Novecento Boutique Hotel Venezia - Venice.

The Novecento hotel offers visitors to Venice the chance to experience a truly unique boutique hotel in a gloriously quiet corner of the San Marco district. Hidden away in the Calle del Dose, between St Mark's Square and the Accademia Galley, this intimate 9 bedroom hotel is a distinctly unusual property for a city known for its beautiful yet decidedly traditional Grand Hotels. The Novecento, owned and run by the Gioele and Heiby Romanelli, flaunts an excitingly eclectic mix of Venetian and ethnic décor. A powerful Mediterranean and North African influence pulsates through rooms which are also home to centuries-old Venetian furnishings.

In the months before the hotel opened, when the 17th century building was undergoing comprehensive restoration work, the Romanelli's passion for exquisite materials and fabrics led the young couple to import textiles from Pakistan, low slung beds from Thailand, Arabic cupboards, Turkish rugs and Moroccan lanterns with which to adorn the interiors of the 9 spacious bedrooms and central lounge.

Gioele and Heiby make no secret of the fact that inspiration for the Novecento came from the life and work of Mariano Fortuny, the ingenious Spanish artist, architect and inventor who moved to Venice in 1889, where he resided in the historic Palazzo Pesaro Orfei. Among his many inventions, Fortuny developed a unique process for printing textiles; a method that enabled him to create superbly artistic fabrics. Fifteenth century Florence, Seventeenth century Venice, Persia, Asia, South America, Egypt, China and Greece: these themes all inspired Fortuny's textiles. The so- called 'Fortuny style' of the Hotel Novecento is an expression of the owners' great passion for exquisite textiles and art.

Since opening in 2001 the Hotel Novecento has established a reputation as exclusive venue for itinerant contemporary art exhibitions in the city. Each and every month a different artist from Venice or further a field displays his or her work in the hotel. Guests staying at the hotel have the opportunity to witness the exhibitions and even to meet the artists who frequent the Novecento.

Taking breakfast at the Novecento Hotel is an exceptionally enjoyable affair, with a copious and highly imaginative buffet served by truly personable members of staff. In warm weather breakfast is served in the small courtyard garden. The comfortable lounge is the ideal place where to relax and browse through the papers or read a book or help yourself to a drink from the bar.