The Best Lake Como Hotels For An A-list Italian Escape
High-gloss design dens, heritage retreats within ancient city walls and breezy, lake-front villas – these are our favourite Lake Como hotels.
If it’s good enough for George and Amal Clooney, it’s good enough for us – especially with so many Lake Como hotels to choose from.
The Italian region of Lombardy has several lakes, but few capture the imagination as much as Como, with its peachy-hued towns, colourful houses on hillsides lining the lake and wishbone-shaped waters to cruise up and down.
Easily one of the world's most glamorous places for a holiday (along with Marrakech and Mykonos, of course), Lake Como is the perfect destination for well-heeled travellers to soak up the Italian charm and incredible natural scenery.
The obvious way to get around is by Riva, Italian style captured in boat form – but more budget-friendly options include the equally iconic steamboats that drift up and down all day, calling at fabled villas and charming towns such as beautiful Bellagio or Como, famous for its Renaissance architecture and the funicular that ascends to the mountain town of Brunate.
Lake Como's hotels are as chic as you'd imagine. Villa Lario is perfect for a friend’s-house feel, a dreamy sunset position and days spent jumping off the jetty. Or feel part of the family at Palazzo Albricci Peregrini in Como’s old town, with just six suites and some serious original features.
For more modern design, Il Sereno is the blow-out option for you – or head far from the crowds to the less-frequented Lecco branch of the lake and book in at Casa Sull’Albero.
Read on for the ELLE UK edit of Lake Como hotels…
Palazzo Albricci Peregrini, Como
This 15th-Century palazzo within the medieval walls of Como’s old town is the perfect place for fans of Italian-trademarked effortless elegance. Luckily for us, the family that owns Palazzo Albricci Peregrini has opened their doors, so we can all enjoy the historic building’s beams, fireplaces, stone floors and artfully distressed walls. Modern additions include stylishly worn leather sofas and chic soft furnishings.
It still feels like a family home: there are just six suites, along with an honesty bar and convivial aperitivo hour every evening. Breakfasts are equally sociable, and there’s a secret garden to sit out in with a cocktail in the afternoon.
Villa Lario, Pognana Lario
An all-suite hotel across the water from Casa Clooney (but much better positioned for sunset; sorry, George), Villa Lario is your dream Italian lakeside home. Since there are just 18 suites, the terrace is never overly crowded – and few places in Como can beat this spot for aperitivo hour.
There are rooms in the main house and by the pool, as well as a two-storey villa down by the jetty, where you can watch the Rivas go by and be in prime position for swims in the lake and for rental-boat pick-ups. Or stay on dry land by the pool or with a book beneath a cedar tree.
Hotel Villa Flori, Como
The view from the lobby sets the tone for stays at this 19th-century villa, between Como and Cernobbio: huge windows showcase the lake, Como’s cathedral and the Volta Lighthouse. The original stuccoes, floral frescoes and wooden floors have all been preserved, with a shiny new spa (and lake-facing solarium) added to the top floor.
Fortunately, Hotel Villa Flori's restaurant stays firmly in the past, with a veranda on the edge of the water and a suitably glamorous way to arrive in the form of its private dock. And for anyone already sad at the thought of leaving, the hotel bottles and sells its own fragrance, so you can scent your place when you get home.
Regina Teodolinda Suites, Laglio
Another boutique stay on the banks of the lake, Regina Teodolinda Suites has six suites, its own pier and canoes to borrow to take out on the water. There are rooms in the eaves, with striped walls and sloping ceilings, and others with billowy curtains, wooden beams, tiled floors and a dreamy view of Lake Como.
Take breakfast on the terrace in the perfumed gardens, before securing a poolside deckchair for the day. Or head into the film-star-frequented village of Laglio, a tiny comune with just 930 residents on the west shore of the lake’s south-western branch.
Casa Sull’Albero, Malgrate
Much less traditional than many Lake Como hotels, this high-spec casa is on the Lecco branch of the lake, quieter and with less tourist footfall in comparison. The walls of Casa Sull'Albero are mostly made of glass and the interiors are warmed up by wood. Eco-friendly details include solar panels and charging points for electric cars. The bedrooms have amazing views through those glass windows.
It’s a great spot for anyone in need of some peace (especially if you book a massage in the gardens), as well as those hoping to do some hiking in the surrounding hillsides, but a good half an hour by car to Bellagio and Varenna.
Filario Hotel & Residences, Lezzeno
Another one for fans of modern architecture, Filario swaps out the tradition for a more modern take on la dolce vita. Guests can swim in the infinity pool or down at the private pebble beach, before choosing between five-course tasting menus in the fine-dining restaurant or pizzas and gelato at the bistro right at the water’s edge.
The suites all show off the lake – and other accommodation options include residences with up to three bedrooms, perfect for families and groups. The sleek, slate-accented decor includes doors that fold back to let that lake air in and lead to terraces with that view.
Hilton Lake Como, Como
Within a five-minute walk of Villa Olmo, one of the lake’s grandest houses, and close to the centre of Como, the Hilton here is well-placed for boarding one of the many boat trips that depart nearby. That’s if you can bear to leave the rooftop infinity pool and its bar, though.
Other things vying for your attention include DJ sets and Comfort Zone treatments at the spa. The lobby restaurant is where you can expand your Italian food horizons beyond pizza and pasta, since it celebrates other cuisines from the area, including that from the Valtellina valley.
Villa Mojana Bellagio, Oliveto Lario
With an owner that’s an architect, Villa Mojano was always going to be stylish. The villa’s original ceilings – spanning beamed, vaulted and brick – were preserved, along with the stone staircase, terracotta floors and antique fireplace, with hanging bedside lamps, soft furnishings and a heated pool with hydromassage jets bringing everything gently up-to-date.
The house is in the tiny ancient village of Limonta, just outside of Bellagio, the most must-visit of all of the lakeside towns. Rooms are stocked with wine from the owner’s vineyard, and staff will take care of everything, from itineraries to bookings at the best local restaurants.
Casa Santo Stefano, Cernobbio
For those in search of an antidote to Italian opulence, Casa Santo Stefano’s Scandi-style interior is the understated sanctuary for you – though they did manage to get some Sicilian marble in there. The lake-facing terraces are obviously the best spot, but a close second is the wood-panelled lounge.
The hillside hideaway is just above Cernobbio and a short drive from Como, where you’ll need to head for boat trips to tour the lake. It’s a residential area, which means fewer crowds and extra peace and quiet – and some authentic restaurants within walking distance.
Il Sereno, Torno
One of the most famous hotels in Lake Como, the Patricia Urquiola-designed Il Sereno is a modern lake house on the eastern shore. Inside and out, it’s a masterpiece of both mid-century style and minimalism, with glossy wood, glass and just a touch of gilt in the bronze accents.
The Valmont spa is in the century-old boathouse – it has a pool built over the water and a tiled steam room to really pack in the Italian style. The hotel has three Riva boats (hand-made by generations of the same family in Laglio since 1771) and a jetty for when you’re ready to leave your lake-facing suite (it may be a while).
Passalacqua, Moltrasio
The lucky family behind Grand Hotel Tremezzo has opened more of its enviable Como real estate to the not so general public (not with these rates, but we can dream). Passalacqua is an unabashedly opulent lakeside palace, with all the chandeliers, frescoes and general Italian fabulousness you could hope for.
It’s been a dazzling pad to hang out with friends since the 18th century. It later became the home of the composer Vincenzo Bellini, who created two of his most famous operas here.
Casa Olea, Cremia
Casa Olea is an abandoned vicarage that has been carefully renovated – during the excavations to install the pool, a Copper Age necropolis and the ruins of a Roman home were uncovered.
It’s in the hamlet of San Vito di Cremia, a 10-minute drive from Menaggio, from where you can board a ferry to Bellagio, Tremezzo, Lenno and Varenna. You won’t have to venture far for kite-surfing, since Cremia’s beach is Como’s finest spot. Private boat tours and boat hire are also both available right here at the hotel.
Relais Villa Vittoria, Laglio
Relais Villa Vittoria was built in the 19th century in the town of Laglio. Days start with breakfast out on the lake-facing terrace, before a journey down to the villa’s dock to borrow one of the free kayaks or a cycle around the private gardens.
The concierge can also arrange sunset sailing in a private boat, art and cookery lessons, and candlelit suppers. They’ll even pack you up a picnic for the day’s adventures if you ask nicely the night before.
Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Tremezzo
Grand Hotel Tremezzo should need no introduction, since it’s one of the most iconic hotels in Europe. Especially recognisable is its pool, which is right above the waters of the lake. The family-owned retreat was Como’s first hotel and it has set the standard ever since.
Away from the shoreline, the gardens are just as beautiful – the estate includes expanses of private parkland helping to make things even more photogenic. Nearby is the must-visit town of Bellagio. The public ferry calls at the hotel to take you there, or you can blow the budget on a private Riva.
Domus Plinii 1792 Suites, Faggeto Lario
Dating all the way back to 1792 (as the name helpfully suggests), Domus Plinii overlooks Lake Como from its perch in the village of Faggeto Lario. It’s surrounded by parkland and ancient trees, with a lake-facing infinity pool and a house boat that departs from the hotel’s dock. The small-scale retreat is just 15 minutes from Como and half an hour from Bellagio.
There are just 11 suites, which were redesigned completely a few years ago by some stylish architects from Lombardy.
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