Hotel Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel, Venice

A haven of 18th-century Venetian style, Hotel Cipriani sits center stage on the edge of Venice’s iconic lagoon, basking in stunning panoramas over the water and theatrical city skyline. Rooms radiate glamor and quintessential Venetian elegance, with sumptuous gardens and a salt water pool making the perfect spot for a little people watching. Wonderfully theatrical and hopelessly Casanovian in its beauty, Hotel Cipriani delights in transporting you back to a time of decadent palatial soirees and love-struck poets. This is one of the city’s most sought-after waterside locations.

Location

Perched on the tip of Venice’s Giudecca Island, Hotel Cipriani is just a couple of minutes by boat from Saint Marks and all of Venice’s most iconic historic sights. The hotel’s beautiful wooden boat is on hand to glide you down the city’s shadowy waterways and islets, with Burano and Murano being a must-visit for some of the world’s finest glassware. Outside the city in the surrounding region of Veneto, explore the charming towns of Vicenza, Padua and Verona to soak up some truly sensational Renaissance artwork and architecture. After just a day walking their streets, it won’t be hard to see why Shakespeare was so infatuated with this alluring part of the world.

Your room

Hotel Cipriani is actually split into two opulent quarters; –the main building and the Palazzo Vendramin, a 15th-century residence linked to the hotel through an ancient, flower-lined courtyard. Both house sumptuous rooms and suites, masterfully designed in a classical Venetian style, with sweeping views over either the lush Casanova gardens or shimmering lagoon. For us it’s all about the Palladio Suite, a true masterpiece that is the showpiece of the hotel, the suite appears to be suspended above the water, with 180-degree views of the lagoon with floor-to-ceiling windows and its own dock at the end of private gardens.

Why we like it

The sensational water-side dining is the perfect place to lose yourself in Venice’s theatrical charm and if the city really was a theater, we know Hotel Cipriani would have to be the royal box.