The Hotel Cipriani is set in a 16th-century cloister on the isolated island of Giudecca (reached by private hotel launch from St. Mark's Square), this pleasure palace was opened in 1958 by Giuseppe Cipriani, the founder of Harry's Bar.
The 88 exquisitely decorated rooms and suites are simply but tastefully furnished and all have superb views of either the lagoon, the Palladian Church of San Giorgio Maggiore, or the walled gardens and vineyards. The 15 spacious, traditionally decorated rooms, Suites and Junior Suites in the Palazzo Vendramin and the Palazzetto Nani Barbaro have views either towards the Doge's Palace and St Mark's, or over pleasant gardens and historic buildings. The bathrooms are luxuriously fitted with precious marble and stucco.
The Cipriani is the only hotel on Giudecca. The location is calm, quiet, and exclusive, or inconvenient for exploring the rest of the city, depending on how you look at it. Service is the best in Venice, with two employees for every room. The staff can arrange for tea times at golf courses about 40 minutes away by boat.