Palazzo Volpi — Venice, Italy

It’s incredible to think that this light-washed 16th-century Venetian pile – immortalised in oils by Canaletto and Francesco Guardi – has lain mouldering for most of the past 70 years, its only occupant a solitary priest.
A round of applause then for the palazzo’s new owners and Paris-based designers Anna Covre and Frederic Tubau who have parlayed career stints as creatives for the likes of L'Oreal, Coty, Armani and Beiersdorf to take on the role of interior designers for this striking serviced apartment project.
The three suites – one of which is a three-bedroom apartment that opens into a bijou courtyard, though the entire palazzo can be rented for a party of nine – have been fully restored complete with original exposed timber beams, staircase, and windows. Covre and Tubau unified both rooms and public spaces under a colour palette of dark brown timber, white marble and pale hues, while accents are provided by way of silk rugs, extravagant Rubelli drapes, travertine showers, and flanks of mirrors that endlessly reflect the lovely soft light of Venice and views of the Basilica Santi Giovanni e Paolo.
A daily cleaning service keeps things spick and span, but the hotel is largely self-catering, though this is hardly a hardship as San Marco and Rialto, alongside Rosa Salva, Venice’s oldest bakery, are all just minutes away. For everything else, a private chef can be arranged.
ADDRESS
Campo S.S. Giovanni e Paolo
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Daven Wu is the Singapore Editor at Wallpaper*. A former corporate lawyer, he has been covering Singapore and the neighbouring South-East Asian region since 1999, writing extensively about architecture, design, and travel for both the magazine and website. He is also the City Editor for the Phaidon Wallpaper* City Guide to Singapore.
-
All-In is the Paris-based label making full-force fashion for main character dressing
Part of our monthly Uprising series, Wallpaper* meets Benjamin Barron and Bror August Vestbø of All-In, the LVMH Prize-nominated label which bases its collections on a riotous cast of characters – real and imagined
By Orla Brennan
-
Maserati joins forces with Giorgetti for a turbo-charged relationship
Announcing their marriage during Milan Design Week, the brands unveiled a collection, a car and a long term commitment
By Hugo Macdonald
-
Through an innovative new training program, Poltrona Frau aims to safeguard Italian craft
The heritage furniture manufacturer is training a new generation of leather artisans
By Cristina Kiran Piotti
-
Sun-soaked European destinations to visit in spring
Dreaming of Florentine palazzos and Greek islands now that the weather is starting to turn? Check into one of these beautiful European hotels and holiday homes
By Anna Solomon
-
Everything you need to know about Italy's Lake Maggiore, according to Formafantasma
From baroque gardens to panoramic views, Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin show us around this Italian escape
By Sofia de la Cruz
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Romeo Roma: a new hotel that’s one of Zaha Hadid’s last projects
Located within Rome’s Tridente, Romeo Roma is a palimpsest of periods in which the late Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid left her avant-garde mark
By Sofia de la Cruz
-
Five influential women hoteliers reflect on the changing face of hospitality
As women continue to gain ground in the hotel sector, despite still being underrepresented in senior positions, five female moguls share their experiences of the past and projections for the future
By Anna Solomon
-
Must-visit cinemas with award-worthy design
There’s more magic to the movies at these design-led cinemas, from Busan Cinema Centre’s ‘flying’ roof to The Gem Cinema Jaipur’s art deco allure
By Sofia de la Cruz
-
The best Milan bars for a fashionable aperitivo
Milan’s after-dark renaissance is evident in a new wave of design-led cocktail bars, setting the right mood for enticing aperitivos and nightcaps; Milan editor Laura May Todd recommends the best
By Laura May Todd
-
How Four Seasons Hotels became The White Lotus’ unofficial star
As The White Lotus season three whisks us to Thailand, Marc Speichert, chief commercial officer of Four Seasons Hotels, discusses the luxury group’s perfect synergy with the hit HBO series – and where you can live the experience
By Sofia de la Cruz
-
Night at the museum: the best art hotels to book now
Sleep amid surrealists at London’s Broadwick Soho, or wake up to contemporary favourites at New Hotel in Athens – indulge in an immersive art hotel experience
By Dalya Benor