Venice hotel with rebellious mix of styles located in residential part of town

Indigo Hotel / Venice / Italy

Venice can be difficult. Or actually, all popular, world-renowned cities can be difficult. I think that many of us who have had the chance to visit places like New York, Paris and Rome have struggled, where we have been looking for the city we might have seen in a film or a TV series but have seen that dreamy image brutally been disrupted by reality. And there are few places where this is more of a challenge than wonderful Venice. It is easy to get caught (or drown) in the endless stream of day visitors decending on this magical city but something that makes be intensely happy to share, is that there are ways to escape this and experience something that resembles that dream that has been shaped by watching that specific film or reading that book, because in these amazing cities, those places still exist. To me, the best way to create this escape, is to find a hotel that is located as far away as possible from the main thoroughfares. And one of those hotels is this one, the Indigo Hotel Venice.

Indigo is located in the Sant’Elena district, on the eastern tip of Venice, which means it is still within walking distance of ”downtown” but yet far enough to offer a totally different Venetian experience. The hotel is sitting in the middle of a residential area, on the other side, the “wrong” side (which to me is the right side) of the Biennale Gardens, where the yearly International art event takes place.

The Indigo Hotel is full of surprises. I don’t know if this is a result, a mirroring of the rich history of Venice where influences (through both trade and looting) came from all over the place, or the fact that this used to be an old monastery from the 1930:s that was transformed into a hotel when it was closed, or that the eclectic Biennale is next door, but this is a hotel of contrasts. It is a truly unique mix of styles and influences that makes for a kind of rebellious result. It is almost difficult to describe but I hope my photos show some good examples of these curious clashes.

This 75-key hotel was opened in 2019 after a full make over and beside the unique design, one of my favorite parts of the hotel is the garden in the back, something that is a heritage from when nuns where living here. When you step out of the hotel, you are surrounded my local life, with restaurants, cafés, small shops and markets. And from here it is just a short hop to get to Lido, where another one of Venice’s world famous art events takes place, the Venice Film Festival. It is also there you’ll find the best (and only?) beaches which could be good to know if the temperature makes you long for a dip in the sea.

Welcome to Indigo Hotel in Venice’s Sant’Elena district.

One thing I love when staying at hotels is to be surprised when entering. At Indigo, this was not what I was expecting that the interior would look like.

The lobby area has an air of British gentleman’s club with the dark panelling, heavy curtains, velvet- and leather chairs and marble floors.

And when heading up to my room the look is completely different. This gives me beginning of the century Art Deco vibes. I think this might be the best looking hotel staircase ever.

And when entering my room, I was surprised once again. The aesthetic here feels like it’s drawing inspiration from South East Asia.

The art work in my room has a contemporary element, full of color and patterns.

The view of the hotel garden in the misty and rainy Venice evening.

Out for a walk in the hazy Venice morning. I love when you can find parts of this busy town where you are more or less alone.

…and all of a sudden there is blue sky and you can start to see the contours of the neighboring islands.

Time to leave Venice. And the best way to do it in style is via boat or train.

RG inside info

This place is perfect if you…

…are looking to find a hotel far away from the tourist trail in Venice. If you like a portion of quirk in your hotel and that your hotel is located in a residential area, you are going to appreciate staying at Indigo Venice.

My favorite thing about this place…

…is the mix of styles. This is something I haven’t seen anywhere but in Italy. Where totally disconnected design elements are paired to create a unique space. Here it is an Art Deco-esque staircase, the restaurant looks like a London gentleman’s club and the room a look that makes me think of Bangkok. And I am here for it!

What not to miss when staying here…

…is to get lost. It is my standard reply when asked this question about when staying in Venice. Venice best feature is what you find away from where the majority of tourists hang out. So my best tip is just to start aimlessly walking around and see where you end up.

If you like this hotel you might also like…

Novecento, Venice, Italy

Villa Verdin, Millstatt, Austria

Indigo Hotel, The Hague, The Netherlands