Palazzo Cristo

These spacious, stylish, self-serve luxury apartments are perfect for Venice lovers who want to feel like they are part of the local scene.

• The sense of place, facing one of Castello’s most scenic campos
• The ultra-chic interiors, courtesy of two Paris-based designers
• The spacious layouts, a great privilege in Venice
• Breakfast at local hot spot Rosa Salva just downstairs

Interior designers Anna Covre and Frederic Tubau, who split their time between Venice and Paris, have created three deeply stylish luxury apartments for travelers who want to feel like they are being let in on a local secret. When the pair (who have lived all over the world, working for Yves-Saint Laurent and L’Oreal, among others) took over the 13th-century Venetian mansion, it was crumbling, in dire need of renovation. They chose to restore some key details of the original, including exposed timber beams, but most everything else has been reimagined as a modern-day palazzo.

“Venice is gorgeous, overwhelming, intense,” explains Covre, who is Venetian by birth and a plugged-in local with great advice on how to explore the city. “When you return to your hotel with all those impressions, those colors and canals and crowds, we thought it would be nice to come home to something understated, with chic, clean lines, giving your eyes a chance to rest.”

These are the words of an innovator being modest, because, while Palazzo Cristo does indeed feel like a stylish home, there is a lot more at play here than clean lines. Every inch of these apartments has been considered and orchestrated, and every detail shows lovely touches. The apartments, which include two one-bedrooms and a three-bedroom duplex complete with a charming courtyard, feature a winning mix of Carrara marble, Travertine wood and a color palette that mostly stays in pale hues accented by dark browns and black. An ingenious array of sliding doors and panels open and close the spaces, so that the apartments can feel both intimate and expansive. Floor-to-ceiling windows and large paneled mirror walls throughout reflect the warm rust-colored basilica of Santi Giovanni e Paolo just outside, while the lighting in the room is worthy of a theater production, making the spaces very cozy at night (the scented candles dotted throughout also help). In short, at Palazzo Cristo, you are in the hands of masterful interior designers—who also happen to be passionate travelers and who know how to beautifully strike a balance between comfort and style.

Bathrooms are massive, with double vanities, walk-in showers, large freestanding bathtubs, and lovely David Mallett toiletries, while bedrooms come with four-poster beds equipped with ultra-comfortable foam mattresses and Frette linens. Kitchens have Miele and Smeg appliances and, ideal for those staying longer, there’s also a Miele washer and dryer in each apartment.

Palazzo Cristo is a ten-minute walk from San Marco, but it feels miles away from the tourist hordes. The neighborhood bursts with cute local restaurants, bars (bacari), shops and cafes, including a second branch of the classic pasticcheria Rosa Salva. One of the great privileges of staying here is watching the local scene unfold throughout the day, starting with the school children who march across the campo around 8am (fear not, the windows of Cristo are double-paned, so noise from the outside is minimal). After no time, Cristo residents start feeling like they are part of the neighborhood, starting days with a frothy cappuccino at Rose Salva (standing up at the counter with the Venetians, certo) and ending them with a Spritz, sitting at a small table on the beautiful campo.

Good to Know: Apartments are self-serve. The fridge can be pre-stocked and a personal chef can be arranged for dinners. There is no concierge or bellhop; upon arrival in the small lobby area of the Palazzo, guests can independently pick up the key cards to their apartments.

Independent-minded travelers and return visitors to Venice who love the idea of their own apartment in a neighborhood that is not as overrun as San Marco. Also, travelers who do not need to see the Grand Canal right outside their window to be reminded of where they are. Cristo is best fit for couples or families with older children. The duplex three-bedroom has a steep staircase that is not ideal for those with smaller children (Cover and Tubau have a second palazzo that they are currently renovating, which will have more family friendly options).