Mikki123

Hello,
We are spending 7 nights in Northern Italy. The first 3 nights in Venice and the last 2 nights at Villa Crespi on Lake Orta. I am looking for one place to stay in between for 2 nights on Lake Como. We will have a car. We are in the $250 - $350/ night range. We are going in June and some places are already unavailable.

I thought we would go from Venice to Lake Como via Lake Iseo. Is it worth making the detour?

Thanks.

Doble_Vergasser

In Bellagio, the hotel Belvedere gets lots of favorable comments on this forum. Also, with your price ranges you might enquire at Villa d'este.

Search this forum for Hotel Belvedere, Bellagio Hotel , Menaggio Hotel, etc.
We are staying Euro 200 per night, three people, Half board (June in Varenna). Hope this helps.

bobthenavigator

Grand Hotel Tremezzo
Grand Hotel Menaggio
Both on the west shore with easy car access. Villa Crespi is not ON Lake Orta and would not be my choice there.

Mikki123

Bob - What hotel do you recommend on Lake Orta? I don't HAVE to be on the Lake but it seems like the natural thing to do.

Villa d'Este is booked for our visit. I will look into the other hotels you all mentioned. Should I focus on Bellagio or is there another town anyone prefers more.... From my reading the town of Como looks like it is more industrial than the others.

Thanks to all.

Jean

Bellagio would be my first choice, Varenna my second choice. Others like Menaggio which is bigger, more of a city, with obviously more hotels.

Mikki123

I thought I would bring this message to the top. I have tried to make reservations at a couple of places in Bellagio and they are booked - we are going in early June. Any suggestions for Varenna?
Bob - What hotel do you like on Lake Orta? It turns out the room I reserved at Villa Crespi doesn't have a shower so I think I am going to cancel it.

Curt

In the city of Como itself I have used the Hotel Barchetta Excelsior and found it to be quite nice. Very good included breakfast, parking available, and nice sized rooms. It overlooks the lake front plaza and the lake itself. Be sure to get a upper level room with balcony overlooking the lake. Down side is that is in the center of Como so driving there can be shall we say challenging, but other than that a very nice place to stay. Many good dining options nearby as well and easy access to lake ferries, the cable car, etc.

mr_go

If you have a car, I would stay in Mennagio. Easy access there to the main road that takes you to Lugano and other interesting points west. We stayed at the Bellavista, but I think Bob is right about the Grand Hotel Mennagio...it looked nicer.

In Orta San Giulio, we liked the value, hospitality and incredible views at the Hotel Orta. Ciao.

montyw

Hotel Du Lac in Varenna is a great choice if it is available - since you mentioned that Bellagio is full, I wouldn't be surprised if Varenna is as well.

missamericalondon

Varenna is awesome. I would spend a day or two in Bellagio but definitely have my nights in this charming spot across the Lake. Good luck

Larry_M

I second the recommendation of Hotel du Lac in Varenna. We spent 3 nights there in May 2003 ... very nice lady owner, and spotless, well-kept rooms. There is a beautiful outdoor patio on Lake Como where you can have drinks and snacks, and the breakfast buffet was one of the best I've had in Italy.

We got a great Varenna restaurant recommendation from the staff there as well - Il Cavatappi, a tiny, 5-table gem tucked away in an alley, run by a very sweet hostess/waitress and the gregarious, funny, and talented chef/owner. Had a risotto with red wine and smoked cheese, the best rice dish I've tasted in my whole life.

nancyz

When I saw 'Varenna', a flood of happy memories rushed back to me. At the end of a 3 week college sponsored tour with my daughter, we left Venice on our own and took the train to Varenna. It was the highlight of our trip! And we saw Italy from Palermo up. We stayed at Albergo Milano, which was absolutely charming. Run by a non English speaking Italian woman. There was a large deck with umbrellas for breakfast, and the rooms facing the view, we had one, are a necessity! It was the end of June however and extremely hot, as the rooms faced the West. The Hotel du Lac would be wonderful choice if you think you'll need A/C. We had lunch on their terrace and they had the same view across the lake towards Bellagio. The ferry system is very nice and we went all around the lake, and stopped at a beautiful garden and villa, not by a town. Mennagio didn't appeal to us, seemed like a small Stresa, on Lake Maggiori. Varenna is tiny and with an unforgettable view. Don't expect nightlife, just AMBIANCE! You must also have good legs, as it is a walking town and a lot of steep steps, but well worth it!

bobsie

Nancyz..does the hotel Albergo Milano have a website?? We will be in Varenna mid-May and would like to book as many places to stay as possible in advance of our trip.

Thanks!

Steve_James

http://www.varenna.net/

Hope this helps ...

Steve

bobthenavigator

Mikki, take a look at www.orta.net for several choices, but the only 4 star in the San Rocco--on the lake and nice.

jgk

Take a lok at the Hotel Florence in Bellagio. Right in your pricerange, beautiful views of the lake. Try to get one of the rooms with a balcony on the lakeside, you won't be sorry.

jan

nancyz

Bobsie:
Check Tripadvisor for comments. Ignore the first one it isn't the correct hotel. According to the last one it is owned now by Swiss. My friends stayed there last year and it was the same Italian woman when we went, so maybe she's sold it now. Too bad, she was part of the charm. If you want to stay in Varenna try Hotel du Lac then, but what we liked was staying on the hillside overlooking the tile roofs.

JulieVikmanis

No one has mentioned the Hotel Serbelloni in Bellagio. it's worth a check--on the waterfront, old grande dame of a place. otherwise I think you'd be happy at Grand Hotel Menaggio or Hotel Victoria in Menaggio, former on the lake, latter across the promenade from it. The Florence is in a great position in Bellagio, just down the street closer to the ferry from Serbelloni and I love their restaurant and bar. For sure the San Rocco in Orta is wonderful. Directly on the lake. Hope you can find something. The area is among the best anywhere.