The Hotel Cipriani Project done by Architect Rafael Vinoly: Hotel and Private Residences on the Brava Beach in Punta del Este, Uruguay
Punta del Este is a well-known resort town within Latin America visited by many tourists from all over the world during the high summer season. Located just 1 ½ hour from the International Carrasco Airport and only 20 minutes away from the International Airport Punta del Este, the new project can be easily reached by car. The old San Rafael hotel was an icon in the past and dates back to 1948 where the rich and famous and politicians stayed to spend their vacation time. The Cipriani family bought this property with the goal in mind to bring it back to its old glory. Famous architect Rafael Vinoly will rebuild the same old Tudor style hotel complex offering luxury hotel rooms and suites. The project includes a casino and two very modern futuristic apartment buildings with private residences to complete the project. Located on the Brava side of Punta del Este, guests can enjoy the wide sandy beach for a stroll or long walk or just to enjoy the waves and ocean view.
The Cipriani family is well known for their gastronomic high-class services originated in Italy and are now taking their concept to Punta del Este in Uruguay.
Punta del Este has been the playground for the jet-setters since the 1950s. A lot of Argentines, Brazilians, and Internationals from all over the world come to the coastal areas in and around Punta del Este to enjoy their vacation time and warm weather on the beautiful beaches of Uruguay. Vacationers can enjoy themselves without fearing for their safety and being harassed by paparazzi. Many claim that this place is the “Hamptons” of South America.
Architect Rafael Vinoly originates from Uruguay and is now based in New York. His design will bring back the iconic hotel and will revive the old glorious times of Punta del Este to accommodate today’s modern and luxury traveler.
The San Rafael Hotel closed its doors in 2011 and deteriorated over the past years before it got bought by the Cipriani family. They hired Vinoly, who will use the same or similar building materials to restore the original look and feel from the outside. The original idea was to restore the old building but due to safety reasons, it was decided to demolish the old building and rebuild an almost replica approved by the authorities.
In addition to the hotel, there will be two high tech modern looking towers with private residences added to the property affording stunning sea views. The Cipriani Ocean Resort & Casino and Club Residences offers 164 hotel suites and about 74,000 m2 of private residences. The new project includes restaurants, shops, spaces for events, casino and parking for the hotel and residences. The investment done for this Punta del Este project by owner and CEO Giuseppe Cipriani is more than USD 450M.
There has been a lot of opposition by Punta Del Este locals in regards of Vinoly’s design combination of the futuristic floating structures over the traditional building…
