A Gorgeous, Historic Venice Hotel Just Reopened With Chic Suites and a Rooftop Bar-and We Were the First to Check In

"It was an emotional moment for everyone, as our water taxi approached the Riva degli Schiavoni waterfront promenade and the lagoonside entrance to Hotel Gabrielli Venezia - Starhotels Collezione. On board with me was general manager Salvatore Pisani, who has overseen the years-long restoration of this storied Venice lodging that reopened on August 25. Impeccable in his powder blue linen suit, Pisani opened the automatic doors with a sweep of his hands, and we were the first guests to step into this Venice legend."

"For years, it was hard to walk past its boarded-up façade and not feel a twinge of nostalgic sadness. Privately owned by the Perkhofer family since 1856, Hotel Gabrielli shut down in 2019, after the devastating acqua alta flooding pushed over six feet of seawater into its first floor. The vintage signage remained, but recovery from the flooding would take years-and a partnership with Starhotels, Italy's largest privately owned hotel group,"

Hotel Gabrielli Venezia reopened on August 25 after a years-long restoration led by general manager Salvatore Pisani. The hotel occupies prized waterfront real estate on the Riva degli Schiavoni facing the lagoon and Grand Canal. Flooding in 2019 submerged the first floor under over six feet of seawater, forcing closure and lengthy recovery. The Perkhofer family has owned the hotel since 1856, and management is now handled by Starhotels Collezione. Restoration preserved Murano glass chandeliers, parquet floors, original beams, and marble columns while Milanese designer Andrea Auletta introduced a contemporary aesthetic that balances past and present. The property offers 66 rooms and suites across three palaces, the oldest dating to the 1300s.

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