Guests ‘booted' from luxe Venice hotel for Jeff Bezos' wedding
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez are staying at the super luxe Aman Venice, and have reportedly rented the entire place for the stay.
A spy told Page Six in advance of the couple's arrival, '10 or 12 security guys were doing a sweep' through the luxury property
'They were looking in cabinets and checking out the courtyard,' the insider said.
A source said the scene in the lobby was 'chaotic,' and they were asking people if they were staying at the hotel.
An insider also told the outlet 'guests who had previously booked [at] the hotel for Wednesday night a long time in advance were booted once Bezos rented the entire space a few months ago.'
'Those guests are being moved to other hotels including the St. Regis,' the source said.
'Aman is paying for their rooms in addition to comping a night of their stay and offering upgrades.'
'Some are griping that they have to pack up, take transport [Aman provided] and unpack again.'
According to Page Six, employees at the spot were talking about the upcoming festivities, and said spa workers were feeling 'harried,' as they prepped for the 'loads of extra work they have ahead of them from demanding A-list guests'.
Sources told the publication there's a wing of the hotel for celebs that's hidden from photographers, and guests have included Kylie Jenner in the past.
At other ritzy Venice spots, security was also being beefed up as A-listers arrived for Bezos and Sanchez's opulent Italian wedding.
Seven Italian police officers were spotted inside the lobby of the luxe St. Regis Venice, where VIP wedding guests are said to be staying.
An insider said guests checking in were asked to wait outside.
'They were holding people at the door and one more cop was stationed outside,' the source said.
'It seemed like maybe someone important was checking in. The manager was making sure that even those who had luggage had reservations.
'One member of the family was let inside to check in while the others waited.'
A source said the police presence was 'not normal,' for the hotel, where rooms go for nearly $US2000 ($A3077) per night.
Another group who had lunch reservations at the spot's restaurant, Gio's, were also made to wait.
Once inside, no celebs were spotted, though two anonymous men were being given a tour of the bar and first floor area.
One local told Page Six they were surprised to see a boat filled with police out on the water.
Reuters reported a wedding party for the power couple was 'moved to an isolated, less accessible part of the lagoon city on security concerns and to prevent the risk of protests'.
It is reported they had originally planned to hold the fête in Cannaregio, but changed plans in light of protests held by groups under the banner of 'No space for Bezos,' who've threatened to throw themselves into canals and block streets to shut down the wedding due in protest of tourism.
Then again, security is part of the Amazon billionaire's daily life. Bezos reportedly spent $US1.6 million in 2023 on security, and he had $US180,000 bullet proof glass panels put into his office in 2019.
High-profile guests expected at the wedding include Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King, Barbra Streisand and Leonardo DiCaprio, among others.
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