The Experience

Aman Canal Grande Venice

Built on water, steeped in history and synonymous with romance, Venice is a fabled destination with a glorious past. A city in northeast Italy, it is built atop 118 small islands separated by winding canals and linked by arching bridges. Once a major power in the Mediterranean, it is known today for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. The entire city along with its lagoon is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Home to the Piazza San Marco and Saint Mark’s Basilica, it is perhaps the Grand Canal which is the city’s most iconic feature. Meandering in a sinuous s-shape through the heart of Venice, the Grand Canal is the city’s main thoroughfare, plied by gondolas and vaporetti (water buses) and lined with more than 170 gracious buildings between 200 and 700 years old.

Physical reminders of the city’s grand heritage, most were built to demonstrate the wealth and artistry of the Republic of Venice in its heyday. It is in one of these regal old homes directly on the Grand Canal that Aman is housed, fusing the romance and history of this legendary city with the hospitality and service for which Amanresorts is renowned.

The Details: Guests usually arrive at the property by boat, docking at a landing that leads directly into the palazzo’s Reception Hall. With its soaring ceilings and historic frescos and reliefs, the hall provides a sense of bygone luxury, as well as direct access to the resort’s private gardens and a small Boutique specialising in Venetian glassware.

A sweeping staircase rises through two levels to arrive at the reception area for the Dining Room, which overlooks the Grand Canal and serves Italian and Asian cuisines. This is situated on the piano nobile – the grandest floor of the palazzo. The main dining area is housed in the ballroom – a gilded room decorated with mirrors, frescos and the original chandeliers. The Yellow Dining Room and the Red Dining Room lie adjacent to the ballroom, with views over the Grand Canal and the resort’s Garden Terrace respectively. Named for their colour schemes and featuring ceilings painted by the renowned 18th-century artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, each room has a number of dining tables and provides an intimate setting within grand surrounds. Accessed from the ballroom is the Bar which provides a cosy setting with canal views.

Rising from the reception area of the Dining Room is a secondary staircase that leads to the fourth level. This houses the Salon – a regal, lofty-ceilinged lounge and relaxation area featuring a grand piano. The Salon is divided into two large areas with expansive windows providing views of the Grand Canal. Similar views are enjoyed by the historic Library which is situated adjacent to the Salon.

Also on this level are the Stanza del Tiepolo and Stanza del Guarana which can be used for private dining and meetings.

An elevator provides access to the Roof Terrace. Intimate in scale and evident in many of the buildings within Venice, the terrace is best visited early in the morning or at sunset, and is the ideal location to view the rooftops of the city. On a clear day, the Alps are visible in the distance.

Fronting the Grand Canal is the Garden Terrace, one of very few private gardens on the canal. Mature trees and a quadrangle of verdant green grass provide the ideal setting for a relaxing hour or two, or an al fresco meal in the warmer months.

Aman has a second hidden Private Garden with soaring trees that provides a serene setting for resort guests. It also provides walking access to San Polo.

Travel Information: getting there

Travellers to Venice can arrive via road, train (at the Stazione Santa Lucia), ferry or plane (at Marco Polo Airport 12 kilometres outside of Venice). Whatever the means of arrival, guests will be met and transferred to Aman by boat via Venice’s canals.  

climate

Venice has a humid subtropical climate, with cool winters and warm summers. The average temperature in January is 2.5°C while in July the average temperature is 22.7°C. Rain is spread relatively evenly throughout the year.

language

Venetian is the native language of Venice. It is not a derivative of Italian, but is in fact a separate language. English is widely spoken alongside Italian, German, French and other European languages.

currency

Italy’s currency is the euro. ATMs are widely available.

dress

Warm clothes are required during winter, while light clothes and a hat are recommended during the summer months. There is always the chance of a shower, so bringing a fold-up umbrella is a good idea.

Spa & Fitness: spa

The spa is located, almost secretly, on the third level of the Garden Building. Access is via a small stairwell which leads to a discrete reception area. Dimly lit with low ceilings, the spa exudes the atmosphere of a sanctuary, and provides three single treatment rooms, each with a dressing area and bathroom. One of the treatment rooms has a soaking tub that can be used in conjunction with body scrubs.  

fitness facilities

The property has a small gym offering aerobic and strength-conditioning equipment, an area for free weights and stretching, and commanding views over the city’s roof-line.

Travelwizard.com Guests Receive:

• Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
• Continental breakfast daily, for up to two in room guests
• Complimentary a la carte lunch for two (excluding beverages)
  • once during stay
• Early check-in/late check-out
  • subject to availability