Designer Philippe Starck has created a sparkling jewel that redefines the Venice experience with Palazzina Grassi (PG), a Design Hotels member. Hotelier Emanuele Garosci hired Starck to transform a 16th century former residence into a 5-Star hotel with 16 bedrooms, six apartment suites, members-only club, and restaurant.
Starck used mirrors, glass sculptures, rare books, and vintage objects to create memorable spaces. Exposed bricks salvaged from an old farmstead meld with contemporary design elements, including transparent glass wardrobes and nine custom-made Murano glass works by artist Aristide Najean. Overlooking Venice’s colorful rooftops, guestrooms offer large backlit mirrors, warm lighting, floors in Venetian wood, bathrooms using natural stone, and bespoke pieces of furniture including dressing tables. In the apartment suites, beds serve as the centerpiece, surrounded by soft rugs and coffee tables made of steel and moonstone onyx.
On the ground floor, the restaurant and bar features two 23-foot-long monolith high dinner tables, one made of marble and the other of mirrored glass. Mahogany wood paneling on the walls, soft lighting, and unique pieces of Venetian glass complete the look. In addition, diners have a view of the show kitchen and bar, a modern reinterpretation of the traditional Venetian cicchetteria or osteria, a popular meeting place that encourages socialization. Meanwhile, the G club, overlooking the Canal Grande, houses a private dining room. Its two interconnected rooms feature a bar outfitted with vibrant red, yellow, and silver Murano tiles.
