Hotel Danieli

The richly embellished building, which gives the appearance of a single unit from the exterior,[3] was then the venue of social gatherings and lavish parties.

At the wedding celebration of Giustiniana Mocenigo with Lorenzo Giustinian in 1629, Giulio Strozzi's Proserpina Rapita was performed with music by Monteverdi.

In 1824, appreciating its potential as a centrally located meeting place, he bought the entire building, lavishly restored it and converted it into a hotel which he appropriately renamed "Danieli".

[6] Many notable artists, writers and musicians stayed here, among them Goethe, Wagner, Charles Dickens, Byron, Peggy Guggenheim, Leonard Bernstein, Benjamin Britten, Harrison Ford, and Steven Spielberg.

[6] In the 19th century, private beach access was a feature of the hotel,[4] while guests could use the services of interpreters who were versed in different European languages.

[8] In 1895, when the building's ownership changed hands, it was modernized with extensive electrical fittings, lifts and central heating, transforming it into the luxurious "Hotel Royal Danieli".

[9] That year, together with four other luxurious hotels in Venice, the Danieli came under the control of Compagnia Italiana Grandi Alberghi (CIGA), owned by Count Giuseppe Volpi.

[15] The 14th-century building which has been a hotel since 1822 now has a pink façade with marble sills, white turrets and balconies with pointed arches.

[9] The main architectural feature is the four-storied courtyard which is covered with arches in Venetian Gothic style and provides for natural sunlight.