SLiNK has shown you inside some of the most luxurious hotels across the globe, but the Aman Venice offers truly unique accommodations.
Located on the romantic Grand Canal, the Aman Hotel group has leased the 16th-Century Palazzo Papadopoli from the royal family who remain owners and occasional residents.
It is also the fairytale setting for the wedding of renowned barrister Amal Alamuddin and George Clooney.
It’s small 5-story boutique hotel set up feels more like being a royal guest than a hotel guest. Though the hotel was full, it was quiet. On the second floor, you can look out at the canal in a glorious, cavernous salon with frescoes and gold Rococo touches. At first I thought I was some sort of sitting room since I was alone in the middle of the day. Suddenly a staff member who knew my first and last name asks what they can make for me. Apparently, this was the restaurant and when I looked in the blue silk-covered room beside it I found the well-appointed bar. I walked out the manicured back gardens to make my way to the streets, because though the staff was happy to always call me a water taxi within 15 minutes that will be added to my room bill, I love to explore on foot as much as I can. I wasn’t sure how much of Venice is walkable but I realized that pretty much all of it is if you can navigate the bridges. Aman is a 5 minute walk from the famous Rialto Bridge, the luxurious shopping at Fondaco dei Tesdeschi and about 25 minutes walk to Piazza San Marco.
After much exploring Venice and the Biannale Art show, as well as shopping plus size fashions at Marina Rinaldi, I was ready to retire to my room. Aman has only a handful of rooms because, again much like being in your own private palace, each room is set up like a suite with unique architecture and décor. I was in the Sansovino Stanza which was one large carved wood-paneled room with an extremely comfortable bed, large seating area, high ceilings and Bose electronics. The bathroom was all-white, pristine and modern with a picture window next to the very deep tub. Taking a bath in the evening overlooking the gardens and the Grand Canal is a pretty great concept, but really I was most concerned about flashing a vaporetto “Bus” boat so I kept the sheers drawn. The bathroom gets extra points for having oversized bath sheets that I can comfortably wrap around my plus size body without feeling like I’m trying to wear a tea towel.
I was able to look at the Alcova Tiepolo Suite which was the most extravagant suite I’ve ever seen. It should be since this can set someone back thousands a night! It had a hidden tapestry-covered front door opening into a sitting room covered in Asian-inspired historic murals. The bedroom is the pinnacle of opulence with cherub frescoes inset into the detailed plaster and gold ceilings. This must be like sleeping at Versailles would be like. One can only assume, and hope that this was the Clooney-Alamuddin wedding suite.
For being a palace, it was shockingly non-pretentious. My regular room (that still felt like a suite) was warm and comfortable and the staff was friendly and helpful. The free minibar also soothes the sting of the bill a bit. It’s not for business travel but when looking for something truly special, look no further than Aman Venice.