November 30, 2025 | VOL 16
CHECK IN, TUNE OUT, LOOK CLOSER
words Onur Baştürk
photos Julius Hirtzberger + Courtesy of The Venice Venice
Tucked between the Rialto Bridge and the Mercato Vecchio, Ca’ Da Mosto stands as one of Venice’s oldest and most storied palazzos—an architectural relic from the 13th century. It’s the only remaining example of Veneto-Byzantine style in the city, a rare echo of Venice’s earliest built heritage, second only to the famed façade of San Marco Basilica. Originally built as a private residence for the Da Mosto family, this remarkable structure later transformed into the Hotel Leon Bianco—where Romantic-era minds like Turner, Shelley, and Rossetti once lingered, and where emperors and exiled nobles checked in under discreet identities. After the hotel closed, the palazzo sat silent for decades—until 2022, when The Venice Venice Hotel breathed new life into its stone walls.
FROM GOLDEN GOOSE TO HOSPITALITY: A CREATIVE CONTINUUM
The Venice Venice marks a new chapter in Alessandro and Francesca Gallo’s creative evolution—a natural continuation of the path they first set out on in their twenties with the founding of Golden Goose.
“We didn’t enter fashion through conventional means,” the Gallos explain. “When we exhibited at a trade show in Paris back in 2001, we didn’t even know we were supposed to present a seasonal collection. We simply brought what we had. While big brands were showing products for six months ahead, we were ready to deliver immediately. That spirit caught people’s attention.”
As Golden Goose grew into a global fashion brand, the Gallos began to explore new forms of creative expression. When the opportunity arose to acquire part of Ca’ Da Mosto, they asked themselves: “What would a space look like where all facets of our creativity could coexist?” A space that brings together fashion, food, music, art, design, and lifestyle. That space became a hotel.
“We hold the very last hospitality license issued in Venice before the city council placed a freeze on new permits,” they explain. “The property originally consisted of two separate structures, which we were able to unify under single ownership after a long process. Some portions were still owned by noble families who, unable to keep up with the maintenance costs, gradually sold them off piece by piece.”
Together with the NWC collective, the Gallos developed a vision rooted in what they call a Postvenetian manifesto—a new hospitality philosophy grounded in respect for Venice’s ecosystem and heritage, and a conscious resistance to the exploitative forces of mass tourism. This approach combines restoration with experimentation, tradition with reinvention. The name of the hotel itself plays on this duality: The Venice Venice.
A GEOMETRIC WELCOME
Guests arriving by boat are met with a striking sight: a geometric pavilion rising from the canal’s filtered waters, layered in form and rich in drama. This sculptural entrance sets the tone for what’s to come—a cinematic unfolding of space, anchored by Fabio Viale’s reimagined Pietà, portraying a fragmented mother and son.
From there, a water passage inspired by the movement of light and reflection—and a subtle homage to Carlo Scarpa—leads through the palazzo, connecting two main floors and weaving past more than 40 rooms. Each one is different, designed in open defiance of traditional spatial rules. Even the smallest room exceeds the standard dimensions of a typical hotel room. The result? The hotel now houses the largest suite ever built in Venice.
VENICE M’ART: A LIVING CULTURAL SPACE
Just off the entrance, Venice M’Art unfolds like a kaleidoscope of culture—where art, fashion, design, and gastronomy meet in a layered, living space. Once a historic hub of trade and exchange, the space has been reimagined to include a concept store, exhibition zones, a restaurant, and a distinctive bar—all connected by a route from the inner courtyard to the terrace.
Throughout the day, Venice M’Art shifts its identity: morning coffee rituals and retail therapy give way to aperitifs and long, leisurely dinners.
The bar’s signature cocktail is the Erose Americano, and the traditional Venetian carnival pastry frittelle is reimagined here as a year-round savory treat.
ART THAT WRAPS AROUND YOU
On the first floor, the Venice Bitter Club creates a quiet tension between past and present. Beneath the building’s original beams, a glowing digital bar flickers into life—framed by a tapestry-like installation that wraps around the walls.
This immersive artwork by Francesco Simeti is part of the “A Collection” program, developed in collaboration with historic textile manufacturer Bonotto. Drawing from 18th-century Gobelin-style tapestries, Simeti reinterprets traditional motifs—characters, animals, and flourishes—into a new visual language and symbolic narrative.
EVERY ROOM DEDICATED TO AN ARTIST OR MOVEMENT
At The Venice Venice, art is not an addition—it’s the architecture of experience. Each room becomes a quiet tribute to a creative force, whether a single artist, a radical movement, or an era-defining idea.
From a suite dedicated to Lucio Fontana to a room inspired by Fluxus, from nods to Arte Povera to the poetic world of Cy Twombly and the Pop stylings of Umberto Bignardi—the range is vast, and every space tells its own story.
These narratives are enriched through collaborations with artists like Victoria & Marian Zidaru, Brad Elterman, Emilio Isgrò, and Hideyuki Ishibashi, as well as with artisans, collectors, and visionaries such as ceramicist Federico Bonaldi, Venetian Heritage founder Toto Bergamo Rossi, and the Bonotto Foundation.
Throughout the hotel, additional works by Pol Polloniato, Igor Mitoraj, and photographer Renato d’Agostin create yet more layers in a space where every detail is a deliberate act of storytelling.
- The full interview is featured in our latest issue, Vol.17 -
