Relais Ca' Maffio - Venice

Our review

You'd be hard pushed to find a prettier spot in the Veneto countryside than the parkland setting of Ca’ Maffio, an aristocratic residence dating back to medieval times on the banks of the Sile River.

Built in the 14th century as a home for the steward of the nearby San Maffio convent, Ca’ Maffio has been beautifully restored to its former splendour by Venetian family owners Nicolo and Giulia. Behind its typically Trevisan arched façade, it’s now a pretty little boutique hotel with just four pretty bedrooms. 

Ca’ Maffio offers its guests the best of both worlds. You’re halfway between the chocolate-box city of Venice and historic Treviso, with the added bonus of the lush Sile nature reserve on your doorstep. So beguiling is the hotel’s riverside setting that guests have been known to abandon their cultural plans and simply stay put with a good book.

Elegant Tranquility
Just four intimate but spacious rooms charm with style and top-line comforts. Natural wood floors, raftered ceilings, wrought iron or four-poster beds, sweeping drapes and well chosen artworks and antiques lend elegance and period charm. 

Each room has a different colour scheme – choose from pastel green, jasmine yellow, violet and a stylish mix of cherry red and ivory. The style is Venetian country house, the ambience intimate, and the period elegance matched with all the modern comforts you’d expect. Everything has been done with huge care and flair. 

Guests come to Ca’ Maffio to chill, so you won’t find a bedside TV with dozens of stations (there’s one in the guest lounge), but just ask and your hosts will bring one along. Instead, you’ll find pleasing furnishings, elegant bathrooms and a family-sized suite complete with fireplace that’s a sprawling 40 sqm. 

Guests breakfast al fresco in the gardens in summer or just bask in the lush gardens – the perfect place for an early evening aperitivo. It’s an idyllic spot alright. 

Nature is counterpointed by culture at Ca’ Maffio. You’re just outside the pretty town of Quarto d’Altino, 20 minutes by train from Venice and 20 minutes from the centre of historic Treviso. If you’re feeling lazy, your hosts will even arrange a shuttle to take you into town and back. The beaches of the Adriatic and the Venice lagoon are also within easy reach. 

Not that you’ll be missing anything if you decide to stay put. Explore the riverscapes of the Veneto (Nicolo takes guests on private tours up the Sile river in his boat) or hit the Prosecco trail in nearby villages. Or simply do nothing. The warmth and welcome of your hosts make Ca’ Maffio a special place of huge charm.