Hotel Savoia & Jolanda

The tradition of hospitality

TEXT: MARINA SPIRONETTI

Imagine waking up to a breathtaking view of the Venetian Lagoon, with the silhouette of San Giorgio Maggiore island emerging slowly from the morning mist. Situated along the gondola-filled Riva degli Schiavoni, a stone’s throw from St Mark’s and the Bridge of Sighs, the Hotel Savoia & Jolanda could not be more central.

A hotel for over a century, this elegant Venetian palazzo has been run by Famiglia Rado for almost 40 years. “We are like a big family,” says Alessia Davi, sales and marketing coordinator. “Most of our staff have been part of the team for quite some time.” Such is the case with chef Massimiliano Melis, who has served Italian and Venetian specialities to the clientele of the Principessa restaurant for the past 20 years.

Sitting on the outdoor terrace, basking in the sunshine, fish lovers can indulge in a tantalising selection of seafood antipasto Principessa, before tucking into al bragosso – a Venetian classic made up of mussels, clams and shrimps, or seppie in rosso: cuttlefish in tomato sauce.

The restaurant’s in-house pastry chef, Giuseppe Molin, has also won fans with his freshly baked biscuits offered to hotel guests on arrival, as well as his breakfast buffet cakes. The hotel makes a great base for enjoying Venice, and their recently renewed Lounge Bar is the perfect place for an ‘aperitivo’ with a view, if you need a break from sightseeing (not to mention that happy hour drinks are half price for hotel guests). As the Italians say − salute!

hotelsavoiajolanda.com/en/principessa