SimplyAbuDhabi XII

S IMPLY TRAVEL Hotel Cipriani V enice is one of Italy’s finest destinations and is quite understandably flooded with tourists all year round. How could it not be? There is so much history to soak up, such a sense of refinement and whispers of another era around each canal bend and over every humped bridge. It’s an intoxicating city with a genuine sense of magic that hovers around like morning mist. There is a wealth of antiquity to see and one could be kept busy for weeks enjoying each cultural exhibit on offer, but there are times when an escape from the madding crowd is the just the ticket. There can be no more welcoming sight in these moments than the private dock at the Hotel Cipriani on Giudecca Island. Within a matter of minutes after boarding the complimentary shuttle boat behind the Piazza San Marco, you approach the twinkling lights of this vast hotel, alight onto the dock, and enter directly into beautifully kept gardens. The bustle and urgency seeps away, the air smells sweet with flowers and suddenly you wished you lived there. It’s little wonder that the Hotel Cipriani has been a favoured haunt of A-list celebrities since its official opening in 1958. The guest list reads like a who’s who of the movie and entertainment industry. While I’m staying there Diane Kruger lounges by the pool, Kiera Knightley checks in and Sam Mendes enjoys breakfast. The day before, George Quintessential Venice Poised across the inky waters and away from the heaving crowds in San Marco Square sits a true haven. Nick Rice visits the impeccable island paradise that is the Hotel Cipriani. 3 5 7 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I