Review: the Hilton Molino Stucky Venice hotel

This is our review of the Hilton Molino Stucky Venice hotel.

Hilton is currently running its latest sale for hotels and resorts in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

You can get up to 20% off participating properties for weekend stays up to 8th September 2024.  You must book by 3rd September 2024. You can see full details on the Hilton website here.

To show you what sort of hotels you could book in the Hilton sale, the HfP team split up and visited four different properties in four different countries.  We’ll be bringing you these reviews over four consecutive Saturdays.

We started in Paris when Rhys reviewed the Canopy Paris Trocadero. Last weekend we stayed closer to home, reviewing Hilton London Tower Bridge. Today we switch to Venice.

Hilton provided all four hotels in this series for free for review purposes. HfP paid for all of its incidental expenses. The articles are not sponsored and Hilton has not seen the reviews before publication.

The Hilton Molino Stucky website is here.

A quick introduction

I have wanted to visit this hotel for a long time. I tend to visit Venice every couple of years, and my family has done multiple stays at the JW Marriott since it opened – our last review from 2023 is here. This hotel is on its own private island in the lagoon. I also reviewed the new St Regis Venice a couple of years ago, which didn’t go well, and I’ve stayed at the Gritti Palace in the past.

In theory (and indeed in practice) the Hilton is a notch below those hotels in terms of luxury but also, more importantly, in price. What intrigued me was both the location (on Giudecca, not on the main island) and the building (a converted flour mill). I lived in a converted warehouse on the River Thames for many years and find such conversions fascinating.

The hotel opened in 2007, having sat derelict for few decades after the flour mill became obsolete. The ‘Stucky’ part of the name is in memory of Giovanni Stucky who founded the mill.

Where is Giudecca?

Giudecca is a long (a mile or so wide) and narrow (effectively two to three streets deep) group of islands which directly faces the main island (I know it’s not an island but I’m trying to keep it simple!) of Venice where San Marco can be found.

Hilton Molino Stucky is at one end, as you can see above. The famous Hotel Cipriani, run by LVMH’s Belmond arm, is at the other end. Between is a very pleasant – and tourist-light – area with multiple small cafes and restaurants with outdoor seating on the edge of the water. Launderettes, bakers, grocery stores and a school remind you that this is far more residential than most of Venice, and far better for it.

(There is also a Generator hostel on Giudecca, midway between the Hilton and the Cipriani, which is directly on the water and which I thought was impressive. It is smart and modern and worth considering if you are looking for a low cost Venice option.)

The view from the roof of the hotel shows the scale of Giudecca:

Think of the set-up as a halfway house between the JW Marriott and the Kempinski, hotels which take over entire islands, and the main island where the tourist hoards are everywhere. Hilton guests get the peace and quiet of Giudecca with the benefit – which you don’t get at the JW Marriott or Kempinski – of being able to walk to an independent bar or restaurant.

Getting there

The easiest way of reaching the Hilton from the airport is via water taxi, which is one of the coolest experiences in travel (in my view). This is €150 each way, fixed fare. A public water bus stop is close to the hotel but I don’t know how it links to the water buses from the airport. Alternatively, you can go to St Marks Square via water bus and then catch the Hilton shuttle boat.

The Hilton shuttle boat runs from 9am to midnight. In theory there is a flat fee of €15 per person per stay (not per day or per trip) but it never appeared on my bill. The shuttle boat docks on a pier in front of the hotel, whilst water taxis have a separate area just to the side.

Venice’s biggest hotel

The Hilton is the largest hotel in Venice with 379 rooms and suites. Outside the main tourist season it is heavily used for conferences and events, although the meeting spaces are behind the hotel and you wouldn’t know they were there.

It has been heavily restored from its time as a flour mill so there are perhaps fewer original features inside than you might expect. The hotel does have an impressive display about its history and conversion – the story of how such a massive structure got to be built in central Venice is worth reading about:

The number of rooms is both a blessing, because it means you get a variety of bars and restaurants, and a curse, because of the crowding at peak times.

With so many rooms to fill, the hotel appears to be making an effort to offer value for money. My waterfront room was almost the size of the ‘no view’ junior suite I had at The St Regis but was 25% of the price – and the Hilton room definitely had more ‘wow factor’.

Here’s what you get from a water view room:

This picture is taken from the bathroom, looking through the bedroom to the window. Trust me that it’s pretty nifty to be able to see the water whilst brushing your teeth!

You get proper opening windows but no balcony:

Taken from my window:

There is certainly a lot more character than your average Hilton – indeed, I’m pretty sure that if it didn’t need to market itself to the conference market then the hotel would carry a different brand:

and

and (evening shot):

Somehow, the usual discussion about desks, plug sockets etc seems a bit irrelevant when you’ve got a room like this with a stonking view. I’ll just say that everything you may need is provided. My only gripe was the connecting door to the adjacent room which allowed some noise to come in.

The bathroom was surprisingly spacious and included a bidet. There was only a shower, no tub, with the standard Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries.

The hotel covers a number of buildings and extensions and it is possible that what you get may not match what I had. My room was in the main building at the front.

Other facilities

The rooftop pool

The hotel has a very photogenic rooftop pool with – not really visible in my shot – a bunch of sun loungers at the back.

You don’t need to be a genius to realise that it’s not the ideal size for a 379 room hotel. You can only access it by booking a two hour slot, between 10am and 8pm, with bookings opening at 8am each day. It’s not ideal but it does ensure that you will have a pleasant time whilst up there.

The rooftop has a small outdoor bar by the pool and a larger top floor bar with its own terrace.

The eforea spa and gym

Hilton Venice has a surprisingly large spa which is in a separate building tucked behind the flour mill, image below. It contains a jacuzzi, sauna and steam room as well as treatement rooms. Entry is €40 and, due to my short stay, I didn’t get to see inside.

The spa also contains the hotel gym which is free to use and open 24/7.

I was given a letter at check-in offering me 10% off treatments as a Diamond member of Hilton Honors, plus 2,500 bonus Hilton Honors points if I spent €80. I’m not sure if a Gold or Silver member would get a similar offer.

The executive lounge

If you are a Diamond Elite member of Hilton Honors, or book a room with lounge access, you can use the executive lounge. This is a narrow glass walled space which was carved out at the back of the restaurant.

It’s not great and I wouldn’t pay for it if you don’t get access via your status. It only opens at 10am so it is impractical for breakfast, although some light breakfast items are provided.

I could never find a seat in the evening on the multiple occasions when I visited, and there was little food on offer. I simply poured myself a glass of wine and headed back to my room. The lounge closes at 7pm which is far too early.

You can see how little seating there is in the PR picture below (there is a little more behind where the photographer was standing). I suspect a large percentage of guests here are American and will have free Diamond status via their credit card if not from Hilton stays.

Food and drink at Hilton Molino Stucky Venice

There is a good selection of eateries here, although it is also worth trying some of the local restaurants a few minutes walk away on the waterfront.

I only had one full day in the hotel and did not eat there in the evening. The most upscale option, Aromi, is closed on Sunday and Monday which meant that I missed out.

I would suggest making an advance booking for Aromi if you are interested in fine dining and are there from Tuesday to Saturday. The seven course tasting menu is €160 per person or €220 with wine pairings, although other options are available.

Next door is Bacaromi which is a small upscale Venetian-style restaurant.

Aromi and Bacaromi share this outdoor terrace overlooking the water:

I had a look around both, albeit outside of serving hours, and both looked good. There is also Rialto, the lobby restaurant, which is buzzy and probably better if you have young children, but less suited to a quiet romantic evening.

The rooftop bar serves lunch and a selection of ‘light bites’ from 5pm to 8.30pm.

Diamond members of Hilton Honors receive 1,000 bonus points when spending €38 in a single bill across the bars and restaurants. I’m not sure if Gold and Silver members receive the same deal.

Breakfast

I should say a few words about breakfast which is served in a dedicated space.

Breakfast is free for Gold Elite or Diamond Elite members of Hilton Honors, and of course you can book cash rates which include breakfast. It is a surprisingly smart buffet which is well above your typical Hilton, including a dedicated chef for a waffle and pancake station. There is even a chocolate fountain! Healthier options include a large fruit station as well as a broad hot food selection.

A la carte options are available for €15-€18 on top – avocado toast, eggs benedict, ham and cheese toasties and french toast.

Slightly oddly, Coca Cola was also offered as a breakfast add-on at €5!

I ate early (7.30am, it is open from 7am to 10.30am) and it wasn’t too busy but I can imagine how the modest space fills up later in the morning given there are 379 rooms. If you don’t have breakfast included and the sun is out, you may want to consider a 5-10 minute walk to one of the waterside cafes for an espresso and a croissant instead.

Conclusion

There is a lot to like about the Hilton Molino Stucky in Venice. The old flour mill gives it a character which is usually missing from the Hilton brand, and it was a joy to wake up in my waterview room each morning and fling open the windows. I would happily return with my family if these rooms were available.

Being on Giudecca is also a very pleasant change from the main island, with the regular shuttle boat to San Marco giving you the best of both worlds. Whilst I didn’t get to try Aromi or Bacaromi, both apppear to offer the sort of intimate dining experience that Hilton does not always offer.

You can’t always escape the fact that there are 379 rooms, so there are potentially over 700 people sharing the hotel with you. It is easy to escape the crowds, however, especially if you choose to have breakfast at a local cafe.

Pricing varies sharply over the year. A stay in August starts at €345 per night on some weekends in the current Hilton weekend sale although the view room I had is more. There are some impressive suites available for €1,000 or so, which look good value compared to some of the ultra-luxury hotels in Venice.

Redemptions are good value at 70,000 points per night since we’d value these at 0.33p each (£233 / €275) and you will pay well above that in peak season.

You can find out more, and book, on the Hilton Molino Stucky Venice website here.

Next Saturday, we complete our Hilton review series as Katie heads to Mallorca.

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How to earn Hilton Honors points and status from UK credit cards (April 2025)

There are various ways of earning Hilton Honors points from UK credit and debit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

There are two dedicated Hilton Honors debit cards. These are especially attractive when spending abroad due to the 0% or 0.5% FX fee, depending on card.

You also receive FREE Hilton Honors status for as long as you hold the debit cards – Gold status with the Plus card and Silver status with the basic card. This is a great reason to apply even if you rarely use it.

We reviewed the Hilton Honors Plus Debit Card here and the Hilton Honors Debit Card here.

You can apply for either card here.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 30th April 2025, the annual fee on the basic Hilton Honors debit card is halved from £60 to £30. The sign-up bonus is also easier to earn – you need to spend £1,000 either in the UK or abroad within three months. The usual bonus rule requires you to spend the full £1,000 outside the UK.

There is another way of getting Hilton Honors status, and earning Hilton Honors points, from a payment card.

Holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Hilton Honors Gold status for as long as they hold the card.  It also comes with Marriott Bonvoy Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.

We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to a huge 80,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (80,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

You can also earn Hilton Honors points indirectly with:

• American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on the ‘free for a year’ American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card is increased from 20,000 Membership Rewards points to 30,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (30,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (50,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Hilton Honors points is 1:2.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Hilton Honors points.