A 15th-Century Palazzo in Venice Is Now a Hotel from the Historic Orient Express Brand

Away from the tourist crowds in central Venice, the Palazzo Donà Giovannelli, a 15th-century aristocratic residence, reopened as the new Orient Express Venezia on March 30, 2026.

In Cannaregio, a largely residential district, the palazzo sits on the Rio de Noale canal, with a pink-and-white stone facade restored to reveal the neo-Gothic lancet windows of 15th-century architect Filippo Calendario, who also worked on the Doge’s Palace. In the 18th century, the palazzo was renovated by Giovanni Battista Meduna, who worked on the city’s iconic Ca’ d’Oro palazzo on the Grand Canal and the Teatro La Fenice opera house.

The hotel is the second from Orient Express, the historic luxury train company, following Orient Express La Minerva in Rome. The renovation, led by Paris-based architect and interior designer Aline Asmar d’Amman, took eight years and preserves key historic elements, including an octagonal staircase attributed to Meduna, frescoes by 19th-century Venetian painter Francesco Hayez, and the 1548 gilded ballroom. The property now includes 47 guest rooms and two apartments, combining contemporary interiors with original neo-Gothic and baroque elements.

An eight-year restoration

Photos by Giulio Ghirardi

“My architectural work is rooted in carrying heritage forward and a dialogue between the past and future,” says Asmar d’Amman. “To me, artistry and craftsmanship are the ultimate luxury.”

Following in Meduna’s footsteps, she describes the renovation of “this 15th-century architectural crown jewel of Venice” as a challenge: converting a residential mansion into a hotel while maintaining the imprint of the families who lived there. Working in close collaboration with Italy’s heritage conservation authority, Asmar d’Amman and her team preserved mosaics, frescoes, and sculptures throughout. Their work also required stabilizing the palazzo’s underwater foundations, involving the construction of a dam to drain sections of the structure.

Today, guests arrive by the hotel’s private boat and enter through a courtyard garden—uncommon in Venice—where chef Heinz Beck, famed for his Michelin three-star restaurant La Pergola in Rome, oversees the fine-dining restaurant, alongside a more casual space in the former orangerie.

Interiors that connect past and present

Photos by Giulio Ghirardi

Interiors incorporate Murano and crystal chandeliers, silk wall coverings, brocade upholstery, and a collection of contemporary art “to dialogue with the past while exuding nowness,” says Asmar d’Amman. Materials include blue-veined Marmorino plaster and Carrara marble, with carved wooden door frames and Venetian sliding panels in dressing areas. References to the original Orient Express train include the art deco–style Wagon Bar, inspired by its historic lounge cars.

Asmar d’Amman sees the reimagined palazzo (which was vacant for years before the renovation) as an act of cultural preservation, converting a historic residence into a hotel while maintaining its architectural and cultural legacy. “Here, Venice comes into focus as it has always been,” she says, “a cosmopolitan crossroads where East and West, scholarship and spectacle, share the same address.”

She adds, “I want visitors to feel drunk on beauty.”