Founded in 1822, the illustrious Hotel Danieli, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice, is celebrating its 200-year anniversary this year with an array of exciting activities that honour the venue’s storied history.
Known the world over as one of Venice’s best addresses, the Hotel Danieli, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice has been treating locals and internationals to the height of Italian hospitality for two centuries. With its enviable location on the Riva degli Schiavoni, just a few steps from the Bridge of Sighs and St. Mark’s Square, the hotel boasts splendid views of the Venetian lagoon and islands, the Grand Canal and the Doge’s Palace.
History
Hotel Danieli’s history can be traced back to the fifteenth century when the noble Venetian family, the Dandolos, erected the first of the trio of palaces that now comprise the hotel. Titled Palazzo Dandolo, this initial palace fast became one of the city’s most noble addresses, courtesy of its prime lagoon-front location and striking Gothic architecture. The founding family, which gifted Venice with four Doges, included Enrico Dandolo, who is recognised as Venice’s most important Doge in the Serenissima Republic’s thousand-year history. Thanks to the prestige of the palazzo, its patrician owners often hosted distinguished guests, including the likes of the Prince of Salerno, back in 1498, paving the path for the hotel’s long-standing reputation as a place favoured by society’s elite.
In 1822, a local businessman, Giuseppe Dal Niel, opened the Hotel Royal Danieli in the Palazzo Dandolo, renaming it after his nickname, “Danieli”. The hotel remained with Dal Niel’s heirs until the early 1900s before being taken over by the renowned CIGA (“Compagnia Italiana Grandi Alberghi”) hotel chain, founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi di Misurata. It was during this time that the hotel underwent its final structural change with the addition in 1950 of the Danieli Excelsior building. 2005 saw the acquisition of the hotel by its present owners, the Statuto Group. Hotel Danieli is currently managed by Marriott Bonvoy International under the Luxury Collection brand name.
Accommodation
In its current incarnation, the Hotel Danieli offers 204 guest rooms and suites across its trio of opulent palaces: Dandolo, Casa Nuova and Danieli Excelsior. Blending modern comforts with locally sourced furnishings and materials, notable artworks and fine antiques, the accommodations are an ode to the city’s rich history while staying true to The Luxury Collection brand’s commitment to five-star hospitality.
In the Palazzo Dandolo, the suites have been meticulously restored by acclaimed French interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon. Each one tells a unique story and is an homage to the allure of the Serenissima. In particular, the extraordinary Signature Suites recall the glamour and spirit of some of the hotel’s most distinguished guests, including movie stars, fashion icons, acclaimed artists and royals. Meanwhile, the legendary Doge Dandolo Royal Suite offers guests a taste of the regal life. Spanning 150 square metres, it features an 18th-century fresco by Italian artist Jacopo Guarana plus several balconies with panoramic views of the lagoon. The suite’s versatility allows it to become a multi-bedroom suite apartment when combined with other rooms and suites.
The newer Palazzo Danieli Excelsior boasts a design bearing the signature of French interior architect Jacques Garcia and is inspired by the hotel’s original Venetian-Gothic style but showcases it in a more sophisticated and clean-cut presentation. The rooms here offer some of the best views, especially on the higher floors, where panoramas of the lagoon and monument-lined Grand Canal can be enjoyed from the large windows and private balconies.
Bicentennial celebretions
As a destination that continues to honour its locale’s cultural and artistic heritage, Hotel Danieli has created a burgeoning roster of celebratory activities reflecting its home-grown pride. From cultural experiences to gastronomic indulgences and everything in between, this year-long calendar of events will give visitors a window into the fascinating history of the palazzi, uncovering stories and memories from the hotel’s past and accenting them with a modern and engaging touch. Find out more about the hotel’s Bicentennial Package here.
Carnival
For the 2022 Venice Carnival, which took place in February, Hotel Danieli collaborated with award-winning German artist Tanja Schulz-Hess to create an exclusive, custom-made costume. Inspired by the hotel’s 200-year history and commitment to Venetian artistry, the ensemble – titled “In Love with Hotel Danieli” – featured fabrics donated by historic textile producer Luigi Bevilacqua. Lace handmade by the Martina Vidal atelier in Burano, masks from Tragicomica and Casin dei Nobili, and glass beads by Bottega Cini artist Marisa Convento also formed part of the final creation.
Much more than just a costume, this piece of artistic mastery has deep significance; it pays immense respect to the hotel’s important milestones, illustrious guests, and the family of people that represent it every day. After being donned by Tanja during the Venice Carnival, the costume is now on display in a shrine in the hotel’s public areas so visitors may admire the incredible craftsmanship that went into its design and creation. A masterwork so moving, it was awarded third place in the Best Carnival Costume competition during the 2022 Venice Carnival.
Gastronomy
The 200-year history of Hotel Danieli is also showcased through special offerings at its restaurants and bars. After recovering a curated selection of recipes from periodicals, newspapers and recipe books, the hotel’s epicurean ambassadors have created dishes and cocktails inspired by the culinary legacy of the hotel and its eminent European visitors.
As a result, hotel guests and visitors to Restaurant Terrazza Danieli may savour an iconic seven-course tasting menu that recalls these classic recipes, honouring the great authors and chefs of the past. Accentuated by the venue’s opulent interiors, with crimson velvet armchairs and intricate glassware lamps, this multi-sensory dining experience flawlessly delivered by Executive Chef Alberto Fol and his brigade is one that will not be soon forgotten. Email Restaurant Terrazza Danieli to reserve your table.
Bar Dandolo, the Gothic-style venue on the ground floor of the hotel’s fifteenth-century palazzo, also presents guests with a tantalising time capsule inspired by historic recipes. The Rosso Danieli cocktail, specially conceived for the bicentennial celebrations, blends gin and vermouth with bitters and an infusion of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Garnished with mint and an orange slice, this refreshing tipple is a signature creation by Head Barman Roberto Naccari.
Art Exhibition
As part of the celebrations throughout 2022, Hotel Danieli will display a collection of paintings, historical images, videos and memorabilia in collaboration with the Alinari Foundation for Photography. Featuring notable works from the last two centuries, this presentation sheds light on not only the social, cultural and architectural significance of Hotel Danieli globally but also its deep-rooted ties to Venice through the ages.
Beginning on the ground level of Palazzo Dandolo, the exhibition spreads across its duo of noble floors before branching into the Casa Nuova and Danieli Excelsior palaces, creating a beautiful art-fuelled pathway through the hotel. The exhibit culminates at Restaurant Terrazza Danieli, set to the backdrop of Venice’s glittering lagoon, Grand Canal and stunning architectural monuments.
As guests arrive at the water entrance on Rio del Vin and move through the corridors of Palazzo Dandolo and into Palazzo Casa Nuova, they will be accompanied by portraits of film celebrities, music and opera artists, royals, politicians, and cultural icons immortalised at Hotel Danieli. Alongside these, a collection of contrasting photographs reveals the metamorphosis of the palace’s interiors since its establishment, including changes in furnishings and alterations to the decorative and functional structure of the spaces.
The Salone Dandolo, meanwhile, showcases large author reproductions of Venice’s landscape that highlight its cultural patrimony and demonstrate how photography enabled the city’s legendary beauty to be flaunted on a broader scale. Across the hall in the Sala Maschere, a chronological set of images illustrates the evolution of photographic techniques over the years and reveal how Hotel Daniel’s façade and Riva degli Schiavoni have changed through the centuries. Crossing the mezzanine into Palazzo Danieli Excelsior, a medley of photographs leads the way down the staircase to the Marco Polo Ballrooms, offering an insider’s look at the glamorous social events hosted here throughout history.
On the noble floors, artworks loaned from the Accademia Galleries of Venice and the Civic Museum of Bassano del Grappa further enrich the exhibition. Most notably, on concession from the Accademia Galleries of Venice are oil canvas portraits of the entrepreneur that brought Hotel Danieli to life, Giuseppe Dal Niel, and his wife, Caterina.
Cultural Initiatives
Throughout the year, a series of discussions and presentations from acclaimed personalities will be on offer, designed especially for those wanting an in-depth look at the cultural background of Hotel Danieli and its undeniable integration with Venice.
Locals and internationals alike are invited to enjoy guided tours, held in Italian and English, of the historic Palazzo Dandolo and the more recent Danieli Excelsior and Casa Nuova Palaces. Giacomo Caruso, a journalist, translator and lecturer at the Liceo Artistico in Venice, is the host, offering a wealth of knowledge on the art, history and culture of this fabled address.
Journalist, film critic and writer Vincenzo Patanè, together with eminent authorities in the worlds of architecture, music, cinema and society, will also conduct a selection of discussions on the topics of art, glamour, architecture and history and delve into how these have attributed to Hotel Danieli’s reputation as a jewel of Venetian hospitality.
Sentimental Gifts
To further mark this momentous occasion, Hotel Danieli has created a selection of bespoke amenities that may be purchased at the hotel and taken home for further remembrance of the bicentennial.
The memory of Hotel Danieli has been captured in two fragrances, crafted in collaboration with artisanal Italian perfumery AquaFlor Firenze. Carefully concocted to perfectly express the soul of Hotel Danieli and its deep-seated link to Venetian history, the “Legnoso Esperidato” is a fresh ambience scent characterised by notes of ginger, pink pepper, vetiver, cedar wood, patchouli and white musk, available as a candle and a stick diffuser. “Legni Orientali e Spezie”, meanwhile, is a unisex fragrance with notes of oud, patchouly, cedarwood, sandalwood, orange, and black pepper.
Also available in honour of the 200-year anniversary is the Palazzo Dandolo Collection by Kifra, an exclusive, limited-edition jewellery range created by artisan jeweller master Giorgio Chiarcos. Taking cues from the precious architectural motifs adorning the interiors of Palazzo Dandolo and combining these with the traditions of handcrafted jewellery, this emblematic collection will, much like the Hotel Danieli itself, remain a beautiful symbol of beauty and art for a lifetime to come.
Restaurant Terrazza Danieli at Hotel Danieli, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice. Photo by Brandon Barré
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