Large rooms on a private island in Venice with views of St. Marks Square in the distance is the allure of St. Regis Venice, San Clemente Palace. Guests have access to complimentary boat shuttle departing every ten minutes between Piazza San Marco and San Clemente Island.
San Clemente was founded in 1131 as a starting point for pilgrimages to the Holy Land. Two-thirds of the island’s six hectares are green space with gardens. What the heck is a hectare? Well, it about 2.4 acres and an acre is about the size of a football field, so for Americans there are about ten football fields worth of gardens.
The island was first settled in 1131, hosting a hospice and a small church in honor of the Pope San Clemente. Since then, like Venice, it has worn many masks from being a starting point for religious pilgrims and soldiers sailing for the holy lands, to a decadent entertaining place for visiting aristocrats, where sumptuous feasts were hosted to welcome important guests, a cunning business tactic which was used to impress and relax them prior to their business in the city center.
During the second half of the 15th century the island was enlarged and its buildings restored (church façade, etc.) by the Canonici Lateranensi of the church Santa Maria della Carità in Venice. During the 15th and 16th Century the island assumed an important role of hospitality and public relations for the Venetian Republic as the place was dedicated to the hosting of important and noble guests visiting Venice.
With the end of the Venetian Republic in 1797 and the Napoleonic decree from 1810 the island became a military post.
The buildings on the private island were renovated in 2003 and converted into a luxury hotel, retaining the antique furniture and the historic park. In September 2013 it was announced that Permak Group group had bought the property. Permak Group planned to invest about €25m in further renovations, while retaining the historic character, and to reopen the hotel in 2014 as The St. Regis Venice San Clemente Palace.
San Clemente Palace Hotel & Resort has 860 reviews on TripAdvisor.com from its previous hotel entity. The hotel received the Certificate of Excellence 2014 on TripAdvisor with 88% positive reviews. The hotel currently is ranked #58 of 381 hotels in Venice.
St. Regis Venice Standard Room Types on three floors of hotel.
- Superior Rooms (23 sq m. or 215 sq ft.)
- Deluxe Rooms (30 to 35 sq m. or 323 to 377 sq ft.)
- Grand Deluxe Rooms (46 to 55 sq m. or 495 to 592 sq ft.)
- Lagoon View Rooms (27.5 to 40 sq. m. or 296 to 431 sq. ft.)
All rooms have deep soaking tubs and separate shower in Italian marble bath, 42” flat-screen tv.
St. Regis Venice Dining
Epicurean enchantments are the soul of The St. Regis Venice San Clemente Palace. True to the legacy of our private island retreat, our dining venues entertain the palate with a gallery of experiences from relaxed pool dining to elegant and sophisticated cuisine, locally sourced from the lagoon region and enriched with noble ingredients from the Adriatic Coast and the Mediterranean heritage.
Discover the pursuit of taste with our Executive Chef Roberto Dal Seno, an eclectic and creative food designer, who will tailor make every encounter with international experience from Paris to Tokyo back to Venice to delight the palate, yet with his celebrated culinary skills he takes care of all culinary activities.
At San Clemente Island you’ll have the choice between:
- Our specialty Restaurant 1131
- Our all day dining Restaurant
- Our Pool Restaurant & Bar, from lunch to aperitifs
- The St Regis Bar, our pre and post dinner Champagne and cocktail venue
- Our wine tasting venue and store
- Our In-room dining
St. Regis Venice is taking reservations beginning June 15, 2014. Currently there are no rates loaded for the hotel. Reservations are currently through a form submission.
St. Regis Venice adds to Starwood Hotels selection of high-end properties in Venice, Italy.
The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice
The Westin Europa & Regina, Venice
Hotel Danieli, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice
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Ric Garrido of Monterey, California is writer and owner of Loyalty Traveler.
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