Living My Best Film Star Life At The Avani Rio Novo, Venice

If you’re in Venice for its arts and cultural offerings — and indeed, why wouldn’t you be? — then it’s hard to imagine a better district to stay in. Dorsoduro is home to the city’s awe-inspiring Gallerie dell’Accademia and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, as well as ornate churches such as Carmini and San Sebastiano. Its artsiness is further enhanced by the presence of two universities; which, of course, means a vibrant student population and a wide selection of bars and restaurants. 

While much of Venice’s arts appeal stems from its unique position within Renaissance history, more recent creativity is also celebrated. The Biennale Cinema, established in 1932, is the oldest film festival in the world, but a mere baby in the context of La Serenissima (the nickname by which Venice is known). There’s also, of course, the sheer cinematic beauty of the city itself, which has played more or less starring roles in films ranging from 1973’s Don’t Look Now to 1999’s The Talented Mr Ripley.

The Avani has harnessed this aspect of Venice and made it a feature of the hotel’s decor, with lavishly photographed coffee table books in the communal areas, as well as glamorous portraits of movie stars. Each of the 144 rooms and suites, decorated in calming neutrals, feature memorabilia, and the restaurant and bar is named 8 Millimetri. 

Breakfast is a sumptuous affair here. With all of the pastries, eggs, meats and cheeses you’d expect, as well as a make-your-own juice bar and generously free-flowing Prosecco. Later in the day, refuel with typically Venetian offerings, such as cichetti — the city’s answer to tapas — and a classic Spritz. 

The Avani Rio Novo forms an ideal business hub, too, with its four conference rooms, which can be combined if larger spaces are required. There’s also a hotel gym, where you can sweat off the frustrations of your meeting before venturing into the Venetian evening: the nearby Campo San Margherita is populated largely by locals and, thanks to the nature of the neighbourhood, tends to remain lively until later than many of the city’s other drinking and dining hubs. 

One of the signature moves of the Avani group is to immerse its guests into the location, via a selection of curated experiences. In Venice, these include a guided sunrise run along an unsurprisingly picturesque route, or artisan-led workshops in mask-making and glass-blowing. 

Inspired by the hotel’s cinematic decor, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to make my own mask at Carta Alta — an atelier on Giudecca. The island (which also forms part of Dorsoduro) faces the waterfront promenade of the Zattere, a gorgeous stretch of cafés and gelaterias, plus the beautiful Santa Maria del Rosario church. A vaporetto takes just minutes to deliver you across the water. 

Our instructor, Augusto, goes above and beyond my expectations, talking us through the history of mask-wearing in Venice, as well as some of the film and TV productions that Venetian masks — including some from his own atelier — have been used in, such as Eyes Wide Shut and Gossip Girl. It makes the experience of creating the mask itself even more fun and meaningful. Looking up at others around the table, it seems that everyone feels the same: Augusto’s other clients are firmly focussed, rifling through boxes of embellishments to choose the perfect additions to their masks and thickly applying their choice of base coat before gently dabbing gold or silver paint to achieve a burnished, vintage look. When we leave, variously-garbed arms hold masks aloft, ribbons twisting and fluttering in the gentle breeze coming off the canal. 

Back at the Avani, staff are as enthusiastic about my masterpiece as I am. “Our guests always love this experience,” says the wonderful woman on the front desk, who smilingly encourages my attempts to speak with her in Italian, even though her English is perfect. “You must come back for the glass-blowing.” 

It’s perhaps no surprise but … I won’t need convincing. 

Avani Rio Novo Venice has B&B doubles from £120. 

An exhibition, ‘Serenissima’ by British artist Jeff Robb, will be open to guests and the public until November 14th, 2025. Occupying the gardens and social spaces, the exhibition “offers a dreamlike voyage through femininity, nature and perception … where beauty is fluid and ever-changing.”