Iconic hotel loved by major celebs to finally reopen after 15 years with new £170million revamp
Grand Hôtel des Bains in Venice first opened in 1900, with 180 rooms for the "seaside elite".
4
4
4
Built on the Lido of Venice, it was forced to close back in 2010, with previous plans to turn it into luxury apartments.
However, a new €200million (£170million) investment hopes to reopen the hotel.
The project is being backed by Italian developer and COIMA and Abu Dhabi's Eagle Hills, behind a number of resorts in the Middle East and Africa.
Not only will the hotel be restored, but the nearby parks and beachfront will be renovated as well.
Mohamed Alabbar, Chairman and founder of Eagle Hills, said: "This is more than a restoration – it is a revival of European legacy through modern excellence.
"Venice has always been a bridge between worlds, and we are proud to be part of its future, bringing our experience in luxury hospitality to one of the most symbolic hotels on the continent."
One of the first famous guests to visit was Thomas Mann, who was inspired to write Death in Venice while there.
The hotel was then even used to shoot the film in 1971.
It also hosted the International Film Festival in 1932, with guests such as Liz Taylor and Robert de Niro attending as well as Audrey Hepburn and Marlon Brando.
Roma producer David Linde said it was the "place to be seen, to do your thing" in the film industry.
New European Sleeper Train Route Goes Through 15 Destinations
He also said it was a "significantly more intimate and concentrated version of Cannes".
Along with nearly 200 rooms, there was also a solarium and a private underground tunnel that went straight to the beach.
Another hotel undergoing a huge renovation is The Grand Brighton.
The £16million revamp of the hotel is set to be complete this year, after celebrating its 160th anniversary last year.
There is also the Roslin Hotel, undergoing a £10million revamp.
Otherwise the Sun's Deputy Travel Editor has stayed in hundreds of hotels - here are her favourites.
4
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
28 minutes ago
- The Independent
A ferry link between Scotland and France could be one step closer
A ferry linking Scotland to Europe could be one step closer to reality after a key border obstacle may be resolved. Ferry operator DFDS is planning on launching a service between the town of Rosyth in Fife, Scotland, and Dunkirk in France, as early as spring 2026, allowing for both passengers and freight to be transported between the countries. The route is nicknamed 'Project Brave', and was first proposed in 2022. If instated, the journey could take up to 20 hours, making it among the longest in Europe. One of the main barriers to the project was the need for certain goods to be processed at a border control post. Building a new facility at Rosyth was deemed expensive and unnecessary. DFDS proposed using the existing border control post at Grangemouth, in Scotland, instead, however local politicians say a new UK-EU deal could mean that checks at the posts would no longer be needed. In May, prime minister Keir Starmer confirmed a new agreement with the European Union, which means food and drink can be more easily imported and exported 'by reducing the red tape'. Goods are expected to flow more freely as some routine checks on animal and plant products will be removed. Negotiations are ongoing with the EU to determine specific requirements. Scottish MP Graeme Downie said this week that the new deal could bypass the need for border control posts, according to the Dunfermline Press, but temporary use of Grangemouth will be required for the ferry to launch by spring 2026. 'A regular passenger and freight ferry service from Rosyth to Dunkirk would be an incredible boon for the Dunfermline and Scottish economy, making trade easier as well as making it simpler for people from Europe to visit the kingdom of Fife," he said. 'These matters can be complex but we have taken a huge stride towards making this ferry service a reality.' Secretary of state for Scotland, Ian Murray, has written to Steve Reed, secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs, detailing how the ferry service could launch without the new border control point, the local paper reported. He asked that for an 'urgent' amendment to the current model, and thanked Mr Murray for his support in finding a temporary workaround. '[The] efforts make it more likely a passenger and freight ferry to Dunkirk could begin as soon as next year,' he said.
The Guardian
29 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Petrassi: Concertos for Orchestra Nos 7 & 8 album review – dramatic power from rarely heard Italian master
Though his music is rarely heard in the UK these days, Goffredo Petrassi was one of the most significant and influential Italian composers of the mid 20th century. Born in 1904, just a few months after Luigi Dallapiccola, Petrassi's early works were firmly neoclassical, but after 1945 he began to incorporate elements from his younger contemporaries in the European avant garde. He was also a distinguished teacher; among the many who studied with him were Ennio Morricone, Peter Maxwell Davies and Cornelius Cardew. Petrassi's eight concertos for orchestra are at the core of his orchestral output, and Naxos has now released recordings of all of them. The pairing of the last two, composed in 1964 and 1972, are typical of his later music, trenchantly argued, with fierce contrasts between strings and wind. It's music of great resource and dramatic potency, even when the musical ideas themselves are not especially memorable. The performances from the Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma under Francesco La Vecchia feel utterly secure, and as a bonus they add the Sonata da Camera, for harpsichord and 10 instruments, which Petrassi composed in 1948. This article includes content hosted on We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as the provider may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click 'Allow and continue'. Stream it on Apple Music (above) or on Spotify
The Sun
29 minutes ago
- The Sun
Lewis Hamilton's billionaire former boss reveals unusual eating habits including having same meal twice every day
YOU would expect billionaire Mercedes boss Toto Wolff to lead a lavish lifestyle when it comes to food. But the F1 chief likes to keep things simple with the exact same meal for both lunch and dinner. 1 Wolff has overseen Merc's glittering run of eight consecutive Constructors' Championships from 2014 to 2021 as well as six of Lewis Hamilton's driver's titles. The 53-year-old Austrian boss says he avoids distractions by eating the same dish twice a day with him often on the road. During his appearance on Desert Island Discs, he explained: "For me it is really reducing trivial things. "I'm wearing the same clothes, I'm eating the same food - even to the point that my assistants book the same hotel room for me every single year." Curiosity peaked when Wolff was quizzed about his preferred dish for breakfast, to which he replied: "The same dark bread - a pumpernickel with butter and some ham. He then delved into more detail on his coffee drinking habits and the two same meals he has to follow. He added: "Small cappuccino - because I take half a cappuccino because I want to have another half an hour later - and then it's chicken breast with tomato salad. And I have the same for dinner also!" Wolff could do without any distractions this season with Mercedes struggling to really make their mark. George Russell and Kimi Anontelli are both out of contract at the end of the year. British 27-year-old Russell is reportedly on the brink of signing a new £30m-a-year deal. Wolff was pictured this week on a yacht off the coast of Sardinia, laughing and joking with four-time world champion Max Verstappen. The Dutchman is set to stay put at Red Bull next season, but he could be on the move if his team continue to struggle.
