Step back in time. Surrounded by gorgeous antiques, paintings, superb authentic ceilings, damask walls and marquetry floors, you'll feel like an honoured guest of a historic Venetian family as you're warmly welcomed by the palazzo's charming staff.
Tucked away down the snug Calle Priuli alleyway, in the bohemian Cannaregio quarter, fronted by a secret walled garden, this was the private mansion of the Priuli family of Doges, and dates to the late 16th-century. The Rossis bought it in 1975 as their home and, after a quarter century of loving restoration - seeking out the perfect period detail, the finest pieces of furniture - opened it as an intimate hotel. Marisa (as she is known) grew up in a Palladian villa "surrounded by beautiful history", then ran several factories in Vicenza, inviting clients to the Abadessa (the 'Mother Superior') for weekend breaks. Now she, and her son Simone, love welcoming cultured folk from all over the world to stay in their elegant palazzo hotel.
Highs
- The location: beside a quiet canal, with the option of coming and going by private water taxi from the palace’s own red-carpeted jetty, only a 15-minute walk from the airport waterbus, and 3 minutes to the Ca'D'Oro vaporetto stop
- The huge ground floor ballroom with tall stained glass windows to the jetty; and the equally grand 'piano nobile' above, connected by a unique horseshoe staircase
- The sumptuous bedrooms, with authentic 17th-century frescoes, 18th-century furniture, silk-lined walls and massive Murano-glass chandeliers
- Nothing is too much trouble for the staff, as we reaffirmed on a recent visit
- The large walled garden where you can enjoy breakfast
Lows
- Breakfast is the only in-house meal, though they can order in for parties and conferences
- The property focuses squarely on its heritage, some will prefer more contemporary surroundings
- Some of the rooms are small and low-ceilinged
- Only a few of the rooms have bathtubs, though all have ensuite showers
Best time to go
Venice is an all year round destination, most prefer the spring and autumn seasons when the weather is at its most balmy. Availability is best in the winter. Note that Palazzo Abadessa is usually closed most of January for maintenance
Our top tips
Venice is great for shopping - the streets leading to St Mark's Square are lined with exclusive designer stores, the Dorsoduro area is full of independent galleries, and San Polo has the Rialto market as well as great artisan masks and furnishings
- Boutique Hotel
- 10 rooms + 5 suites
- Breakfast (walk to restaurants)
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car not necessary
- Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Concierge Service
Rooms
A horseshoe staircase sweeps up to the tall-windowed piano nobile (literally 'noble floor'), here the Suites, Deluxe Garden View and one Superior Room are located. The grandest Suite, where we stayed on our original visit, has a balcony over the canal and raised mezzanine with bathroom, chaise longue and second double bedroom. One Junior Suite has a superb painted ceiling. Expect large ornate glass chandeliers, high ceilings, baroque bedsteads and prized painted furniture from Bassano. The floors are special Venetian marquetry or flexible pavimento - a 'mosaic' of coloured stones set into elastic calce cement, to avoid cracking from tidal movement.
Classic and other Superior Rooms are carved out of a mezzanine floor and the low ceilings can make them feel a bit cramped. We stayed here on our most recent revisit and loved the original 16th-century beams and handmade silk-lined walls.
Ensuite bathrooms have been upgraded, though note most are small with shower only; you get own brand toiletries. Almost all rooms can be reconfigured as twins on request; all have safes, satellite TV and mini-bar fridges.
Features include:
- Air conditioning
- Central heating
- Hairdryer
- Minibar
- Safe box
- TV
- WiFi
Eating
As the hotel doesn’t have a restaurant, the only meal served is breakfast though it is one fit for a Doge. A feast of cereals, yogurts and fresh fruits, cheeses, parma and other hams, cake, croissants, rolls, pastries, toast and jams… the table was groaning and I returned for at least 5 glasses of their delicious blood-orange juice. You can have breakfast in bed or eat in the atrium ballroom (a range of daily newspapers are supplied); in warm weather most prefer the parasoled tables in the sunny garden.
After a hard day’s sightseeing, reconvene for daily afternoon tea (4-6pm). In the evening sip Prosecco (a gift for having booked through i-escape) and cocktails either in your room or downstairs (there’s an impressive range of drinks laid out in the ballroom and cocktails are offered 7-8pm Saturdays), before being swept away in a water taxi from the palace's private jetty to dinner.
Ask the concierge for restaurant recommendations, note that as everything in Venice has to be shipped in, it is one of the priciest places to dine in Italy.
Features include:
- Breakfast
- Restaurants nearby
Activities
- Visit some of the countless churches and museums showcasing Venetian architecture, art and history, including the world-famous Palazzo Ducale, Basilica, Gothic seat of Venetian power, and extraordinary little church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli, 'a jewel box of ancient marbles'
- Wonder at all the Canalettos, Titians, Tintorettos and other paintings gathered under one roof in the Galleria dell’Academia in Dorsoduro
- Take a lazy gondola ride through the labyrinth of canals or join others on a communal sunset tour complete with singers and instruments
- Visit the nearby islands of San Michele (a huge cemetery park), Murano (glass-blowing), Burano (fishing, lace-making and gaily-colored houses) or Torcello (7th- to 13th-century architecture, Byzantine mosaics and a tiny resident population)
- Or just explore the labyrinth of narrow alleys and little hump-backed bridges - getting lost is all part of the fun here
- At the palazzo, sit in the beautiful, flower-filled garden sipping cappuccinos or cocktails and watching the shadows deepen
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Historical sites
- Museums / galleries
- Shopping / markets
Kids
Well behaved kids are welcome and extra beds, cots and babysitting can be arranged. Children under 5 stay for free. That said, the place is full of valuable furniture and ornaments, they prefer to keep it fairly quiet and civilised and not to have too many children staying at any one time.
Best for:
Children (4-12 years), Teens (over 12)
Family friendly accommodation:
The impressive Suites and Superior Room found off the piano nobile can sleep 3-4 people and some interconnect
Families Should Know:
There's a canal to the rear of the property
Distances:
- Airport: 1 hour
- Shops: 1 minute
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
The palazzo is tucked away off the Calle Priuli, a 15-minute walk from the Rialto Bridge, in the Cannaregio quarter.
By Air
Fly into Venice Marco Polo (13km) or nearby Treviso Airport (30km), both have regular flights and offer easy access to central Venice.
From the Airport
Visitors arriving in Marco Polo Airport can either take a private water taxi to the hotel's private dock on the Santa Sophia canal, or the Alilaguna shared taxi-boat (line blue) straight from the airport to the Fondamente Nuove stop. It's also possible to take a bus/taxi to Piazzale Roma and walk or take a vaporetto (waterbus) from there. There are regular bus services from Treviso Airport (approx 40-minute drive). From here, catch a vaporetto down the Grand Canal (towards San Marco) and get off at the Ca d'Oro stop, which is a 5 minute walk to the Palazzo.
By Train
If you'd prefer to travel overland from the UK, you can reach Venice quite easily with the Eurostar from London, changing in Paris. See the excellent Seat 61 for details.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com
More on getting to Venice and getting around
Airports:
- Venice 13.0 km VCE
- Treviso 30.0 km TSF
Other:
- Beach 3.0 km
- Shops 0.2 km
- Restaurant 0.2 km