Hotel Gabrielli Review by T+L in Venice

Our water taxi was awestruck as it approached the Riva degli Schiavoni waterfront and the entrance to the lagoon. Hotel Gabrielli Venezia – Starhotels Collezione. Salvatore Pisani accompanied me on the boat. He had been overseeing this historic Venice hotel’s restoration for years. It reopened to guests on 25 August. Pisani was dressed impeccably in his powder-blue linen suit. He opened the automatic door with a swipe of his hand, and we became the first guests at this Venice legend.

Hotel Gabrielli is located on highly coveted property along the Riva, the long stretch of Venice It faces the lagoon and Grand Canal. For years, it was hard to walk past its boarded-up façade and not feel a twinge of nostalgic sadness. The Perkhofer family owned the Hotel Gabrielli since 1856. It closed in 2019 after the devastating earthquake. acqua alta flooding Six feet of seawater flooded the first floor. The vintage signage remained, but recovery from the flooding would take years—and a partnership with StarhotelsIt is the largest hotel group in Italy that now manages Hotel Gabrielli as part of its luxury Collezione line.

In the lobby lounge, manager Pisani pointed to colorful Murano glass chandeliers and appliqués, timeworn parquet flooring, original wood beams, and marble columns, all meticulously restored piece by piece. These vintage pieces blend seamlessly with the contemporary aesthetic of Milanese architect Andrea Auletta who wanted to maintain Hotel Gabrielli’s original style. fin de siècle The look is rooted in today’s times, but with a modern feel. Pisani says, “We have one foot in the present and another in the past.”

My full review of Venice’s newly opened Hotel Gabrielli. It is located just a short distance from Piazza San Marco.

The Rooms

The 66 suites and rooms of the Hotel Gabrielli are located in three palaces. One of the oldest dates from the 1300s. Three connected buildings form a maze-like space, with corridors and stairways connecting the buildings and six elevators serving six floors. Rooms are now fewer than the original 105. The result is a more spacious, elegant and inviting hotel, with many rooms offering views of the lagoon.

The Lagoon Suite is where we hid out. It has a balcony that’s framed by a frame of palm trees. Quadrifora The windows are divided into four columns.

All rooms and suites come with free water, coffee, and tea. Fresh flowers, welcome pastries and a pillow menu are available to guests. They also receive fluffy bathrobes and velvet slippers. The Presidential Suite has a rooftop and is one of Venice’s largest. altanaYou can choose to have a terrace in the Venetian style with panoramic views of the lagoon or city.

The interiors are all a soft gray, with gold and wood accents. Brocade fabrics and wood accents also add a touch of elegance. Like other Starhotels Collezione properties, I found that the interior design was a carefully considered combination of textures, colors, and decor pieces. It is clear to see but not intrusive.

Food and Drink

Felice al Gabrielli – the main restaurant at Hotel Gabrielli – doubles up as the hotel’s breakfast area. This includes a buffet with a wide variety of options, as well as cooked-to order items. Mirko Pistorello, executive chef of Hotel Gabrielli’s main restaurant, Felice al Gabrielli also serves as the breakfast area. The menu includes a rich buffet and items cooked to order. The menu was also brand-new, and we only got to try a few things. But the appetizer of scallops topped with stuffed and delicately fried zucchini flowers, and an entrée of spaghetti with fresh lagoon clams dressed with panko breadcrumbs, certainly bode well for the restaurant’s full offerings.

The rooftop Terrazza Gabrielli is where I would start any evening at Hotel Gabrielli. It’s the jewel in the crown of the hotel’s food and beverage program. On a balmy evening in August, we enjoyed elaborate cocktails while saluting the sunset. Our group enjoyed an Americano cocktail, a traditional Venice cocktail, along with creative aperitivo snack, including the classic Venetian aperitivo. baccalà mantecato, Creamed salted fish served on slices of bread. Outside visitors are welcome, but registered guests will get priority. The terrace is worth a visit even if your hotel doesn’t offer it.

Activities and Experiences

The hotel offers a variety of experiences that are suitable for families and first-time visitors to Venice. Skip-the-line tours are available for the Doge’s Palace, the Basilica San Marco and the lagoon cruises that stop on the islands Murano and Burano. Walking tours can also be arranged. Venice’s best neighborhoods.

For a deeper dive into Venetian tradition and craftsmanship, guests can book guided visits to some of the city’s most revered artisan studios, including Ca’ Macana, famous for its handmade papier-mâché masks, and Atelier Nicolao, where visitors ogle exquisitely ornate and detailed costumes.

We have been to a number of places. Lunardelli VeneziaWe visited, a woodworking workshop and showroom located in the San Polo neighborhood, where we learned how the studio upcycles objects and wood which would otherwise be discarded. We toured the woodworking studio and showroom before sanding our own. sfojoThe Venetian wooden piling is cut into a pie shape. The oak pilings submerged in Venice’s lagoon eventually decay and need to be replaced every few decades. Lunardelli salvages them and transforms them into beautiful objects—keepsake souvenirs that are unlike anything else in Venice.

The Spa

La Spa is not something I got to experience, but its 1,076-square foot wellness area includes a treatment and relaxation room, Turkish sauna, dry sauna, and whirlpool. There is also a well-equipped, small fitness room.

The spa is technically a communal space but guests are encouraged by the staff to reserve it for their exclusive use. While it’s ideal for couples or friends, a mixed group could feel crowded.

Offers for Families

Starhotels offers a comprehensive program for families called VIK (Very Important Kids). The thoughtful extras include treats and welcome gifts, as well as kid-friendly walking routes. Two children aged 16 or under are allowed to sleep for free in their parent’s room.

Accessibility and sustainability

Venice is a difficult city for those with mobility issues, since many places are only accessible by stepping bridges. Despite this, the Riva degli Schiavoni (the long pedestrian zone in front of Hotel Gabrielli) is wheelchair accessible thanks to ramps on its numerous bridges. All rooms at Hotel Gabrielli are fully accessible. Only a handful of rooms can be accessed via stairs. The balcony of our suite was accessed by a small step.

The restoration of the hotel was a study in sustainability as original pieces had been cleaned, repaired and reinstalled. Starhotels has opted to use glass bottles as opposed to single-use plastics for its bathroom amenities and water bottles.

Location

Hotel Gabrielli on Riva degli Schiavoni is just a short walk away from Venice’s largest piazza. Rialto Bridge can be reached in 20 minutes. Giardini della Biennale is 15 minutes from the hotel. It houses dozens of art pavilions representing different countries.

Venice Marco Polo Airport, or VCE for short, is the nearest international airport. The hotel can arrange a 30-minute private water taxi from the airport. From the airport you can also take the Alilaguna public water transportation service It takes about 40 minutes to reach the Ospedale bus stop.

You can hire water taxis from the Santa Lucia train stop in Venice. From the train station, several municipal water busses run along the route to the Arsenale Stop which is a short walk from the Hotel.

Book Now

Starhotels members can enjoy a loyalty program. I am StarReceive special rates, discounts on site, room upgrades (based upon availability), and late checkout (based upon availability).

Leading Hotels of the World, which Hotel Gabrielli belongs to, is a member of Leading Hotels of the World. Members the Leaders Club Enjoy exclusive rates on your stay, a complimentary continental breakfast daily for two people, an early check-in/late check-out option (subject to availability) and complimentary Wi Fi.

Rates for standard rooms in Hotel Gabrielli start from €550 ($643), and suites start at €940 ($1,100).

Each T+L Hotel Review is written by a reporter or editor who has visited the hotel. The hotel chosen must also align with our standards. core values.