Visiting Venice For Carnival? This Glam Hotel Will Make It A Never-Ending Party

Venice Carnival is in full swing; squares are crowded with lavishly costumed revelers and children toss mounds of confetti with abandon. But when the streets fall quiet at night, one hotel is still celebrating.

Tucked away in a quiet quarter of Venice, Palazzina Grassi is a boutique hotel with an exclusive party scene.

The 5-star accommodation has plenty of luxury features, but its unique attraction is a roster of glamorous events that coincide with Venice’s various festivals.

A hidden hotel on the Grand Canal

To find Palazzina Grassi, you have to wind through quiet streets off Campo Santo Stefano, passing tiny boutiques selling antiques, chic sunglasses and Murano glass.

The hotel is located in two adjoining buildings, one with a view of the glinting Grand Canal and its ornate palazzi.

The interior, including the opulent dining and bar area, cozy lounge and 25 rooms, is a rare design gem, ideated in its entirety by French industrialist designer Philippe Stark.

Stylish and eclectic, the interior combines mismatched Murano chandeliers, modern leather sofas, giant chess pieces and an abundance of mirrors.

Where can you join a Carnival party in Venice?

Palazzina Grassi throws parties during all of Venice’s major events, including the Redentore fireworks in summer and the Biennale art exposition.

But its signature shindig is during Carnival. With a mask as the hotel’s logo – and repeated throughout the interior furnishing – Palazzina Grassi seems to yearn for Carnival all year round.

The bar and dining area is the communal hub of the hotel. Forget stiff, formal hotel dining rooms. Here, two long bars run along each side with high stools, while the central area is laid out with spaced-out tables and soft leather lounge chairs for a dining experience that’s more like an exclusive club.

On party nights, guests can eat while enjoying glamorous performances before the after-dinner revelers arrive. Then, the informal dining area transforms into a chic club with dimmed lighting and a DJ set.

This year, Palazzina Grassi is hosting a seductive dinner show on giovedì grasso, the 16th of February. Visionair, as the performance is called, will have burlesque-style acts dedicated to modern and past sex icons taking place while diners indulge in a gourmet four-course meal.

The following day on Friday, the hotel will celebrate music icons with an evening dedicated to song and dance.

Finally, Saturday the 18th sees a homage to the stars of the silver screen. Guests are invited to dress as their favorite movie icons for a night of cinematic entertainment.

Escape to the mountains

If you do Carnival properly, it is a raucous but exhausting affair. If you need a little R&R post-party, Palazzina Grassi has a sister property just a couple of hours away in the mountains.

Rosapetra Spa Resort is located in the center of Cortina d’Ampezzo, a fashionable mountain ski resort.

The two hotels form the Relegance Collection, a growing portfolio of boutique hotels owned by Venetian-born Antonio Onorato.

Rosapetra opened this winter, and the collection is already set to expand with a fine dining restaurant and exhibition space on the island of Murano, just 20 minutes from Venice, and other hotels around Italy.