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The InterContinental Venice hotel is finally here – as a Radisson

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This is a coincidence. In my article last weekend about the new Radisson (ex-Moxy, eg-Hyatt) at Gatwick Airport, I explained why we usually don’t write about hotels not due to open for 3-4 years. Partly because it’s boring, but partly because the hotels often never happen.

The example I gave was InterContinental Venice. Announced in 2016, IHG staff kept telling me that it was still happening. It turns out that they were right – the hotel IS still happening. It’s just not an InterContinental any longer.

As you can see here on radissonhotels.com, the ‘Radisson Collection Hotel, Palazzo Nani Venice’ is due to open at the end of August.

Radisson Collection Venice hotel

Amusingly, the press release issued in 2016 by InterContinental is still on the IHG website – you can read it here.

It talks of a 2018 opening date. An IHG bigwig said:

We’re delighted to be partnering with Cordifin S.p.a to bring the first InterContinental hotel to Venice.  It’s great to see momentum behind the brand continuing as we get set to celebrate its 70th anniversary this year.  InterContinental Venice – Palazzo Nani will be a great addition to the InterContinental family, offering guests an unforgettable experience in a city loved by millions around the world.

The developers, meanwhile, said:

The InterContinental brand is the pinnacle of luxury and complements our existing portfolio perfectly.

Or not.

Radisson Collection Venice hotel

Is this the right project for Radisson?

I think this would have been a good project for InterContinental, or possibly switched over to Regent. It would have sat alongside InterContinental Amsterdam as a boutique-scale luxury hotel in a popular tourist centre.

But Radisson Collection? The main Radisson brand is seen as downmarket in its core US market. It has a better reputation in Europe via Radisson Blu but I doubt people expect luxury when they book into one.

52 rooms is also very small for what is still a niche and developing brand like Radisson Collection.

Is this really the best that the developers could come up with? After all, they have a newly restored palazzo with direct canal views in one of the great tourist centres of the world.

Radisson Collection Venice hotel

The upside is that this hotel should be excellent value for Radisson Rewards points. This is especially true for anyone with a large stash of American Express Membership Rewards points, due to the generous 1:3 conversion rate.

Points rates are not yet loaded, however, so it isn’t clear exactly how good the value will be.

There is an equally small (89-room) high-end Milan property about to open under the Radisson Collection brandPalazzo Touring Club Milan, click here. It is possible that there is shared ownership or some other link with Venice.

The Milan hotel is bookable for points. It is 70,000 points for a hotel with base rates of around €250, which is what I expect from Radisson Rewards (eg 0.33p per point).

It’s a real shame that we won’t be seeing an InterContinental in Venice, however.

The Palazzo Nani hotel website is here.

PS. One place we WILL be seeing another InterContinental in Barcelona. The Crowne Plaza Barcelona Fira Center is changing brands and already shows as InterContinental Barcelona – see here. It isn’t clear what internal upgrades will accompany the brand change.


How to earn Radisson Rewards points and status from UK credit cards

How to earn Radisson Rewards points and status from UK credit cards (January 2024)

Radisson Rewards does not have a dedicated UK credit card. However, you can earn Radisson Rewards points by converting Membership Rewards points earned from selected UK American Express cards.

These cards earn Membership Rewards points:

Membership Rewards points convert at 1:3 into Radisson Rewards points which is a very attractive rate.  The cards above all earn 1 Membership Rewards point per £1 spent on your card, which converts to 3 Radisson Rewards points.

Even better, holders of The Platinum Card receive free Radisson Rewards Premium status for as long as they hold the card.  It also comes with Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Gold and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here.

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)

Comments (16)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Benilyn says:

    What IHG recommendations do people have for Barcelona? Not too bothered by the beach.

    • Max says:

      Indigo Plaza Catalunya is great if you are just searching for a place to stay at night and a pool to cool down after exploring the city.

  • Phillip says:

    Kimpton Vividora – although I may be a bit biased as I am a big fan of the Kimpton brand. Central but not manic. I like the neighbourhood. Nice and walkable. The Indigo is also good – very central but usually pricey.

    • ankomonkey says:

      A couple of days ago I was browsing IHG hotels in Barcelona. I think this Kimpton was priced at 414Euro/night, while there was an IC for 184Euro/night. When I changed my search to points instead of cash, they came in at 35k/night and 45k/night respectively. So the Kimpton on points was cheaper than the IC when the cash prices were quite the opposite. Check both methods of payment!!!

  • Dave says:

    That Barcelona Fira Centre hotel was a bit of a naff Crowne Plaza – god knows how they can make it an IC.

    • Phillip says:

      And it’s already bookable for later this year as an IC which suggests not a lot has happened to it?!…

  • Alex W says:

    “It isn’t clear what internal upgrades will accompany the brand change” but we can assume that prices will go up and any possibility of free lounge access will be removed when rebranding from CP to IC. Probably bad news for IHG elites then.

  • Olly says:

    @benylin we spent four nights at CP Fira Centre, Barcelona April 2019 for a birthday trip and were very well treated as Platinum getting upgraded to a huge executive room with birthday cake, fruit platter and bottle of cava waiting for us on the table. If I had have been Spire then, we would have got Exec Lounge access as well according to the check-in staff.
    It’s on the outskirts off the city a little but walkable, Montjuic fountain and gardens which is only a five minute walk away was a great place to visit. We didn’t use any of the hotel facilities save the rooftop bar but we found some pleasant restaurants nearby. Bear in mind it’s a business hotel so there are conferences in during our stay so the large reception area can get busy.
    A quick look at TA and other review sites still has it as 4.5-4.7/5 so presume Dave’s negative comments are not as ours, or most other people’s experience there.

  • a9504477 says:

    Pity about the CP Barcelona as they treated Spires well with upgrade and access to their lounge (with all-day champagne).

  • Aston100 says:

    I’m after an IHG hotel for Feb half term.
    The CP / IC has no availability (strange?).
    The Kimpton is £337 / 63k per night
    The Indigo is £494 / 45k per night
    I find those prices surprisingly high for the 3rd week of February (looking at 19th Feb for 5 nights) when I can’t imagine many tourists flocking to the city at all. Given the lack of availability at the new IC and at one of the HIX properties, I wonder if something actually IS going on at the time that I’m not aware of?

    • Aston100 says:

      Was referring to Barcelona, in case it wasn’t clear.

    • Aston100 says:

      Just checked Hilton. Both Hilton branded properties are sold out on my dates in Feb, leaving just the Curio collection hotel (Alexandra?) with availability.

    • Michael C says:

      Those are the exact dates of carnaval – lots of domestic tourism.

      • meta says:

        IHG rates both cash and points have gone mad in the last few days. I would wait wait. I mean Indigo Barcelona is over £500 for some days in November.

      • Aston100 says:

        Oh no. I might have to settle for a HIX 8 miles out of town 🙁

  • Dubious says:

    “ The main Radisson brand is seen as downmarket in its core US market. It has a better reputation in Europe via Radisson Blu but…”
    It looks like Radisson are gearing up to split their portfolio between the two sides of the Atlantic with different booking sites/websites depending on which side you plan to be staying.
    [Radisson Hotels] and
    [Radisson Hotels Americas]

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