Cipriani

We were fortunate to stay here during a trip to celebrate our 20th anniversary. The hotel is very beautiful; the setting, the lobby, the breakfast terrace, Oro restaurant, Cips club, the pool, all perfect in their own way. The staff are lovely, the welcome genuine and warm and yet we left feeling the experience of staying here could be better. Some comment that the rooms are outdated, but I really liked them, and the hotel has already started updating them. No doubt they will be spectacularly renovated but part of the charm for me is the history and the older rooms have bundles of charm as well as all modern comforts. It was elsewhere that our stay could have been better. The breakfast buffet is beautiful but the hot breakfast was quite average on each of our two mornings, the service at breakfast was also haphazard. Poolside we were brought warm beer on two occasions in 30+ degree heat. Elsewhere we stayed we were served a beer in frosted glasses. There was also poor attention to detail at the concierge desk resulting in mistakes in things we’d booked. The staff were lovely and made up for it but it was consistent with a slightly sub par standard at the hotel. We left feeling we could have been better looked after better, and moved on to another beautiful Venice hotel where we were, but I would still look forward to returning to Cipriani.

From the moment we were greeted off the boat, a sense of calm descended — the unmistakable feeling that this was somewhere special. That impression only deepened with every hour and day that followed. Check-in set the tone: unhurried, warm and genuinely knowledgeable experience from Gloria, and it instantly relaxed us for the stay ahead. We were impressed by the nightly gifts — such a lovely touch — and our room itself, recently and magnificently redecorated, was a study in high-end finishes and marble craftsmanship. It is difficult to single out any one member of staff for exceptional service, simply because the standard was uniformly, remarkably high throughout the hotel — exceeding, in our experience, other Belmond properties we've stayed at, and that says a great deal given Belmond's overall standard. It is our favourite hotel group. Valentina, at the poolside restaurant, was a particular highlight: warm, welcoming and consistently willing to go the extra mile. Antonio at the same restaurant was equally exceptional. At Oro, the hotel's Michelin-starred restaurant, the restaurant manager Michela combined deep knowledge with real warmth. The pool attendants, every one of them, brought a rare, infectious happiness to their work, and the spa manager was highly professional — the massage with the therapist there was wonderful. The grounds are immaculately maintained, and the numerous dining spaces scattered across the property each command their own waterside views — a genuinely special touch. Every meal was amazing, especially breakfast and Cips, and the food throughout was fresh, local and excellent. The pool deserves particular mention: at 33 x17 metres, it is the largest in Venice, and every inch of it reflects the same standard of luxury found across the property. We had a memorable dinner at Cips and the Belmond tennis gifts for my birthday. It really meant so much to us, and we are sincerely grateful for his efforts. Arnaud arranged everything and was great. The hotel's complimentary boat service — a brisk five-minute crossing, run with quiet efficiency — is the perfect final flourish, and only adds to the sense that once inside the Cipriani, one has little desire to leave Venice at all. This was one of our best holidays, an extraordinary stay, and one we already look forward to repeating. The Belmond Cipriani did not simply meet expectations — it redefined them. We are so grateful to have stayed, and we hope to be back soon.

Outstanding in all respects! Staff professional and friendly, location special as you are very close to the center of Venice but you are far enough away to feel like staying on a resort on an Island in addition to be close to the City.