With five eagerly awaited hotel grand openings and redesigns arriving in 2026, all paths and gondolas are leading to Venice. These storied palaces are ideal bases for experiencing La Serenìssima—best enjoyed after the day-trippers have sailed home—and the Venice Biennale (May 9–November 22) makes this year especially compelling.
Venice hotel openings
Dip into Venice’s largest spa with three swimming pools, and bring the kids
Airelles Palladio, Venice: Opening April 2026
Airelles’s first Italian address occupies a layered past: a 1500s lace atelier, aristocratic academy, boarding house, convent for noble widows, and the church of Santa Maria della Presentazione. On the island of Giudecca, the hotel blends French savoir-faire with Italian style across 17 rooms and 28 suites, including the Conventino villa with a private pool. Interiors showcase antiques, Fortuny chandeliers, Murano glass, Rubelli wall coverings, and paintings that nod to Venice’s history.
Guerlain will run the property’s expansive spa with Venice-inspired treatments (Aqua Vinizia, Terra Vinizia, Crystal Glow, Gondola Sway); Rossano Ferretti oversees hair. Facilities include a hammam, Finnish sauna, gym, yoga studio, a nearly 700-square-foot indoor pool, plus a kids-club pool. Dining spans three restaurants led by Nobu Matsuhisa (Matsuhisa by Nobu), Jean-Georges Vongerichten (ABC Kitchens Palladio), Norbert Niederkofler (Villa Frollo), and pastries by Cédric Grolet.
Travel to the Venetian golden age by train and by boat
Orient Express Venezia: Opening April 2026
Housed in the 15th-century Palazzo Donà Giovannelli in Cannaregio, Orient Express Venezia continues the La Dolce Vita Orient Express journey without interruption. The palace—once home to the Duke of Urbino and later a pinacoteca—reopens after an eight-year restoration by architect Aline Asmar d’Amman. Restored façades, original frescos, and Murano chandeliers set the scene for 29 rooms and 16 suites featuring hand-painted murals, Art Deco furnishings, and velvet drapery.
Public spaces include a Library of Cultures and a Music Room; an outdoor courtyard and garden enable all-day dining, and a private boat can ferry guests to intimate dinners. The Wagon Bar evokes the train’s glamour for nightcaps.
Sleep in the shadows of celebrities at this iconic address
Danieli, A Four Seasons Hotel, Venice: Opening August 2026
Situated on the lagoon near Piazza San Marco, the historic Hotel Danieli—Palazzo Dandolo—has hosted literary and cinematic luminaries since opening as a hotel in 1822. After more than three years of redesign, it reopens as Danieli, A Four Seasons Hotel, Venice, preserving palatial grandeur across three connected palaces.
Design by Pierre-Yves Rochon emphasizes local craftsmanship with Rubelli fabrics, Murano glass, and Carrara marble. The property reopens with 120 rooms and suites (56 more to follow in 2027). Highlights include rooftop Terrazza Danieli for aperitivi, Restaurant Terrazza Danieli from executive chef Adriano Rausa, Bar Dandolo near the lobby, and the forthcoming Danieli Spa debuting later in 2026—making it appealing for families and luxury travelers alike.
Noteworthy Venice upgrades
La Dolce Vita becomes even sweeter with a new restaurant and spa
Hotel Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel
The legendary Hotel Cipriani, long a magnet for fashion and film icons, is midway through a multi-stage transformation led by architect Peter Marino, who has blended contemporary art with the hotel’s classic elegance. Initial renovations delivered a dramatic double-height lobby and several refurbished suites facing the lagoon and Casanova Gardens.
The second chapter (opening April 23) debuts a restyled Michelin-starred Oro restaurant with chef Vania Ghedini alongside Massimo Bottura. Poolside Il Porticciolo, Bar Gabbiano, and Cip’s Club remain staples. A Dior Spa is scheduled to open in June, rounding out the property’s refreshed offerings.
Private island life with a side of tennis and golf
San Clemente Palace
Set on a 15-acre private island between Giudecca and the Lido and a 10-minute boat ride from San Marco, San Clemente Palace occupies a site with monastic roots dating to the 12th century. After a winter refresh, 20 Venice Prestige Suites have been refitted among the hotel’s 182 keys; the San Clemente Suite offers sweeping city views.
The island’s grounds were enhanced with 100 new trees and a redesigned olive hill. Leisure features include a heated outdoor pool, a well-equipped spa, tennis courts, and a three-hole golf experience. Multiple dining venues and an upgraded Clemente Bar make staying on the island a complete escape that can stand in for a day trip to the historic center.
In sum, 2026 brings a mix of landmark reopenings and thoughtful renovations—historic palaces reimagined for contemporary luxury, expansive spas, celebrated chefs, and island escapes—giving travelers plenty of reasons to return to Venice and linger.
