Hotel Palazzo Priuli

Rising alongside two picturesque canals in a quiet neighborhood not far from Saint Mark's Square, the Hotel Palazzo Priuli is an architectural gem from the late 14th century. The hotel offers easy access to many of Venice's spectacular sights.

Originally frescoed on a facade by Palma Vecchio in testament to the wealth and prominence of its owners, the home which now houses the hotel has inspired painters and architects throughout the centuries.

Offering 27 spacious guestrooms and suites, the hotel comprises a restored 14th-century palazzo with 11 rooms and suites and two annexes (Ca'Priuli and Casa Nicolo Priuli), both restored former residences dating from the mid-18th century. One annex of nine rooms lies across a narrow passage from the palazzo, the other of seven rooms lies 40 meters away. All guests register at the reception desk in the palazzo. The buildings have no elevators, but rooms and suites are no higher than the third floor.

Guestrooms and suites are individually furnished and decorated and feature original beamed ceilings and Murano glass chandeliers. Antique furniture from the 19th century replicates 14th-century Venetian fashion, as do richly colored fabrics; gilt-frame copies of famous Venetian paintings hang on walls.

Some rooms and suites also contain original terrazzo floors. Others contain wood floors. (Some terrazzo floors tilt and sag a bit, as does the palazzo's marble staircase, indicating the buildings' age) All rooms and suites contain Oriental rugs.

Contemporary tile bathrooms contain shower/tub combinations, bidets, hair dryers, and telephones. Other contemporary highlights include televisions, minibars, safes, and dial-up Internet access. All rooms are nonsmoking.

The palazzo at the hotel's center was built in the late 14th century for Giovanni Priuli, one of 14 procurators -along with three doges and five cardinals whom the Priuli family contributed to Venice. Now owned and operated by a Venetian dedicated to preserving the city's history, the hotel attracts guests who appreciate the opportunity to experience historic surroundings and some measure of a noble Venetian family's lifestyle.

Serving as breakfast room, bar, and reading room, the palazzo's grand hall provides a window into Venice's past, when wealthy families such as the Priulis dominated Mediterranean maritime trade and used their palaces not only as residences but as headquarters for family business interests.