Lake Como help!
 

My wife and I are starting to plan for our anniversary trip next spring/summer and we are looking at hotels in Lake Como. Does anyone have any recommendations? Looking for more of an upscale property (4 stars) right on the lake with a pool. Thanks in advance!

Unless you plan to just park yourselves at the hotel, you should think about the sightseeing you'd like to do around the lake. Then pick a property near a ferry stop and/or within taxi distance of some sights. Most first-time visitors tend to gravitate to the mid-lake area because of the concentration of sights there. Very generally: Varenna, Bellagio, Menaggio and Cadenabbia/Tremezzo which are connected by the mid-lake ferry routes.

You can learn about the ferry service and check timetables at the following links. I find it easier to look at the timetables in pdf rather than search point to point. And note that the timetables currently posted are for summer. Service will be less frequent in spring.

https://www.navigazionelaghi.it/lago-como

https://www.navigazionelaghi.it/risultati?lake=Como

A budget amount would be more helpful for hotel recommendations than a star rating. In Italy, the number of stars is not 'awarded' for luxury or necessarily quality, although many 4-star hotels can be luxurious. So can some 3-star hotels. It's the number and type of amenities that determine the number of stars. Things like parking and a business center that you probably aren't looking for but other things like a pool, spa and room service that you perhaps do want.

You can do a search on booking.com, check locations on the site's map, set budget range and the desired amenities. I have booked reservations on booking.com in the past, but in Covid times I would book directly with the hotel in case you need to cancel, change dates or negotiate a refund.

If you develop a short list of hotels, come back and ask for comments based on personal experience. Happy planning!

We stayed at Grand Hotel Tremezzo and absolutely loved it. The rooms, grounds and views are spectacular, the included breakfast is wonderful, and there's an amazing pool set in the lake plus another one set in the gardens behind the hotel. Villa Carlotta is next door and there's a ferry stop right there. Dinners are expensive, but there are a number of reasonable, excellent restaurants within walking distance. We were glad we didn't stay in Bellagio or Varenna -- much too busy for us, although fun to visit and walk around. Tremezzo is quiet.

For us, Varenna was the most peaceful and conducive to feeling like a less-commercial place. Loved loved loved the atmosphere plus the easy access to going around on the ferry.
Have a great trip!
I am done. The end.

Another vote for Varenna unless you're just looking for a place to relax around the pool.

Fun to read the list of ferry stops mid lake. We could hear them being announced several times each day, great memory of our trips there.

Ahhhh, it's on my bucket list to spend a few nights at this hotel. Soon, baby, soon!

We do like Bellagio and Villa Serbelloni might meet your needs and wishes. Nice grounds, indoor/outdoor pool, spa, etc. The hotel itself has a sense of old world grandeur. They also have self-catering apartments behind the main hotel.

Then there's always Villa D'Este!!

I would choose Villa Serbelloni in Bellagio over Villa d’Este as the mid-lake location has more beautiful scenery.

I love the location of the Serbelloni and the beauty and history of Villa d'Este, but 5-star hotels don't really appeal to me for a stay (even if I had the budget). Too much dressing up just to walk through the lobby.

For those who seek luxury properties, check out the Mandarin. Quieter location (almost no ferry service), smaller property, huge spa. The rooms look like they could be anywhere, but most have a terrace or balcony.

https://www.mandarinoriental.com/lak...y/category/all

Or the more modern-looking Il Sereno in nearby Torno. Again, almost no ferry service, so quiet.

https://www.serenohotels.com/propert...ereno/gallery/

Loved, loved our stay at the Grand Tremezzo Hotel on Lake Como.

Next door to the Villa Carlotta and a boat stop to go anywhere on the lake.
Dinner at Al Veluu overlooking the lake in the hills above the hotel was something dreams are made of.

Thanks for the info! I say 4-star hotel but really stars don't matter. We recently took a trip to Barcelona and splurged on a hotel with a rooftop pool and we really enjoyed having a nice place to relax with a great view on days we didn't feel like being adventurous. Kind of looking for the same thing here.

The Mandarin looks like a beautiful property! This will be the second leg of our trip so a nice quiet property is what we are interested in. Thanks for the recommendations!