Overlooking the lagoon, with a spectacular view over San Giorgio Island, the five-star Metropole Hotel is just a few steps from the Biennale d’Arte, Piazza San Marco and the Doge’s Palace. The Metropole, housed in a palazzo that dates back to 1500, has been a stylish hotel since 1895. Antonio Vivaldi once taught music where, today, guests sip their Bellinis. Over the years, famous celebrities from the worlds of music, art, design and fashion have made the Metropole their residence in Venice. Sigmund Freud was thrilled by its beauty and Thomas Mann took a room for himself and his brother while writing Death in Venice. Today’s celebrities are no less illustrious, among them Zucchero, Patty Smith, Annie Lennox, Patty Pravo and Contessa Marta Marzotto. The Metropole seduces and charms and has pride of place in the historic city centre. One of the very few private hotels that is rated five-star, it is run by the flamboyant Gloria Beggiato, the
third-generation owner who has successfully modernised and restyled the rooms and lounges with sophistication and originality.

The Beggiato family are passionate collectors and the hotel doubles as a museum for their treasures. Walking through the corridors, you will see an impressive collection of fine art and antiques. The MET Restaurant was awarded a Michelin Star in 2013, just eighteen months after the launch of the new gastronomic concept in which chef Luca Veritti interprets and presents traditional recipes in a contemporary way. I had the pleasure of an impeccable meal in the MET, starting with Zucca ricotta e trota ai profumi di montagna in which gnocchi are transformed into a cream of pumpkin and ricotta with a hint of sage. Smoked trout with mountain herbs enriched the dish, which was finished with a morchia sauce. Then I enjoyed Il maialino arrosto, suckling pig roasted whole with potatoes and then deboned. The chef told me they use exclusively Veneto-bred piglets. It was just sensational.

Copyright 2015 Mart Engelen