24-suite Palazzo Hotel on Venice's Grand Canal to Open June 1

Aman Canal Grande

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. March 11, 2013

March 11, 2013 - Amanresorts, the Singapore-based luxury hotel group, announced today that the Aman Canal Grande, a 24-suite palazzo hotel on Venice's Grand Canal, will open on June 1, 2013. The opening coincides with the launch of the 2013 Venice Biennale art exhibition.

Located in San Polo, midway between the Rialto and Accademia Bridges, the centerpiece of the Aman Canal Grande is the 16th-century Palazzo Papadopoli. Originally commissioned by the Coccina family of Bergamo and designed by architect Gian Giacomo de Grigi, the palazzo was named for two brothers - Nicolò and Angelo Papadopoli Aldobrandini - who bought the property at the beginning of the 19th century. The property boasts two gardens, now accessible exclusively to guests of Aman Canal Grande; fronting the Grand Canal, the Garden Terrace is one of very few private gardens on the canal, where Aman guests can dine al fresco. A second "secret" garden with soaring trees offers guests a serene hideaway in the heart of the city.

Aman Canal Grande is Amanresorts' fourth Mediterranean property, following recent openings in Montenegro, Turkey and Greece. Each of the 24 suites features a unique layout and design juxtaposing the palazzo's priceless, landmarked frescoes and reliefs with contemporary, minimalist furnishings. In addition to spacious guestrooms with views of the canal and the private gardens, the palazzo will feature three standout Signature Suites: The Sansovino Suite, with an original fireplace designed by Jacopo d'Antonio Sansovino, one of Venice's most famous 16th -century architects; the Alcove Tiepolo Suite, with a Chinese-style painted sitting room and bedroom ceiling by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, the great 18th-century artist; and the Grand Canal Suite, whose sitting room's arched windows front the Grand Canal.

Most guests will arrive at Aman Canal Grande from the airport or train station aboard Amanresorts' private motor launches. (The launches will also be available for customized non-touristy tours of Venice.) From the Reception Hall, a sweeping staircase rises through two levels to arrive at the Dining Room (serving Italian and Asian cuisines) on the piano nobile - the palazzo's grandest floor, designed in the late 19th century by Michelangelo Guggenheim, a leading exponent of the Neo-Renaissance and Rococo styles. (Coincidentally, Venice's Guggenheim Museum, opened in 1951 by Peggy Guggenheim - no relation to Michelangelo - is located further down the Grand Canal, a few hundred yards from Aman Canal Grande.)

The fourth level at Aman Canal Grande will feature the Salon, Library, Stanza del Tiepolo (an elegant game room) and Stanza Gialla (a private events space), accessible only to resort guests. The resort's spa treatment rooms are on the third floor. An elevator provides access to an intimate Roof Terrace with views over the rooftops to the Rialto Bridge, the Church of Santa Maria Salute and the Campanile.

Amanresorts was founded by Adrian Zecha who envisioned a collection of intimate retreats in beautiful surrounds with the unassuming, warm hospitality of a gracious private residence. The first, Amanpuri (place of peace) in Phuket, Thailand, introduced the concept, and since then, Amanresorts has grown to encompass 25 resorts located in Bhutan, Cambodia, China, France, Greece, Indonesia, India, Italy, Laos, Montenegro, Morocco, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey, the Turks & Caicos Islands and the USA.