Two iconic luxury properties in Italy will soon be reflagged and rebranded under new management.
Venice's legendary Hotel Danieli, which is currently under Marriott's Luxury Collection, will change management hands to under Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts by 2025.
The property will be renamed Hotel Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel, when it completes renovations by designer Pierre-Yves Rochon, who has worked on several historic Four Seasons properties in Europe, including in Florence, Italy; and Paris, Cap-Ferrat and Megève in France.
During the renovation, the hotel is expected to remain open with select services and amenities available. During this time, property owner Grupo Statuto, which also owns Four Seasons properties in Milan and Taormina, will manage the hotel under the name Hotel Danieli, Venezia.
Hotel Danieli is located in the Riva degli Schiavoni region along the Grand Canal. Three buildings comprise the hotel: the 14th century Palazzo Dandolo and two 19th century additions linked by bridges — Palazzo Casa Nuova and Palazzo Danieli Excelsior.
Meantime, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has signed a long-term management agreement with Attestor Limited to rebrand and manage the historic Hotel Cristallo in Cortina d’Ampezzo. The two parties have an existing relationship via Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como, also in Italy.
Before debuting as Mandarin Oriental Cristallo, Cortina, the property is expected to close for renovations by 2Q 2023. Renovations, as well as the addition of a new extension, will be handled by architects Herzog and deMeuron. The property is slated to re-open in the summer of 2025, ahead of the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics in 2026.
On reopening, the hotel will feature 83 guestrooms, many with balconies, including 30 suites with views of the Dolomites. The resort will also feature a range of restaurants and bars, flexible spaces for entertainment and events, as well as an extensive spa and wellness facility, including a swimming pool that transverses from indoors to outdoors.
Mandarin Oriental Cristallo, Cortina will be the Group’s first alpine resort and is perched above a mountain village in the Dolomites, a short walk away from Cortina d’Ampezzo. Venice Marco Polo Airport is reachable in one and a half hours by car.
Hotel Cristallo was built in 1901 in Art Nouveau style and entered its “golden era” as a renowned ski destination in the 1950s, hosting royals and celebrities. In 2021, the property was acquired by funds managed by Attestor Limited, who also own Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como.