Italy - 6
And so the train to heaven continues. The Dolce Vita Orient Express gracefully glides into Venice and stops right by the water's edge, or rather as close to it as it can without getting its dainty rolling-stock wheels wet. De-train, walk down 14 wide stone steps, and take a metaphorical hop, skip and a jump and get into a perfectly polished slipper boat, all ready to take Girlahead across to Orient Express Venizia Palazzo Donna Giovannelli.
This 45-key fairytale palace only opened beginning of April after many years of renovation. Interestingly it was originally planned to be a Rosewood, and they had brought in Lebanese designer Aline Asmar d’Amma. Rosewood moved out to take over the Bauer in busy, busy central Venice, but she liked the place so much that she stayed.
Well, who wouldn't fall in love with this five-floor palace? It goes back to 1436, and it's been lived in over the centuries by such patricians as the Dukes of Urbino. It actually feels like the small family home you’d commission if you were an Italian nobleman.
Girlahead's favourite was undoubtedly number 201, a 145-square-metre suite with ceilings that soar and overall predominantly pale blue muted colours. The bedroom has a magnificent oversized marble fireplace with life-size statues – see above. The adjacent ‘closet’ is an entire room.
The courtyard is where people gather, at tables dotted amongst greenery lit in ultra professional style. Music comes from a record player flanked by two enormous metal gramophone horns. It's all really rather glorious. Tables are set with the Dibbern china that Italians surprisingly seem to love and Riedel glasses. Pasquale Rivetti’s food, unsurprisingly and delightfully, is Italian through and through - this is the place for the ever-popular burrata with ever-popular pasta, of course.
Hotel GM Bartolomeo Fusco, below, is a jovial fellow who loves everything about this gorgeous palace. He had years with Aman, including at Aman Venice. Here, however, is something that he feels he's created. He's obviously thrilled to be here at Orient Express Venizia Palazzo Donna Giovannelli and he infectiously makes you thrilled to be here too.
