GETAWAYS
AHH ‘ VENICE ’ – JUST THE WORD CONJURES UP AN UNRIVALLED ROMANTICISM , AN ENCHANTED MAGICAL ALLURE AND A DEEP URGE TO LOSE YOURSELF AMONGST ARCHITECTURAL SPLENDOR , THE LABYRINTH OF WATERWAYS AND CANALS , AND TINY STREETS AND SECRET CAMPI ( SQUARES ) THAT MAKE THIS PLACE REALLY QUITE SPECIAL .
And when travelling to a location that is so unique it really pays to stay somewhere quite special too … as I truly appreciated as I fell under the enchanting spell of the
BELMOND HOTEL CIPRIANI , VENICE
BY SAMANTHA READY
The Belmond Hotel Cipriani opened its lavish doors back in 1958 under the watchful eye of namesake Giuseppe Cipriani , founder of Harry ’ s Bar in Venice and inventor of the Bellini no less . Whilst the hotel changed hands in the 70s and rebranded to Belmond in 2014 , his legacy for the finest luxury and the finest of times continues to be seen all around the stunning 95-room abode which is set on Guidecca Island at the heart of the Venetian archipelago .
Arriving at Marco Polo airport after a short 1-hour 40-minute flight from London , I opted to transfer to the hotel via the Alilaguna public water taxi . The trip is one of the cheapest options and takes about 75 minutes as it stops at each ferry point on route , and whilst you could instead opt for private water taxis or boat transfers , we used this time to find our bearings , plan some activities and take in our first ( awe-inspiring ) glimpses of the city .
Our destination was St Mark ’ s , or San Marco , the epicentre of Venice ’ s tourist hub home to Doge ’ s Palace , St Mark ’ s Basilica and the Campanile Bell Tower , and of course the superb location of the Cipriani ’ s private launch . We boarded the sleek wooden boat , taking prime seats at the rear and sped the five minutes across the lagoon to the hotel – what a way to arrive !
And the awe didn ’ t stop there . Belmond says that Venice is “... a glorious , theatrical experience that touches all the senses . And if Venice is a theatre , Belmond Hotel Cipriani is the Royal Box ,” and that is still probably an understatement !
The hotel offers that wonderful ( and often unattainable ) combination of not only being a luxury residence , but also of commanding a prime location affording the hotel , and us as its welcome guests , not only unrivalled views of the lagoon itself with its stunning calming vistas , but also to the wonderful buildings beyond including Doge ’ s Palace , Basilica di Santa Maria and the church and bell tower of San Giorgio Maggiore . It is truly breathtaking .
Service is as you would expect from a luxury hotel – discreet , professional and unfaltering but with a natural Italian charm .
Checked in with ease , the wonder continued as the doors opened to our second floor lagoon view suite . The entrance gave way to a spacious lounge area with sofa , table and desk before Venetian mirrored double doors opened into the plush bedroom with king size bed and luxurious fabrics , which in turn led to the marbled bathroom , complete with Bulgari toiletries , separate WC and shower , full size bath , double vanity and wardrobe . But the best bit ? Throwing open the balcony doors to reveal a huge suite-length balcony with views across the lagoon – simply beautiful !
After a coffee on the balcony we had time to travel back to St Mark ’ s square and do a little sightseeing which helped to build up an appetite before heading back for dinner .
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