An old 14th-century hospice transformed into a design hotel facing the San Marco basin, where Venice finally finds a contemporary address without renouncing its heritage.
Ca' di Dio - VRetreats, an SLH Hotel
From
1,333.37 €
“Private terrace over the San Marco basin with direct view of San Giorgio Maggiore, two minutes' walk from the Giardini della Biennale.”
Ca' di Dio occupies a hospice founded in 1272 to welcome pilgrims from the Holy Land, restored in 2021 by Patricia Urquiola who kept the brick vaults and exposed beams. We sleep in rooms where Venetian terrazzo meets Scandinavian furniture, navy blue velvet headboards and Carrara marble bathrooms. The view from the upper rooms stretches over the basin, San Giorgio and the Lido in the distance. The Akasha spa occupies the old vaulted cellars, 12-metre pool under 13th-century brick ceiling. The Alajmo restaurant serves contemporary Venetian cuisine signed by the three-star family, from 1 333 € a night. We recommend the basin-side rooms, even if they cost 400 € more, the difference is justified at sunrise. It is the only design address in Venice that fully embraces its era without falling into pastiche ✨
Who is it for?
Who we recommend it to
We recommend Ca' di Dio to travellers seeking a contemporary Venice without folklore, thirty- and forty-something couples who shun brocades and prefer Scandinavian design to neo-baroque. It is an address for architecture and Biennale enthusiasts, discreet honeymoons, luxury off-season weekends. Families find their place thanks to interconnecting rooms, but the clientele remains mostly adult and international.
The building
Architecture and interiors
The Ca' di Dio hospice was founded in 1272 by Doge Marino Dandolo to house pilgrims returning from Jerusalem, enlarged in the 15th century with the brick vaults and larch beams still visible today. Patricia Urquiola directed the restoration from 2019 to 2021 while keeping the original structures, adding Venetian terrazzo flooring, smoked glass partitions and Cassina furniture. The 66 rooms measure between 22 and 45 m², ceiling height of 3.20 m, some with exposed beams and basin view. The building stretches 80 metres along the Riva, ochre facade typical of Castello.
At the table
Restaurants, bar, service
The Alajmo restaurant occupies the vaulted ground-floor room, contemporary Venetian cuisine signed by the Alajmo family, three Michelin stars in Padua since 2002. It serves revisited cicchetti, risotto al nero di seppia, fegato alla veneziana, short menu that changes according to the Rialto market. Breakfast is taken on the terrace facing the basin, continental buffet with pastries and Italian charcuterie. The Alajmo bar offers spritz and signature cocktails until midnight, view of San Giorgio. 24/7 room service, simplified menu after 11pm.
Highlights
- Listed building from 1272, restored by Patricia Urquiola in 2021
- Direct view over the San Marco basin and San Giorgio Maggiore
- Alajmo restaurant, three-Michelin-star family from Padua
- Akasha spa with 12 m pool under 13th-century vaults
- 120 metres from Giardini vaporetto stop, lines 1 and 2
Location & access
Where the hotel sits in Venice
Ca' di Dio stands on the Riva de la Ca' di Dio, at the eastern end of Castello, between the Giardini della Biennale (two minutes on foot) and St Mark's Square (fifteen minutes). The Giardini vaporetto stop is 120 metres away, lines 1 and 2 to Rialto and Santa Lucia. The neighbourhood is residential and quiet, far from the San Marco tourist flows, with unobstructed view over the basin and San Giorgio. Marco Polo Airport 35 minutes by private water taxi, 55 minutes by Alilaguna vaporetto. The area comes alive during the Art Biennale (May-November) and Architecture Biennale (even years), otherwise very peaceful after 8pm.
Good to know
Before you book
- Pets
- Accepted without supplement, basket and bowls provided on request.
- Airport shuttle
- Private water taxi organised by the hotel, 200 € one way.
- Spa
- Akasha open 10am-8pm, 12 m pool, sauna, steam room, Comfort Zone treatments.
- Accessibility
- 6 rooms adapted for wheelchair users, lift, ramps from vaporetto.
- Tourist tax
- 5 € per person per night, payable on site.
Facilities
Non-smoking rooms
Airport shuttle
Fitness centre
Facilities for disabled guests
Restaurant
Room service
Free Wi-Fi
Spa and wellness centre
Wi-Fi available throughout
Family rooms
Pets allowed
Location
Where Ca' di Dio - VRetreats, an SLH Hotel is located
Exact address
Ca' di Dio - VRetreats, an SLH Hotel
Address
Riva de la Ca' di Dio Castello 2182
In the same city
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