The gorgeous rooftop pool
above E'Space 1898.
Photo: About.com

Every May, Conde Nast Traveler releases its Hot List, a collection of the best new hotels, spas, restaurants, and nightspots. Check the Daily Traveler every day for a new post from this year's list.

Sybaritic self-indulgence has always been the cornerstone of Venice, so it's surprising that many of the city's finest hotels lack spas. Until now, that is. The brand-new Hilton Molino Stucky, a swank property inside a nineteenth-century flour mill, has E'Space 1898, a sleek six-treatment-room operation. Here, the emphasis is on top-notch service, not fluff: There is little to soften the stark white aesthetic, not even potted plants. The treatment menu is full of cult spa brands such as Decléor and Carita, plus homegrown services like the Molino Flour Scrub ($137), a European riff on an Asian rice rub that uses grano saraceno, or Indian corn, to buff away dead skin. Save room for a soul-cleansing (or just detoxifying) session in the luxe steam room (massages, $137-$199).

Tel: 39-041-272-3414

Further reading:
* Hot List 2008
* An Italian company coming to the U.S.