A noble soul reborn in Venice : reservations are now open for Orient Express Palazzo Donà Giovannelli.

Venezia, Italy – July 22, 2025 
Orient Express will open its new hotel in Venice at the exceptional Palazzo Donà Giovannelli. Architect and interior designer Aline Asmar d’Amman, alongside her studio Culture in Architecture, has been entrusted to design and decorate the space. Venice, once the gateway to Constantinople and a mythical stop on the legendary Orient Express train – that opened its doors in 1919 with the completion of the Simplon tunnel linking Switzerland to Italy – is now the home of the second Orient Express hotel. 

Heritage 

An ode to the heritage of Venice, inspired by all of the cultures and eras that are forever a part of its history, Orient Express Palazzo Donà Giovannelli is the home to 47 rooms and suites, all overlooking the gardens of the historical residency and the canals of Venice. The Piano Nobile hosts an elegant ballroom with historical frescos where savouring a memorable breakfast or celebrating in style special occasions and private events. The hotel’s culinary offering includes an intimate fine dining restaurant with private boat access, an all-day dining space overlooking the lively courtyard and lush garden, a rarity in Venice, and the iconic Wagon Bar – a nod to the golden age of rail travel. Passengers on La Dolce Vita Orient Express train can disembark directly at the Venice Santa Lucia Station and reach Orient Express Palazzo Donà Giovannelli by foot or by boat. 

Orient Express Palazzo Donà Giovannelli: between the East and the West 

Orient Express Palazzo Donà Giovannelli embodies a unique encounter between two icons: the legendary luxury brand and the Orient Express Palazzo Donà Giovannelli. An architectural feat at the crossroads of cultures, a link between the East and the West, the landmark building is anchored in eternity and ready to come back to life with a theatrical and contemporary art of living, steeped in infinite elegance” says the architect and interior designer Aline Asmar d’Amman. 

From the main entrance and its garden, which can be reached from the train station along the Strada Nova, or from the neo-Gothic and multi-layered façades that can be admired from Rio de Noale by boat, Orient Express Palazzo Donà Giovannelli is filled with beauty and grandeur. It is an island within an island, where doors and windows seem to speak directly to the sky above. Just one step inside, this Palace evokes a feeling of complete enchantment. Just entering feels like leafing through the pages of the book of time. It is an experience into an ageless romanticism, where the heritage of the stone seems to be frozen in time whispering layers of stories to be revealed. From the marble carved entrance, to the masterful octagonal staircase of neo-Gothic style designed by the architect Meduna, the palazzo resonates with the eternity of artistry. On its vaulted ceilings, the domes call for light and theatricality.