Venice Hotel Launches Gondolier Training

New York City (October 25, 2007) - The Hilton Molino Stucky Venice, the new luxury hotel on Giudecca, responds to the growing demand for unique fitness programs with a distinctively Venetian offering: Gondolier Training. The first-of-its-kind Molino Stucky Gondolier Training provides an intense full body workout, as well as a rare glimpse into one of Venice's most beloved traditions.

During the training, participants will be coached in the basics of being a gondolier - both physical (rowing with the oars firmly, balancing at the core) and otherwise (the etiquette and proper attitude of a licensed gondolier). The training session closes with a visit to the Venice Squero, the old factory where gondolas are produced to this day. In lieu of a certificate, every new gondolier is presented with a fitted black-and-white striped shirt, a lasting token of her or his initiation to the field.

Paolo Biscioni, the Hilton Molino Stucky Venice's general manager, said the decision to offer a Gondolier Training program came from the hotel's commitment to the authentic guest experiences that make travel unforgettable.  "Venice has a particular kind of magic," he said. "Anyone who visits Venice comes in search of the distant, romantic aura this city has always had. And for almost everyone, one of the most important parts of that magic is the gondola. We wanted to offer our guests a way to interact with the spell of the gondola ride even more deeply. The first guests have all come back exhilarated."

Trainings are available for groups, solo students, and of course couples, with a starting rate of 360 Euro per three-hour session, including tour of the gondola factory and black-and-white graduation shirt.

The Hilton Molino Stucky Venice, a former 19th-century flour mill on Giudecca, is the largest restoration project in the history of Venice and, according to one of Italy's leading architectural experts, Professor Francesco Amendolagine, the history of Europe. The hotel opened in June 2007 with the city's largest spa, its first rooftop pool, two restaurants from Cipriani chef Franco Luise, a singular design story, and a sweeping view of Venice that has not been seen since the landmark mill was shuttered 50 years ago.

Giudecca, just a five-minute boat ride from the mainland on the hotel's complimentary water-shuttle, comes with a romantic history all its own. In the 16th Century, Giudecca served as an exile for banished noblemen (including Michelangelo) and convent-bound women. Today, it is one of the few pockets of Venice that escapes the city's resounding tourism boom. A rapidly developing art scene and gathering celebrity presence have helped make Giudecca one of Venice's most fashionable emerging destinations.

Room rates will begin at 199 Euro during low season and 750 Euro during high season, inclusive of tax and service charge. Rates for the Presidential Suite will begin at 12,000 Euro, inclusive of taxes and service charge.

For additional information, contact: Hilton Molino Stucky Venice, Tel: +39 041 2723311;
email: info.venice@hilton.com; or visit www.hilton.com/venice



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