Cipriani to spend US$450m on revamp of Uruguayan mega-hotel
by Andrew Manns | 24 Jun 2019
The project will see the 1950s-era Hotel San Rafael transformed into an expansive resort complex / Rafael Viñoly
– Enrique Antía, mayor of Maldonado
International hospitality brand Cipriani is spearheading a US$450m (€395.3m, £353.9m) effort to convert the 1950s-era Hotel San Rafael in Punta del Este, Uruguay, into an expansive resort complex.
Set to be designed by Uruguayan architect Rafael Viñoly, the new Cipriani Ocean Resort and Club Residences will tower over Brava Beach and will feature 164 rooms suites, plus 800,000 sq ft (74,322 sq m) of residential space.
The resort will also play host to spas, shops, restaurants, a private club, a theatre, and a casino.
Interior spaces will be shaped and decorated by Florence-based Bönan Studios.
In a description of the project, Cipriani said the rehaul would include the “faithful reconstruction of the emblematic" hotel, both preserving and complementing its original design.
Construction is expected to unfold in phases, with the first stage anticipated to be completed in 2021.
Founded as Harry’s Bar in Venice in 1931, Cipriani currently boasts a global portfolio that includes more than ten properties in nine different countries.
Cipriani Uruguay Rafael Viñoly Punta del Este
International hospitality brand Cipriani is spearheading a US$450m (€395.3m, £353.9m) effort to convert the 1950s-era Hotel San Rafael in Punta del Este, Uruguay, into an expansive resort complex. Set to be designed by Uruguayan architect Rafael Viñoly, the new Cipriani Ocean Resort and Club Residences will tower over Brava Beach and will feature 164 rooms suites, plus 800,000 sq ft (74,322 sq m) of residential space. The resort will also
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