Surrounded by the delightful setting of a small Venetian courtyard, you will suddenly come upon the Ateneo Hotel hidden in a quiet street in the heart of our magical city.

The building is historic and was once the residence of well-to-do merchants’ families. It was fitted out as a hotel in 1959, by the noble Sereni family, and extends over 4 floors, a typical period feature, facing onto the wonderful canal “dei barcaioli”, reserved for gondolas.

Thanks to the full-scale restoration in 2002, the Ateneo Hotel has maintained the unspoilt charm of a typical Seventeenth Century Venetian residence.

The architectural features are typical of Venetian buildings, and the materials and damasks found in the rooms, the historic Seventeenth Century furnishings together with the most up to date facilities allow our guests to experience the magical atmosphere of Venice, even in the privacy of their hotel rooms.

The Ateneo Hotel is built alongside the Ateneo Veneto di Scienze, Lettere e Arti established after a merger between the Società veneta di medicina, the Accademia dei Filareti, and the Accademia Veneta letteraria.

At one time (1458) the two philanthropic associations of the Santa Maria della Consolazione’s school and San Girolamo’s school “applicata alla giustizia” (“devoted to justice”), as can be read in the official records of Venice, “la Serenissima”, were based in the church of San Fantin, more commonly known as “dei picai” (“of the hanged men”).

Extensive restoration works, involving the work of great architects, painters and sculptors, were carried out during the latter part of the Sixteenth Century, in the manierist and baroque styles. In the early seventeenth century, this meant that the school owned works by Tintoretto, Veronese, Palma il Giovane, Zanchi, Fontebasso, Longhi and Vittoria.

Ternanza said in 1778 that it was Alessandro Vittoria to design the Oratorio di S. Girolamo in Campo di San Fantino.

A particularly attractive feature of the common areas available for our guests is the large Nineteenth Century drawing room with a terrace facing the important Teatro Rossini canal, a not-to-be-missed opportunity for a gondola trip, where you can spend time relaxing, accompanied by the enchanting melodies of the serenades.

A lovely internal courtyard, embellished with luxurious plants, lets you relax while surrounded by the calm of our wonderful city.