The second ever Orient Express hotel debuts in Venice

Orient Express has opened its second hotel with the debut of Orient Express Venezia, bringing the brand to Venice inside the restored 15th-century Palazzo Donà Giovannelli. The opening follows last year’s launch of Orient Express La Minerva in Rome and continues the brand’s expansion across Italy alongside the La Dolce Vita Orient Express train.

Lobby, image courtesy of Orient Express Venezia, Giulio Ghirardi

Palazzo Donà Giovannelli traces its origins back to the 15th century and has long served as a setting for Venetian cultural life. In the 19th century, Count Andrea Giovannelli commissioned architect Giovanni Battista Meduna—known for restoring Ca’ d’Oro—to transform the interiors with neogothic and baroque elements, including the palazzo’s octagonal staircase crowned by a celestial vault. The building later hosted salons, debates, and gatherings during the Ninth Congress of Italian Scientists in 1847, reinforcing its role as a stage for intellectual and social exchange.

Exterior Façade, image courtesy of Orient Express Venezia, Giulio Ghirardi

Sala Della Cultura, image courtesy of Orient Express Venezia, Giulio Ghirardi

Aline Asmar d'Amman, image courtesy of Orient Express Venezia, Giulio Ghirardi

Owned by Arsenale Group, the palazzo has now been reimagined as a hotel for the first time in nearly six centuries. Architect and interior designer Aline Asmar d’Amman led the restoration and redesign, working across both architecture and interiors. Original frescoes, sculptural ceilings, and historic detailing have been preserved alongside new interventions including mirrored surfaces, custom furnishings, and Murano glass elements, reintroducing the building’s layered character through a contemporary lens.

Orient Express Suite, image courtesy of Orient Express Venezia, Giulio Ghirardi

Orient Express Suite, image courtesy of Orient Express Venezia, Giulio Ghirardi

Suite Bathroom, image courtesy of Orient Express Venezia, Giulio Ghirardi

Cherubini Suite, image courtesy of Orient Express Venezia, Giulio Ghirardi

Deluxe Room, image courtesy of Orient Express Venezia, Giulio Ghirardi

Colori Persi Suite, image courtesy of Orient Express Venezia, Giulio Ghirardi

Colori Persi Suite Bathroom, image courtesy of Orient Express Venezia, Giulio Ghirardi

Junior Suite, image courtesy of Orient Express Venezia, Giulio Ghirardi

The hotel features 47 accommodations, including guestrooms, suites, and residences. Six signature suites—the Orient Express Suite, Colori Persi Suite, Del Conte Suite, Teatro Suite, Cherubini Suite, and La Minerva Suite—highlight restored 19th-century frescoes, marble fireplaces, and canal-facing views, with some of the largest layouts offering expansive living spaces within the historic structure.

La Casati, image courtesy of Orient Express Venezia, Giulio Ghirardi

Heinz Beck Venezia, image courtesy of Orient Express Venezia, Giulio Ghirardi

Wagon Bar, image courtesy of Orient Express Venezia, Giulio Ghirardi

Dining is led by three-Michelin-starred chef Heinz Beck, whose culinary direction anchors the hotel’s food and beverage program. Heinz Beck Venezia serves as an intimate gourmet concept located within the palazzo’s historic orangerie. La Casati operates as the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, set within a private garden and inspired by the theatrical legacy of Marchesa Luisa Casati. The Wagon Bar draws from the Art Deco design of the original Orient Express train cars, translating that identity into a cocktail-focused setting.

Additional spaces include Salone Vittoria, a restored ceremonial hall once used for major gatherings, now positioned for events within the hotel. A concealed interior garden, long hidden behind the palazzo’s walls, has also been reopened as part of the transformation, alongside Calle Meraviglia, a passage connecting the garden to the main interiors and hosting rotating contemporary artworks tied to Venice’s cultural calendar.

Guests arrive directly by boat through the palazzo’s Gothic water gate, reinforcing its connection to Venice’s historic modes of access and positioning the property within the city’s canal network.