Aman Canal Grande, one of the city’s most illustrious residences, built on water, is located at the centre of Venice, the most fabled destination of glorious history, architecture, art and romance. Aman Resorts selected the 16th-century Venetian palazzo, owned by Count Giberto Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga and his wife, Countess Bianca di Savoia Aosta Arrivabene that overlooked the Grand Canal from San Polo, to “give birth” to their “only-child. San Polo is one of the oldest districts, in a city listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the hotel is just a “gondola ride” away from Rialto Bridge.
Overlooking Venice’s main thoroughfare, Aman Canal Grande is surrounded by vaporetti, gondolas and gracious 200- to 700-year-old buildings. Your gondola ride will land just in front of the hotel, at its great dock leading directly into the palazzo’s Reception Hall. Most of the guests are high society members or Hollywood stars; Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, Andrea Bocelli, Lana del Rey, Bono and Cindy Crawford are just a few of them.

ARCHITECTURE
Palazzo Papadopoli, built in 1550, was part of Vera Papadopoli Alborandini’s dowry. This is where Aman is housed, a gracious brainchild of building architect Gian Giacomo dé Grigi, commissioned by the Coccina family of Bergamo. Over the years, the Palazzo was owned by the Tiepolo family and other high-class Italian families. At the very beginning of the 19th century, it was bought by Nicolò and Angelo Papadopoli Aldobrandini. The internal decorative plan was entrusted to Michelangelo Guggenheim, who turned the Palazzo into a significant example of Venetian style hotel, combining Neo-Renaissance and Rococo art styles. Michel Gathy and Denniston International Architects enriched the hotel with all the luxury comfort expected from a “grande” hotel like this one.
Upon their arrival, guests are lead to Aman’s palatial reception hall, adorned with Gothic-style iron chandeliers hanging from the soaring ceilings, historic frescos, and sculptures that give a sense of bygone luxury. The silk damasks on the walls by Rubelli, the ancestral portraits and the paintings from the owner Count Arrivabene’s personal collection create an ambiance more reflective of a royal residence than a hotel. The astonishing grand staircase, with trompe l’oeil murals, leading to the elegant piano nobile catches guest’s eye, along with the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Amanresorts’ minimalist aesthetic is part of the hotel’s interior contemporary design and is not entirely absent from the 24 guest rooms, wholly decorated by Jean-Michel Gathy, and along with the Palazzo Stanza suites, offer spectacular views over the Grand Canal. Wenge-wood furnishing by B&B Italia, fabric wall panels and fresco ceilings are some of the rooms’ special features. The rooms impeccably connect the dressing areas and bathrooms with the bedrooms. As Gathy himself mentioned about the suites’ bathrooms, “[They] have been the areas where we have been able to combine the best of the contemporary style with… masterpiece ceilings and heavy chandeliers, plus the best Italian craftsmanship and suppliers, to achieve an amazing contemporary design detailing…” There are four suite categories of different design, along with the regular “royal” guestrooms – Palazzo Bedroom, Palazzo Chamber, Palazzo Stanza etc. Apart from these guestrooms, Maddalena Stanza is a historic room with high, frescoed ceilings and silk wall coverings. A glorious chandelier is hanging in the bathroom and the windows offer wonderful views over the Garden Terrace and the Grand Canal. Sansovino Stanza, originally called “The Hall of the Four Doors”, is designed by Jacopo d’Antonio Sansovino, a famous Venetian architect of the 16th century. Moreover, there is Alcova Tiepolo Suite that features a Chinese painted sitting room and a bedroom ceiling by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, the “greatest decorative painter of 18th-century Europe”, as once written, and Canal Grande Suite, located above the front door of the palazzo, offering a full spectrum of the canal’s maritime activities through its arched windows.

Room-Tip: The staff enthusiastically says that Papadopoli Stanza is the very best room. Not only the spectacular view, but also the glided stucco, the crystal radiators and the king-size bed, along with the fireplace and the large tub in the spacious bathroom, are inviting guests to an unforgettable experience of luxury and comfort. You are welcomed to relax in a bubble bath while drinking and enjoying the canal views.

FOOD – DRINK
If you are ready for an Italian and more gastronomic experience, then Aman Canal Grande Venice’s Red and Yellow dining rooms, overlooking the Grand Canal and the resort’s Garden Terrace, are the right choices for you. The colorful walls covered by silk linens, along with the mirrors, the frescos, the chandeliers and the ballroom create the perfect scenery to enjoy a tasteful Thai or Venetian meal. Chef recommends stir-fried fish with red chilli or black squid-ink risotto. Chef Naoki Okumura blends perfectly the best of Kyoto’s flavors with European cuisine.
An afternoon tea, coffee or aperitif is available at the Roof Terrace, where the stunning view of the city will take your breath away. This traditional altana on the fifth floor – a rooftop terrace with great views of the chimney pots and the old artistic Venetian buildings – is the ideal location to relax while enjoying an espresso or a unique cocktail and watching the sun sets. Moreover, from the main hall there is direct access to the resort’s private gardens. Garden Terrace is one of the few private gardens on the canal with green grass and plenty of mature trees and flowers, creating a relaxing oasis at the center of Venice.

George Clooney’s and Amal Alamuddin’s wedding is just one the many Hollywood weddings that took place in Venice, confirming the city’s established position as one of the top 5 romantic destinations. Many popular couples have chosen a Venetian place to exchange or renew their vows, such as actress Salma Hayek and François-Henri Pinault at the Teatro La Fenice opera house. Aman Grande Canal Venice is just the perfect place to plan your royal wedding, living the fairytale.

SPECIAL FEATURES
Two of the hotel’s hot spots are the great Library and the Salon. The Library is the perfect retreat with historical books, magazines and newspapers. The Salon, on the other hand, is a stylish lounge with a huge piano, where you can take a break and enjoy the outstanding view of the Grand Canal. Last but not least, there is also a Spa, open from 10:00 am to 09:00 pm, on the third floor. Uniquely designed treatment rooms welcome you to kickback and pumper yourself with a facial and body treatment.
As Arthur Symons said “A realist in Venice would become a romantic by mere faithfulness to what he saw before him…” Would you miss the chance to be part of this change?

With Gratitude, T