Inside the Cipriani family's revamped Torcello hotel
Inside the Cipriani family8217s revamped hotel on Torcello, the nearly century-old Locanda Cipriani has reopened after a two-year restoration with four new suites, refreshed gardens, and a design meant to preserve the inn's historic soul rather than modernize it for Venice's busy 2026 season.
Key Takeaways
- Locanda Cipriani on Torcello reopened after a two-year restoration led with Fabrizio Cocchi Studio.
- The inn grew from six rooms to 10, adding four new suites with garden and basilica views.
- Giuseppe Cipriani aimed to keep the property's historic "soul," not chase a full modernization.
- Rates start from about $860, with Cipriani dining and a quieter lagoon escape from Venice.
What changed at Locanda Cipriani after the restoration?
The Cipriani family's Torcello inn has expanded from six rooms to 10, including four new suites. Accommodations feature dedicated living areas and terraces overlooking the gardens and the nearby Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta.
Interior updates feel restorative: historic ceiling beams were painted white, and high-gloss wood paneling pairs with handblown glass fixtures from Vetreria Venier in Murano. A new bar counter—the welcoming point of the family's restaurants—has been added, and shared spaces lean into simple conviviality.
Outside, the private gardens were refreshed with roses and flowering plants, vegetable plots, and a vine-covered pergola supported by pink marble columns. The restaurant continues to serve Cipriani signatures and classic Venetian cuisine.
Why does the Torcello location matter for luxury travelers?
While luxury real estate and dream homes headlines often chase Venice's Grand Canal, Locanda Cipriani sits about 25 minutes away by boat on sparsely populated Torcello. Giuseppe Cipriani Sr. acquired a modest wine shop there in 1936 and, after World War II, turned it into a "locanda," or inn, for guests seeking privacy.
The company's story began with Harry's Bar, opened in 1931, but its first real rooms were on this remote island of medieval buildings and a Byzantine cathedral. Over the decades, the guest list has reportedly included Queen Elizabeth II, Winston Churchill, Nicole Kidman, and Elton John. Ernest Hemingway stayed for months while writing Across the River and Into the Trees.
That seclusion still matters in 2026, as Venice draws crowds for high-profile hotel openings and reopenings. Torcello offers a slower pace just steps from the Church of Santa Fosca.
How did the Cipriani family approach the redesign?
Giuseppe Cipriani, founder and C.E.O. of the Cipriani Group and grandson of Giuseppe Sr., partnered with Fabrizio Cocchi Studio on a refurbishment that feels more restorative than transformative. The goal, he says, was not to modernize but to preserve "the soul of the place," rooted in its history, setting, and generations of guests.
"I wanted the interior to feel connected to the landscape," Cipriani says, "allowing the lagoon, the gardens, and the changing light to remain the true protagonists." As he puts it, Torcello is "a place that invites you to slow down and simply listen."
According to Robb Report, stays start from about $860—an intimate, home-like scale that has always been part of the inn's appeal for travelers seeking lagoon quiet over canal crowds.