
Giudecca 3, Venice; 39 041 520 7022; http://www.palladiohotelspa.com.
ROOMS AND RATES
Basic rooms start at $850. A lagoon-view Palladio suite is $2,000 a night.
It's easy to get that sinking feeling in Venice. Look around you in Piazza San Marco at swarms of tourists flooding in. Try to navigate the narrow calles, which pass for streets, and swim against the tide of humanity. At times, La Serenissima can feel anything but serene.
But climbing aboard the city's only solar-powered boat makes for a quick and quiet escape to the Giudecca. Not only does it offer the best views of Venice from a tranquil setting, the trend factor on this little-visited island is rising. New bars, restos and galleries have opened recently - along with the Bauer Palladio Hotel & Spa, right next to Elton John's pied-à-terre.
LOCATION Getting here is half the fun thanks to the Palladio's environmentally friendly launch. It ferries guests on a five-minute shuttle from the Bauer Il Palazzo in the heart of Venice. Or when the boat calls it quits around midnight, you can grab an all-night vaporetto (though Venice has few attractions to keep you out that late). As for the island itself, the Giudecca is a largely residential plot of land about 3.5 kilometres long. But the Hotel Cipriani laid down the first luxury stakes here 50 years ago. A Hilton opened in 2006 in a former mill at the far western edge. And now the Palladio has joined their ranks.
DESIGN The most distinctive aspect of this waterfront hotel - open from March to November - is that it appears to be set in a 16th-century church. In fact, it wraps around one in what used to be a convent.
The name pays tribute to the Renaissance architect and master builder Andrea Palladio, who designed Giudecca's Redentore church, San Giorgio Maggiore one island over - and possibly this edifice, though academics are divided on this. It certainly has the look and feel of a Palladian space, with an understated and geometric façade and eye-pleasing proportions and scale.
Inside, meanwhile, the hotel recalls its previous incarnation with wide corridors, a quiet courtyard, a splashing fountain and gardens. The former refectory where the girls of the convent would eat is now the bar. And their dormitory is a large meeting room with a sign still on the wall reading Filgiole Recordative dedir l'ave Maria: Girls, remember to say your Ave Maria.
Bauer chief executive officer Francesca Bortolotto Possati has also struck a fine balance between tradition and contemporary design throughout. The look is distinctively Venetian, but there's nary a chandelier-dripping-in-beads to be found. Instead, sleek Murano glass globes in iron casings illuminate the halls. Exposed brick and earth-tone stucco walls showcase the architectural bones without so much as a single painting to mask the elegant lines.
AMBIENCE The Giudecca is where Venetian nobles retreated to their summer villas for fresh sea breezes. And there is the feeling of being at a country inn on the hectare of groomed gardens here. Standing at the discreetly marked front door, though, you also have a spectacular view of the towers and domes of Venice laid out across the water.
CLIENTELE The Bauer name has a history in Venice that goes back to 1880. That means the hotel is a draw for old-money clients. And while Americans are in short supply this year because of their weakened dollar, I also overheard Spanish-speaking families, young Italian couples and met a Canadian husband and wife who chose to spend the night here rather than on-board the cruise ship that brought them to the city.
ROOMS There are 37 sizable rooms and 13 suites here, all with original terrazzo flooring and plush carpeting. Vaulted ceilings frame stencilled trelliswork and floral-patterned tapestries and fabrics by Rubelli, the famed Venetian textiles firm. Pastels are the predominant colour scheme, furnishings unfussy and modern - the look is the antithesis of the ornate and gilded Venetian style. For amenities, rooms have walk-in closets, WiFi, flat screen TVs and a mini-bar. Only eight rooms have views that face the city; the rest look over the gardens.
SERVICE A porter greets arrivals at the dock, just steps from the Palladio entrance where prosecco or sparkling water seems to be on offer every time you pass through. Still, the young woman who escorted me to my room was a little unsure of the building's history and its ties to Palladio. And while she showed me the safe, the flatscreen TV and the mini-bar, she neglected to point out where the bathroom was. I later found it through the walk-in closet.
FOOD AND DRINK Breakfasts offer a groaning board of fresh pastries, fruits, cheeses, cereals and hot entrées, with outdoor seating in the garden when weather permits. Dining is only from Thursday to Sunday, though lighter fare - pastas and cicceti (Venetian-style tapas) are available all week. The hotel will also make reservations at Il Palazzo's acclaimed De Pisis Restaurant overlooking the Grand Canal if you want to splurge.
THINGS TO DO The spa here is a sanctum santorum - an oasis-within-an-oasis - with a hammam, sauna and an Obermaier Jacuzzi for those with appointments. You can also book a "relax room" for a private view of the city through a large two-way mirror.
Still, at some point you should take time to explore the Giudecca. The long fondamenta, or waterfront promenade, is ideal for strolling or jogging. The Church of the Zitelle enclosed by the hotel is open for Sunday-morning service. Or visit the Redentore during regular church hours to see a masterpiece of spatial design and the dramatic play of light across a whitewashed stucco interior.
And you don't have to go into the city for a good meal: I Figli delle Stelle is a new restaurant with waterside tables and a menu influenced by the southern Italian origins of the chef.
Hotel vitals
TOP DRAW A haven where tourists can escape from the crush of Venice - complete with a private boat to ferry you back and forth.
NEEDS WORK The menu in the restaurant is limited, and so are its hours.
