AN iconic hotel on the European seaside is set to reopen after 15 years.
Grand Hôtel des Bains in Venice first opened in 1900, with 180 rooms for the “seaside elite”.
Grand Hôtel des Bains opened more than 100 years ago[/caption]
However it closed back in 2010[/caption]
The beachfront is also being revamped[/caption]
Built on the Lido of Venice, it was forced to close back in 2010, with previous plans to turn it into luxury apartments.
However, a new €200million (£170million) investment hopes to reopen the hotel.
The project is being backed by Italian developer and COIMA and Abu Dhabi’s Eagle Hills, behind a number of resorts in the Middle East and Africa.
Not only will the hotel be restored, but the nearby parks and beachfront will be renovated as well.
Mohamed Alabbar, Chairman and founder of Eagle Hills, said: “This is more than a restoration – it is a revival of European legacy through modern excellence.
“Venice has always been a bridge between worlds, and we are proud to be part of its future, bringing our experience in luxury hospitality to one of the most symbolic hotels on the continent.”
One of the first famous guests to visit was Thomas Mann, who was inspired to write Death in Venice while there.
The hotel was then even used to shoot the film in 1971.
It also hosted the International Film Festival in 1932, with guests such as Liz Taylor and Robert de Niro attending as well as Audrey Hepburn and Marlon Brando.
Roma producer David Linde said it was the “place to be seen, to do your thing” in the film industry.
He also said it was a “significantly more intimate and concentrated version of Cannes”.
Along with nearly 200 rooms, there was also a solarium and a private underground tunnel that went straight to the beach.
Another hotel undergoing a huge renovation is The Grand Brighton.
The £16million revamp of the hotel is set to be complete this year, after celebrating its 160th anniversary last year.
There is also the Roslin Hotel, undergoing a £10million revamp.
Otherwise the Sun’s Deputy Travel Editor has stayed in hundreds of hotels – here are her favourites.
It will also restore the hotel beachfront[/caption]
