"I am much easier to disappoint than impress when it comes to hotels. A dusty vent or stained grout can put me off an otherwise beautiful room. So five stars without a list of qualifications is unusual for me. This hotel earned them.
Our multigenerational family of six arrived to upgrades for both rooms. They also knew we were celebrating my son’s 14th birthday: balloons, a customized cake, extra goodies, and a handwritten welcome note were waiting for us.
They had thought of everything for our youngest, too: diapers, wipes, a travel bag stocked with baby products, and beautifully embroidered crib bedding. There was even a little robe, towel, and slippers, with an illustration that echoed the charming details for children throughout the hotel. It was all useful, beautifully presented, and considered down to the smallest guest.
I’m not entirely sure why welcome amenities make me so happy. I’m already on vacation and perfectly capable of buying my own treats. There’s just something lovely about arriving to find that someone has thought about your family. Those small details add up to feeling luxuriously looked after and immediately at home.
Our rooms were only two months old, beautifully finished, and absolutely spotless, including the bathrooms. I loved the Tiffany blue accents. The interiors felt thoughtfully reimagined: all the beauty of an old Venetian palace, with the comfort and attention to detail you hope for from Four Seasons. From the lobby to the rooms to the restaurant, there was so much to appreciate.
Dinner at the rooftop restaurant was excellent. Every dish, the wine, and the service lived up to the setting. The chef shared some of his favorite dishes on the menu, and his recommendations were superb. I also loved the Ginori 1735 dishware and the beautifully embroidered napkins and coordinating tablecloths. Yes, I notice the linens. I also notice when a restaurant gives the children’s menu and colored pencils the same thoughtful attention as everything else. Our whole family felt welcome.
The one surprise was that the spa wasn’t yet open during our visit, which we hadn’t realized before arriving. The hotel manager invited my mother and me to be his guests for massages in a temporary treatment room, and the massages were wonderful. He handled the situation with grace and generosity. That response told me as much about the hotel as anything that went perfectly.
This is certainly a splurge ~$10k/night for our family of six, but that included two connecting suites. For us, the care, cleanliness, food, and genuinely personal service made it worth it. I’d recommend staying long enough to enjoy the hotel as well as Venice. It is a lovely place to treat yourself, and we will certainly be back to enjoy Venice again (and the new spa!), in the future.
One final note for the facilities team: I notice details, and because I know this property cares for them too, I’d suggest doing one final walkthrough with the contractor. As I mentioned, everything was so beautifully done, but there is a small gap between the mirror and the wall in bathrooms where you can see perhaps the contractor didn’t properly size the mirror or finish the wall behind it. This is just a small nitpick from someone with a careful eye for luxury finishings. It is not something one would generally notice unless using the vanity themselves. It is just so apparent the property invested so much into delivering a perfect experience and care into every detail - I have to believe the contractor would have been asked to address this had it been noticed during the final walk through."
