Located on a private island in Venice’s lagoon, the San Clemente Palace Kempinski offers an extraordinary blend of luxury, history, and culture—a place where time slows down, allowing guests to revel in the unmatched beauty of the city and the hotel’s rich heritage. Originally a monastery, this unique property retains its centuries-old charm, featuring an ancient church and expansive grounds where modern elegance meets Renaissance grandeur. For the DSCENE travel team, San Clemente was a highlight, effortlessly combining its luxury hospitality with an immersive art experience.
Seung-Hwan KIM Takes Over The San Clemente Palace
This year, the hotel’s collaboration with the Venice Biennale brought a new dimension to the property, featuring the ORGANISM exhibition by acclaimed Korean artist Seung-Hwan KIM. Curated with Harmonie Nine Gallery, this showcase, part of the 2024 La Biennale art year, making it also an ideal art feature extending from our travel pages. Spanning the outdoor gardens and scenic corridors of the Kempinski, Kim’s ORGANISM exhibition transformed the island into an open-air gallery. His massive sculptures evoke the delicate balance between materiality and the ethereal, capturing the transformations in nature and offering a mesmerizing interplay of light, form, and color.
Kim’s work exhibited on San Clemente Kempinski, brings some of his most celebrated pieces to Venice, with a unique perspective to ORGANISM. Known for his abstract sculptures that reflect nature’s beauty, he has crafted this series to explore the unseen connections between the physical and the imagined. His works span both grand and intimate scales—grand sculptures placed throughout the gardens and more intricate, smaller pieces in the hotel’s corridors. The exhibition, exclusive to LA Biennale, invites viewers and guests of the hotel to pause and appreciate each form in Kim’s abstract landscape, reflecting on the fragile beauty of the world. Kim, who studied under masters in Pietrasanta, Italy, and boasts a remarkable international reputation, captures Venice’s art legacy, merging it with his innovative vision.
Rooms and Suites
Beyond the art, the San Clemente Kempinski provides an impeccable guest experience, blending art with luxury seamlessly. With 196 exquisitely decorated rooms and suites, the hotel offers a rare fusion of Renaissance-inspired design and modern elegance. Each room showcases silk-wrapped walls, traditional Terrazzo flooring, and six-meter-high ceilings that open up to breathtaking views of the island and the lagoon. For guests seeking the height of luxury, the hotel’s largest suite is unmatched in Venice, offering an indulgent stay steeped in opulence and history.
San Clemente Kempinski’s amenities enhance its reputation, guests can unwind at The Merchant of Venice Spa, a retreat that echoes the romance of the city with rejuvenating treatments and personalized care. The outdoor heated pool offers a serene escape, while tennis courts, lush gardens, and an extensive kids’ club provide activities for all ages. Dining options are equally impressive, offering a curated Venetian experience with innovative cuisine and impeccable service. And with a private taxi service connecting to San Marco Square every thirty minutes, exploring Venice becomes a seamless journey across the lagoon.
Our visit to San Clemente Kempinski was an immersion into Venice’s essence. As we admired Seung-Hwan Kim’s sculptures and relaxed in the hotel’s striking spaces, it is easy to realize the cultural role of the San Clemente island within the lagoon. For those in search of a remarkable Venetian experience that transcends traditional travel, San Clemente Palace Kempinski stands as a timeless treasure. Whether a first-time guest or a frequent visitor, this hotel offers a Venetian experience that will remain unforgettable.
Discover more of the exhibition and the hotel in our gallery:
For more information and booking your stay at San Clemente log on to kempinski.com.
Address: SAN CLEMENTE PALACE Kempinski isola S. clemente, 1/1, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
Phone +39 041 475 0111
As Venice winds down, the hotel is on it’s winter hiatus till 27th of March 2025.
found this one through Leading Hotels of The World i stayed for the opening of the Art Biennale, it is stupendous! Never been to a hotel like this the most beautiful venice experience you can have. And those statues are insane!
it is a dream! Loved staying there and it is my best Venice stay so far! Nothing matches this experience in venice