Once the headquarters of the Adriatica naval transport company, an ancient palazzo in Venice has recently been transformed into Il Palazzo Experimental. The first project in Italy from the Experimental Group, the 32-room hotel is an exquisite layering of color, texture, material, and shape thanks to French designer Dorothée Meilichzon.
“We wanted to create a Venetian atmosphere but in a modern way, “ says Meilichzon, “so we used all the timeless Venetian savoir faire and materials (terrazzo, marmorino, lacquer, wood, terrazzo Scarpa, marble) and twisted them with contemporary colors and shapes.”
Offering either views to the Giudecca Canal or the property’s quiet back garden, rooms blend a rich color palette of deep blue, green, gray, and pink inspired by the city with arched furniture and door frames, striped metal side tables topped with marble, carved wooden headboards, and wool rugs that cover terrazzo floors. Original double doors leading to the suites have been preserved and painted in blue and white stripes. Indeed, the signature Dorsoduro suite, named after the quarter where the hotel is located, boasts original wood beams above a pale pink sofa upholstered in a textured fabric. Bathrooms, meanwhile, feature lacquered vanities in shades ranging from pale blue to bordeaux and marble-framed mirrors that match the arch above bathtubs.
On the ground floor, Meilichzon called on colleague and friend Cristina Celestino to design the first Experimental Cocktail Club outside of Paris and London. Adriatica Ristorante—a partnership with Italian Supper Club founders Silvio Pezzana and Toto Dell’Aringa—is a spacious and bright space, enhanced by the palazzo’s preserved Gothic windows and a bright color palette, including a pale green hue that covers the ceiling and reflects the lagoon. “From a design point of view, the restaurant is my favorite area. We did a lot of work to make it very luminous,” Meilichzon says, pointing to both the Breccia Capraia marble and the terrazzo Scarpa as some of her favorite elements.
“We wanted to be able to create a Venetian experience for people coming to the lagoon for the first time, “ she adds, “but we also wanted to surprise the Venetian locals with a new kind of atmosphere.”
Public spaces reflect a modern reinterpretation of classic Venetian style
Marble and terrazzo serve as key fixtures within Adriatica Ristorante
Gothic windows pour light into the spacious Adriatica Ristorante
Deep blue and green tones span guestroom interiors
The signature Dorsoduro suite is detailed with original wood beams and a pink-upholstered sofa
