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Bright green drupes dangled from the olive trees as we strolled through the grounds of the new JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa in September. It was almost harvest time, and the plump olives would soon be pressed into oil, the first batch since Capuchin priests abandoned this island, Isola delle Rose, in the Venetian lagoon in the 1970s, after decades of tending to patients with pulmonary diseases.
The island’s namesake olive oil will be featured this year at the Marriott. Guests at the luxury resort can sample that oil in the resort’s Dopolavoro Dining Room, which earned its first Michelin star in late 2015 under the tutelage of distinguished Italian chef Giancarlo Perbellini.
Not bad for an island that was built from sand and soil dredged from the Adriatic Sea to create Venice’s commercial port in the 1860s. What was once a sanctuary for the sick is now an elegant and award-winning getaway where visitors can enjoy the soothing sea breezes, dry air and a whole lot more.
Serenity envelops this 40-acre private island that is only a 20-minute water taxi ride away from crowds of St. Mark’s Square.
From the infinity-edge pool and bar atop the main hospital-turned-hotel building, you can take in Venice’s iconic skyline while sipping a refreshing drink. Whether you are inside or outside, the 250-room resort surrounded by the sea invites you to relax and slow down.
The area’s transformation began in 2000, when the city of Venice sold the abandoned island to an investment group. Local boaters who stopped to picnic among the hospital’s ruins had been the only visitors after the last priest died there in 1979, according to Linda Bertoni, a resort marketing manager and Venice native who was my island tour guide.
The new owners had few doubts about the island’s potential. Under the direction of well-known Italian architect Matteo Thun, some 350 workers spent nearly five years reviving (when possible) the old red-brick buildings, cleaning out fruit orchards and replanting flower and vegetable gardens. The plan was to reuse as many of the existing buildings as possible, while creating a modern but luxurious resort to showcase the island’s tranquil setting.
The JW Marriott opened in March 2015, and its clean lines, pastel colors, open spaces and abundant light are a stark contrast to the showy, ornate and rich tones of the stone palaces that line Venice’s Grand Canal.
But the bonding of the much-adored old city with the refreshingly modern Isola delle Rosa has made the resort one of Marriott’s most talked about top-tier properties.
The four-story main hospital building now houses 180 elegant guestrooms and suites as well as several restaurants, an art gallery and meeting areas. Facing the lagoon are 70 villas, some with splash pools and terraces with water views, that were reimagined and rebuilt from former workshops and storage sheds.
Dopolavaro resides in the same airy structure where hospital workers once played games and relaxed after work. The 40-seat gourmet restaurant is one of the resort’s four dining venues; there’s also a cooking academy.
Nearby, a neo-Romanesque church, built in the 1920s and later deconsecrated, has been repurposed for weddings and large gatherings.
At the resort’s Goco Spa, the largest in Venice, guests in the six treatment rooms can gaze at boats cruising the lagoon while undergoing a massage. A heated, indoor pool extends outdoors through sliding glass walls. The spa, managed by Bangkok-based Goco Hospitality, won several top marks in the 2015 Spafinder Wellness Travel Awards.
Walking trails wind through the olive trees (which are rare this far north in Italy). More than 300 fruit trees and extensive vegetable gardens will keep the resort kitchens stocked with fresh produce.
Art also is integral to the resort, which closes for the winter. During my visit in September, eclectic sculptures by Italian artists dotted the grounds as part of the 2015 Venice Biennale art exhibition.
Visitors in search of the long-gone serenity that earned Venice its nickname, La Serenissima, will want to stay at the JW Marriott. But for those who want to just visit, the resort’s elegant mahogany watercraft deliver visitors for day trips to the spa or for lunch or dinner.
Per-night rates start at about $380 per room and $2,800 for a suite. Rates for a two-bedroom villa with views of Venice range from $5,700 to $14,000 per night depending on season. For more information, visit www.marriott.com.
Source: travelweekly.com