Il Palazzo Experimental

The place

A red Renaissance palace beside the Giudecca canal, a step removed from the crowds. Il Palazzo Experimental hands its interiors to French designer Dorothée Meilichzon, who answers Venice with wit rather than reverence.

The 32 rooms and suites move through pale pink, navy, teal, and red. Curvy furniture, dramatic marble accents, terrazzo underfoot. Nothing here is conventional — which is the point, if you are after something bold and different.

The kitchen follows suit. Il Ristorante Adriatica plays with Venetian cuisine through fresh, seasonal produce, while the Experimental Cocktail Club pours contemporary cocktails in an intimate room.