Hotel Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel, Venice

Cipriani, a Belmond Hotel in Venice, is truly the stuff of legend. A host of colourful characters and engaging stories make up the history of this relaxing haven. They start with Giuseppe Cipriani, who founded the hotel on leafy Giudecca Island, just five minutes from St Mark’s Square by courtesy shuttle launch. Giuseppe was the founder of Harry’s Bar and inventor of the peachy Bellini cocktail. Shortly after opening the Cipriani in 1958, he was welcoming glamorous guests from Yves Saint Laurent to Sophia Loren. It was also Giuseppe who, unwittingly, created the largest outdoor swimming pool in central Venice. A mix-up over measurements saw the hotelier planning in feet while the architect worked in metres.

This happy mistake is just one of the aspects that makes the Cipriani so extraordinary. Others include the fragrant gardens, where Casanova used to arrange his trysts. The Michelin-starred restaurant, where art-inspired cuisine is created with organic produce from the hotel’s vegetable gardens. The fabled Cip’s Club, suspended over the water facing St Mark’s and one of the city’s hottest tables. The Gabbiano Bar, where regular guest George Clooney’s cocktail is a perennial favourite. A tennis court, children’s club with dedicated pool and a wellness centre nurture body and mind, while the 96 extraordinary rooms and suites cocoon guests in Venetian splendour. Many boast views of St Mark’s to rival a Canaletto painting or tranquil vistas stretching over the lagoon. A raft of exclusive activities take guests to lesser-known wonders of La Serenissima, from remote Sant’Erasmo island where rare honey is made to one of the city’s last authentic gondola boatyards.