The Belmond Hotel Cipriani is the floating equivalent of a private island, a sanctuary of leisure situated on the tip of the Giudecca, just a four-minute private launch ride from St. Mark’s Square. Opened in 1958 by Giuseppe Cipriani—the creator of Harry’s Bar and the inventor of the Bellini—the hotel was designed to offer the ultimate in Venetian luxury without the constraints of the city’s crowded center. It is a world of Olympic-sized swimming pools, private gardens, and panoramic views of the lagoon that feel entirely detached from the tourist roar. Here, the architecture is a study in Venetian grace, with terracotta tiles and stone columns that have witnessed decades of cinematic glamour.
The Lagoon Perspective: Looking across the water toward the spires of St. Mark’s.
The Birthplace of the Bellini
The culinary heritage of the Cipriani is legendary. The Michelin-starred Oro restaurant provides a contemporary stage for the flavors of the Adriatic, while the poolside Giudecca 10 offers a more casual venue for the perfect plate of pasta and a cold glass of Prosecco. But it is at the hotel’s bar where the ghost of its founder is most present. The Bellini remains the signature drink, a perfect peach-and-prosecco cloud that seems to capture the color of the Venetian sunset in a glass. The hotel’s kitchen gardens provide the herbs and vegetables that define the menu, ensuring a connection to the land that is rare in this watery city. The service is characterized by an informal but absolute professionalism, a legacy of the Cipriani family’s deep understanding of human comfort.
The suites at the Cipriani are a celebration of Venetian artistry: Fortuny fabrics, hand-blown Murano glass chandeliers, and silk wallcoverings that reflect the shifting light of the lagoon. Many rooms feature private terraces or gardens where you can watch the gondolas glide by in the distance while enjoying the scents of lavender and pine. The Casanova Wellness Centre, located in the original 17th-century gardens where the legendary lover once held court, offers a menu of treatments that utilize local Venetian ingredients. It is a place that prizes silence and space above all else, providing a counterbalance to the atmospheric weight of the city across the water. The hotel’s private launch, the “Shirley,” remains the most stylish way to navigate the canals, a mahogany-and-leather chariot that makes every arrival a cinematic event.
The Olympic Pool: A rare luxury in the compact world of Venetian architecture.
“If Venice is the drawing room of Europe, the Cipriani is its most exclusive private club.” — Truman Capote
A Serene Republic
As Venice continues its daily battle with the tides and the crowds, the Belmond Hotel Cipriani remains its most serene outpost. It is a hotel that has mastered the art of “fare niente”—of doing nothing beautifully. It is a place where time slows down to the speed of a rowing boat, and the only schedule is the setting of the sun. To stay at the Cipriani is to experience a Venice that most travelers never see: a city of gardens, of silence, and of a hospitality that is as deep and enduring as the lagoon itself. It is the ultimate expression of the Venetian spirit—beautiful, fragile, and utterly unforgettable.