Palazzo Abadessa
Cannaregio 4011, Calle Priuli, Venice, Italy, 30131
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#13 of 40
expert-rated hotels in Venice- Recommended for:
- Couples, Culture vultures, Mature travellers, Seasoned travellers, Singles, Art, History, Romance, Sightseeing
Expert review of Palazzo Abadessa
Elegant antiques, a splendid garden and a Venetian palazzo house-party ambience.
Maria Luisa Rossi bought this magnificent 16th-century palazzo as a private home, only later deciding to turn it into a 13-room hotel. The feel, however, is definitely homely… in a gloriously refined way. For me, however, it’s the garden that makes Palazzo Abadessa really special. Lushly formal, complete with statuary and hidden bowers – there are few Venetian hotels which offer quite such a green haven.
Location:
On a quiet sidestreet in the northern Cannaregio district of town, Palazzo Abadessa is a short walk from the Ca’ d’Oro vaporetto stop but a good half-hour’s hike from St Mark’s. Cannaregio is packed with sights and great eateries, however, and I much prefer the calm of this area to the bustle of the city’s heart. A private water entrance means that you can be delivered to the hotel directly by water taxi.
Bedrooms:
The 13 rooms and suites range from a little dark and cramped on the mezzanine floor to positively palatial upstairs. Each has its own rich colour palette; all boast splendid antiques and many have beautifully frescoed and stuccoed ceilings too. Suites can be linked together to form accommodation for large families or groups. (Maria Luisa tells me she is currently working on an annexe where family suites will have self-catering facilities, but that won’t be ready for some time yet.)
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Public areas:
The reception room on the upstairs piano nobile floor is truly magnificent, with its school-of-Tintoretto paintings and lovely stucco work. But the garden is the public space here that really does it for me. Maria Luisa’s plans for the future include adding a little kitchen where guests can whip themselves up snacks to take out to the tables hidden among the greenery. Until it’s ready, enjoy breakfast out here, weather permitting.
Eating and drinking:
Breakfast is served either in the garden or in the pretty breakfast room. There is no restaurant.
Service:
You’ll be made to feel like one of the family here immediately. Some guests find this very personal touch slightly eccentric. Others can’t get enough of it.
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Who stays there:
Americans and northern Europeans on cultural pilgrimages make up the bulk of the Palazzo Abadessa’s clientele. A reassuringly large percentage of them are return visitors to the city and the hotel.
Pros:
Being made to feel like a guest in a friend’s beautiful Venetian palazzo is a rare privilege
Cons:
Not at the centre of the city
The very hands-on service can make some uncomfortable
More information on Palazzo Abadessa:
- Price from:
- Type:
- Hotel
- Address:
- Cannaregio 4011, Calle Priuli, Venice, Italy, 30131
- Amenities:
- High-Speed Internet
- Neighbourhood:
- Cannaregio
