My favorite spot on the hotel terrace Shot with my Leica
As I sipped a cocktail on the terrace of the BAUERs
L’Hotel while waiting for my room to be ready a few hours after landing in
Venice, I couldn’t help the blissfully happy grin on my face.
In front of me was a vision of
perfection, better than any picture or movie I had seen of this city : the
world famous Grand Canal, glowing in the spring morning sun… The perfect scene
for a ballet of boats and iconic gondolas, some of them complete with not only gondoliers,
but also private crooners.
The hotel terrace – shot with my Leica
The hotel seen from the terrace – shot with my Leica
Located right by Piazza San Marco, the main public
square of the city, one would not think upon arriving at BAUERs L’Hotel that on
the other side of this urban 1940’s facade, decorated with luminous Art Déco
windows, such a picturesque view awaits.
Inside the hotel, the traditional
furnishings and fabrics, such as grand Murano glass chandeliers, bring a subtle
yet unmistakable Venetian atmosphere, just as you would expect.
The view on the Grand Canal from the hotel terrace… Magic ! Shot with my Leica
From the grand lobby to the rooms,
all those furnishings and fabrics are all crafted by Venetian artisans, and the
authentic spirit comes with all the comfort modern travelers are waiting for
today.
My room made me feel like I was
experiencing the true contemporary
spirit of Venetian living all along, from the marble bathroom to the
precious and beautiful beddings, wall coverings and curtains.
My room – shot with my Leica
My room – shot with my Leica
My bathroom – shot with my Leica
My bathroom – shot with my Leica
Other details completed the
« feeling like a local » experience, such as the gondola traffic
below my window, and having breakfast on the terrace in the morning !
My breakfast view… Shot with my Leica
Taking the hotel taxi boat – shot with my Leica
Besides attending my friends’
wedding while I was there, I spent my extended week-end getting lost in the
city and visiting some of its best museums, such as the Galleria dell’Accademia, displaying some of the best Venetian paintings from the 14th to the 18th century.
Needless to say, my taste for contemporary art was also more than satisfied
with the Pinault Collection, both at the triangular-shaped Punta
della Dogana and Palazzo Grassi – which also showcased a very nice Irvin
Penn temporary exhibition, the best I have seen in months !
Exploring Venice – shot with my Leica
Exploring Venice – shot with my Leica
Exploring Venice – shot with my Leica
Exploring Venice – shot with my Leica
Exploring Venice – shot with my Leica
Exploring Venice – shot with my Leica
Exploring Venice – shot with my Leica
The traffic seen from the hotel Shot with my Leica
With Paris, Venice often tops the
lists of the world’s most romantic cities. My first trip there definitely made
me think that it might actually be much more romantic than Paris !
But
maybe that’s because I live in Paris…