About the hotel
Giuseppe Cipriani — the Harry's Bar founder who invented the Bellini and carpaccio — opened his hotel on the tip of Giudecca island in 1958, backed by three Guinness heiresses. The location is the genius: gardens, a vineyard and Venice's only Olympic-size swimming pool, facing San Marco across the water but insulated from its crowds by the lagoon itself.
A private mahogany launch shuttles guests to the Piazza in five minutes, which is why the Cipriani has always worked for people who need Venice's beauty without its foot traffic.
Suites & dining
Palladio-view suites in the Palazzo Vendramin annexe look straight across at the Doge's Palace. Oro, the hotel's glass-walled restaurant, holds a Michelin star; the poolside grill and the Cip's Club terrace on the lagoon are where the film festival actually eats.
The celebrity connection
Every September during the Venice Film Festival the Cipriani becomes Hollywood's dormitory — George Clooney is the house regular (his wedding party era made the hotel's launches world-famous), and the Lido premieres funnel straight back to Cip's Club. Earlier eras belonged to Elizabeth Taylor, Yves Montand and the Aga Khan's set.
Location
Giudecca, Venice, Italy
Worth knowing
- ★Founded by the inventor of the Bellini and beef carpaccio.
- ★Venice's only Olympic-size pool — built double-length by a happy accident of measurement lore.
- ★Guests reach San Marco by the hotel's private wooden launch.
- ★The festival A-list's default Venice address every September.
Questions & answers
How do you reach the Hotel Cipriani?+
By the hotel's private mahogany launch — five minutes across the lagoon from St Mark's Square to the tip of Giudecca island, which is exactly why stars use it to enjoy Venice without the crowds.
Who founded the Cipriani?+
Giuseppe Cipriani, the Harry's Bar founder who invented the Bellini and beef carpaccio, opened it in 1958 with backing from three Guinness heiresses.
Why is it Hollywood's Venice address?+
Every September during the Venice Film Festival the Cipriani becomes the industry's dormitory — George Clooney is the house regular — and its Olympic-size pool and Palladio-view suites do the rest.
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