Past June 1th was the opening of the Aman Grande Hotel in Venice.It is the first Italian and fourth European hotel by Aman Resorts . Set in the 16th century Palazzo Papadopoli which was built in the glory days of the 16th century but substantially renovated in the 1800s by Michelangelo Guggenheim.
The hotel retains a great deal of this neo-renaissance and rococo character. The interior, although gilt-edged and ornate, is a faded but especially pretty backdrop, a sort of stage set in contrast to the sharp character of the contemporary design which has been added. Happily, both old and new get along famously – none of the periods tries to outdo the other, with the more recent additions delivered in a wisely neutral palette allowing the older décor to maintain its effect. Examples of the early retained features are a fireplace by 16th Century architect Jacopo Sansovino, and a ceiling from the 18th Century by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. This is a hotel packed with the luxurious style that made Venice a jewel of the Mediterranean.
