In Venice, *La Dolce Vita* comes to life once more at the Belmond Hotel Cipriani

Does La Dolce Vita still exist? If you look around Cip’s, one of the restaurants at the Hotel Cipriani, you’d certainly think so. It may well be an illusion for international travellers, but it really does seem as though life here is truly sweet. After all, what better way to capture that spirit than to sway gently on a barge with a Bellini and a mixed selection of lagoon-fresh fried seafood, right in front of St Mark’s Square?

To be precise, *La Dolce Vita* refers to a period in Roman history between the late 1950s and the early 1960s, during Italia’s post-war economic boom, when the high society gathered in Via Veneto amid gossip, scandals and cafés open until dawn, immortalised by the relentless paparazzi and by Federico Fellini’s film, which, whilst criticising the sense of emptiness and moral decadence of the era, made it unforgettable with the image of Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg in the Trevi Fountain. If we can separate ‘la dolce vita’ from its original context and retain its atmosphere of leisure and pleasure, the concept fits perfectly with the pursuit of beauty, good food and fun for those dreaming of a trip to Italia today. In this sense, it certainly does exist, and certain places have become tangible proof of this. First and foremost, the Cipriani, which was founded in the same years as the Roman movement – back in 1958 – and, right from the start, managed to attract the international jet set to the island of Giudecca, creating a glamorous oasis just a stone’s throw from the hustle and bustle of St Mark’s Square. They preserve autographed photos of their VIP guests in a ‘hall of fame’ that connects the lobby to the restaurant. They include actors and pop stars from every era, but some might well be here and now, relaxing at the bar or by the pool.

However, the Cipriani, which belongs to Belmond Hotels, part of the LVMH group, is above all a place for regular guests, who have been coming back for years and stay there for weeks at a time. Take that American lady who used to stay for a couple of months; at one point, she decided to buy a house, provided it was just a stone’s throw from the hotel. She found it, bought it, but then spent all her time at the Cipriani, and after a couple of years she sold it to return to her favourite suite. The Cipriani is a place close to the heart, striking a balance between feeling at home and travelling, between the need for social life and absolute privacy. Just as you wish.

We went back because it’s been undergoing refurbishment for a couple of years, with designer Peter Marino as creative director. When we saw the mock-up bathrooms – hyper-colourful and featuring optical patterns – we were a bit worried. But there’s no need to worry, because for Marino, renovating hasn’t meant erasing the past but rather broadening horizons, removing a wall at the entrance to make way for a less formal reception area nestled amongst books and works of art. In the rooms, meanwhile, the spaces feel more spacious thanks to the mirrors covering wardrobes, corners and, at times, entire walls, and thanks to the Murano glass that sparkles on chandeliers and wall lights. There are brocades and carpets in the colours of the lagoon, and terrazzo floors featuring new geometric patterns. There’s no nostalgia for the old furnishings. The historic pieces remain, as does that soft pink Venetian stucco that serves as a unifying thread throughout the communal areas.

This year also saw the opening of the Dior spa, with treatments designed specifically for the lagoon and a collection of perfume bottles that will make your head spin. The Oro restaurant has also been transformed: just a few tables spaced well apart, the painting chosen by chef Massimo Bottura as the emblem of his culinary style, and the Tilda Swinton-esque maître d’ who makes your mouth water as she describes the menu. It’s another kind of theatre, complete with a purple curtain at the entrance. In the kitchen is Vania Ghedini, chosen by consultant Bottura, who has found her feet in the space of two years. In the evening, a tasting menu; at lunchtime, a gourmet club sandwich (believe it or not, you can even bite into it without needing shark-like jaws!) and the classic carpaccio, which is also served in the hotel’s other four restaurants but here is Ghedini’s own interpretation; not wishing to overhaul the iconic recipe, she has topped it with an (edible) portrait of the painter who gave it its name back in 1950. It’s clear, however, that the chef’s touch makes this dish a special one, not least because of what lies beneath.