RESTORED GLORY: More than 700 Murano glass chandeliers and wall sconces are alight once again inside the luxurious halls of Venice’s Hotel Gabrielli.

On Monday, just as the lagoon began to welcome cinema’s A-list for the Venice Film Festival, guests were able to view the five-star hotel for the first time since Starhotels took over the property in 2022. Boasting sweeping views of San Giorgio Maggiore island, the structure was originally opened as a hotel 1856 and has been owned by the Perkhofer family ever since.

The newly restored luxury hotel now offers 66 exclusive rooms and suites starting at 650 euros. The revamp was spearheaded by Milan-based Andrea Auletta and lined with hardwood floors and furnished with antique furniture enhanced by contemporary details. The doors of its Venetian-style facade open up to welcoming spaces characterized by beam ceilings, arched windows and original frescoes.

“Today, we open the doors to what we hope will become Venice’s new living room, a place where hospitality becomes the art of welcoming. Every guest here will not just be a visitor, but part of an exclusive community sharing in the beauty of Venice from the lagoon’s most privileged vantage point,” Starhotels chief executive officer and president Elisabetta Fabri said. Hotel Gabrielli is located just a few steps away from Piazza San Marco on Riva degli Schiavoni, a promenade that hosts a string of world class hotels like the Hotel Danieli.

One of the most alluring features of the hotel is its 6,458 square feet private garden, which Starhotels said is one of the city’s largest. In addition to a panoramic terrace, it also boasts a luxury spa and a private dock for guests.

Throughout the ancient city, hotel groups have salvaged the fate of aging historic palaces. Orient Express, for example, has begun taking reservations for its highly anticipated second hotel location in Venice, which is scheduled to open April 1. The Orient Express Palazzo Donà Giovannelli was built as a noble residence built in 1436 and is located in the Cannaregio district. It was redesigned by Paris-based architect and designer Aline Asmar d’Amman.

The Venice Film Festival will run on the Lido di Venezia from Wednesday to Sept. 9.