The Grand Hotel des Bains opened in 1900 and quickly became the grandest address on the new Lido. Thomas Mann stayed here in 1911 and set Death in Venice (1912) in its dining rooms and on its beach; Luchino Visconti filmed his 1971 adaptation on the spot. For most of the 20th century it was, with the Excelsior, the heart of Lido society.
In 2010 it closed for conversion into luxury apartments and a smaller hotel, a project that has repeatedly stalled. The building stands shuttered behind its gardens on the Lungomare Marconi — no longer somewhere to stay, but still an essential stop on any walk through the Lido’s Belle Époque.
Top things to do at Grand Hotel des Bains
See it from the Lungomare
The long white facade and gardens are visible from the seafront road. Pair it with the Excelsior and the Palazzo del Cinema a short walk south.
Read (or watch) Death in Venice first
Mann’s novella and Visconti’s film make the building come alive. The beach in front was the setting of the famous final scenes.
Take a guided bike ride
Local guides on Lido bike tours tell the story of the hotel and its guests.
How to get to Grand Hotel des Bains
- On foot: about 15 minutes from Santa Maria Elisabetta — down the Gran Viale and left along the Lungomare.
- By bike or bus: anything running along the Lungomare passes the hotel.
Insider tips
- Do not try to enter the grounds — the site is private and closed.
- Check local news before you go: plans for the building change from time to time.
- The beach in front remains in use in summer through the local bathing establishments.
Best tours & tickets for Grand Hotel des Bains
These top-rated experiences pair well with a visit to Grand Hotel des Bains:
Bike tour from €20 Lido di Venezia: Cycling Between the Sea and the Lagoon
A relaxed two-hour guided ride on the Lido itself — the one place in Venice where a bike makes perfect sense. You pedal along the lagoon-side Riviera and the seafront, stopping at the landmarks most visitors walk straight past.
- Ride the flat island between Adriatic beaches and lagoon shore
- Liberty villas and Belle Époque hotels along the way
- A local guide’s stories of the Lido’s past
Bike & hike from €118 per group Venice Lido & Alberoni: Bike and Hike Tour
The Lido’s wild south end is its best-kept secret: a fishing village older than Venice, then pinewoods, dunes and an almost empty beach. This small-group outing combines a bike ride with a walk through the Alberoni dunes. Priced per group of up to two.
- Cycle the length of the Lido to Malamocco and Alberoni
- Walk the protected dunes of the Alberoni oasis
- Private-group format for one or two people
