Ca ‘di Dio, Former Hospice, Is Venice’s Newest Five-Star Hotel

IIf there’s one thing that stands out among the ornate facades of buildings in Venice, it’s something new. Sea and air are cruel neighbors to these ancient buildings – cracked, chipped, peeling and even dilapidated, as is the condition of many old houses. And so, although the outside of Ca’ di Dio, Venice’s newest five-star hotel, is restrained compared to its neighbours, its recent intact restoration has left it with a spotless facade that ensures it stands out from the lagoon.

This is also the latest pick to our series of exciting new hotels, New Room with View.

Located five bridges west of Palazzo Ducale, Ca ‘di Dio housed in a large plastered building with unobstructed views of the lagoon to the Isola di San Giorgio Maggiore and the exquisite Palladio-designed church. On an evening with a particularly fiery sunset, the view from the hotel is unmistakable for fans of Monet’s paintings of the island at sunset.

The building’s roots go back to 1272 and was overhauled in 1544 by Jacopo Sansovino, architect of the Logetta, Biblioteca Marciana and Palazzo Dolfin Manin. At one time it was a place for pilgrims to the Holy Land to stay and also a hospice for abandoned women. In 2019, a complete overhaul of the property began, under the supervision of designer and architect Patricia Urquiola. While the outside is steeped in history, the inside is sleek and modern. The chapel has been converted into a lobby with a giant chandelier made up of more than 14,000 pieces of Murano glass and a polished red travertine floor that extends throughout the hotel. It’s a space more like Scarpa than cinquecento

The hotel is right in front of the Arsenale water taxi terminal, but the entrance is very discreet, with no signage around the automatic curved glass doors. (A side entrance for those willing to take a private water taxi can be found on the canal.) One of the lovelier things about the hotel’s facade is that street vendors are not allowed in the square in front, unlike like many other spaces along the water as you head towards San Marco.

The ground floor revolves around three courtyards with herringbone brick walkways and original wells. On this floor you can find Essentia, the hotel’s restaurant and Alchemia bar, as well as the gym.

The final public spaces are all at the top — two loggias with unobstructed views of the islands.

When it comes to rooms, Venice hotels can sometimes go for all that gothic redundancy, disliking modern travelers. all feel suffocated and may suffocate. Rooms in Ca ‘di Dio Completely contemporary but furnished by the work of Italian artisans.

The 66 rooms are covered in translucent green-blue sheets – a nod to the azure waters that surround Venice. The windows are encased in large wooden frames and from the bedside lamps to the corner lamps, all lighting is hand-blown Murano glass. If you have any doubts about red marble, the sexy red marble vanity in the bathroom will leave no doubt. (One of my favorite details also comes from the bathroom – the flush plate for the covered toilet matches the wall.)

Rooms in the hotel, run by VRetreats, also feature hotels in Rome and Taormina, starting at as low as €200.