Interview with Lorenza Lain, General Manager and the soul of the Ca’ Sagredo Hotel in Venice, where Lorenzo Quinn’s “Support” sculpture is installed.
How did the collaboration with Lorenzo Quinn come about?
I know the artist personally and asked him to create a work for Ca’ Sagredo for the Art Biennale. I wanted a creation that would make a strong impact, that everyone would see and which was dedicated to the city. Lorenzo created ‘Support for Ca’ Sagredo’, two enormous hands emerging from the Grand Canal supporting the building, a symbol of Venice, its fragility and, at the same time, its beauty which must be preserved. It is the first time that a hotel has been an integral part of an artwork and we have made the Guinness World Records as the most photographed installation of all time.
Tell us about Ca’ Sagredo.
It is a noble residence from the 15th century and is in itself is work of pure art, a hotel where we place great importance on creativity. Quinn’s masterpiece is one of many activities that we organise, most of which are open to the public: concerts, exhibitions, seminars… Our hotel is dedicated to the city, in harmony with it, linked to its identity and to what makes it unique and different in this era of globalisation and hotel chains. Ca’ Sagredo doesn’t want to have an international attitude; it wants to be a place where we welcome guests from across the world while still remaining strongly Italian, Venetian, local, tied to tradition. The client therefore has the honour and privilege of absorbing the true essence of a unique locus amoenus. It is ‘independent thinking’ that enables you to offer an excellent product.
Talking of excellence in hospitality, what is your vision?
My philosophy is to bring out the uniqueness and exclusivity of the hotel and to try to create the feel of a private home. Excellence is not just attention to detail, but also offering dedicated service. We can do this because we are small and independent and therefore can’t be copied. When a client makes a reservation, we send them information on the hotel and a list of activities they can participate in, all aimed at promoting the local area. A memorable experience for our clients is shopping in Rialto market with our chef, followed by a Venetian or vegan cooking lesson using what they bought. Another activity we organise is a jogging tour of the monuments. Venice is a city to visit, every corner enchanting, and we do it in a contemporary way, mindful of physical wellbeing. The gold star is to offer our guests a memorable stay in the hotel, meeting their every requirement, and even more importantly, highlighting what makes us distinctive by ‘educating’ them about the beauty all around them.
by Alessia Maderi
