Hotel Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel: Legendary 1958 island sanctuary on Giudecca in Venice with Olympic saltwater pool, Casanova gardens, and Michelin-starred Oro

Situated at the serene southern tip of Giudecca Island just four minutes by private wooden boat across the lagoon from St. Mark’s Square in Venice, Italy, Hotel Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel opened in 1958 as the ultimate Venetian sanctuary. Created by Giuseppe Cipriani (founder of Harry’s Bar and inventor of the Bellini and Carpaccio), the 79-room retreat is a global icon of unhurried glamour. Encompassing the historic 15th-century Palazzo Vendramin, lush Casanova gardens (where Giacomo Casanova once walked), the only Olympic-size heated saltwater pool in central Venice, and the Michelin-starred Oro Restaurant, Cipriani offers pure Venetian magic away from the city crowds.

Arrival introduces travelers to the glamorous golden age of Venice: guests board the hotel’s private mahogany wooden launch 'Shirley' at St. Mark’s Square for a breezy four-minute glide across the Giudecca Canal to the private hotel dock. Day-one logistics focus on coordinating bespoke Venetian nautical, art, and cultural pursuits: cruising the secret canals of the Venetian lagoon aboard a private wooden Riva, visiting the historic glass furnaces of Murano and lace artisans of Burano, enjoying private after-hours access to St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace, playing tennis on the red clay court in the Casanova gardens, and reserving a waterside table at Cip’s Club or Oro.

Island life balances lagoon romance with extraordinary wellness: the Casanova Wellness Centre offers open-air garden massages surrounded by pomegranate trees and wisteria. Dining is world-famous: Michelin-starred Italian fine dining at Oro Restaurant beneath a handcrafted Murano glass dome, floating waterside dining with panoramic views of St. Mark’s at Cip’s Club, and poolside Mediterranean lunches at Il Porticciolo.

Accommodations comprise 79 rooms and suites (including 15 in Palazzo Vendramin) ranging from 40-square-metre Deluxe Lagoon View Rooms to 55-square-metre Junior Suites and the 120-square-metre Palladio Suite with private lagoon plunge pool. Each residence features Fortuny and Rubelli silk fabrics, Murano glass chandeliers, king beds, and Italian marble bathrooms.

Romantics, art lovers, and luxury travelers seeking Giudecca Island peace, Olympic saltwater swimming, and Michelin-starred Venetian gastronomy 4 minutes from St. Mark’s should book Hotel Cipriani without hesitation. Travelers seeking low-budget transit rooms should look elsewhere. Grounded review consensus confirms legendary standing with a 4.9 out of 5 on Tripadvisor across 2,800 reviews and a 4.8 out of 5 on Google across 2,400 reviews.