Has anyone stayed at the Albergo Villa Belvedere in Argegno (lake como)? Karen Brown highly recommends this hotel. My second thought is Hotel Du Lac in Verenna. Could anyone familiar with this area be willing to comment. It will be our first trip to this area in October 2010. Thanks very much.

Can't speak for the Belvedere in Argegno, but we've stayed at the du Lac in Varenna and would stay there again. (We've stayed in a few Karen Brown-recommended hotels and find her descriptions accurate.)

How late in October? Will you have a car? Do you want/plan to explore, or will you spend most of your time in Argegno? If you're relying on the ferries, you should know that Argegno is on the fast Como-Colico ferry route but is not as frequently served as the mid-lake towns of Varenna, Bellagio and Menaggio. The winter schedule in 2009 started on Nov. 2nd, but we have been there when it has gone into effect as early as the third week of October.

http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/eng/com/nlc.html
[currently showing the winter schedule]

Lake Como will still be lovely at that time of year. Can't help with the hotel recommedations, but this site will tell you about a fw things you can do..

http://lakecomoapartment.com/places2visit.shtml

However you will have to check ferry running times etc. at that time of year...

I am like Jean, can't help with the Argegno hotel but have stayed at the Hotel du Lac in Varenna. Thought it was a top hotel, very helpful staff, great location. There are some super restaurants in Varenna. A really beautiful place on the lake.

Schnauzer

I would stay in the mid-lake area for a first trip. Varenna is your best option if you are taking the train--if you have a car I prefer Menaggio. Click my name to see my recent trip report from " North Italy" to include a week at Como in October.

The Villa Belvedere looks lovely and receives great reviews on Trip Advisor. They have parking. I would probably not stay there without a car, however.

I have no personal experience with either hotel but you might be happier in the mid-lake area then Argegno. Varenna is in the mid-lake area.

I have stayed at the Belvedere in Argegno.Its location is right on the lake and the view from the rooms is beautiful. The rooms are quite basic and in need of repair. The manager(owner ?) spoke English and appeared to be of British extraction.I may have caught her at a bad time but she was rather stand-offish.

Another vote for Du Lac (although I haven't been to the other). A great place on the lake. What a great way to start out the day with breakfast and that incredible view.

Du Lac in Varenna or if you like lots of shops and activity, check out Bellagio. I stayed in both last September. I prefer Bellagio.

Another vote for Du Lac in Varenna--loved it!

Another vote for Bellagio, and I believe we stayed at the Hotel du Lac there. Lakeside rooms and the best bartender outside of NYC!! Bus to Lausanne across the lake, and convenient via shuttle from the train from Milan. Nice selection of shops and restaurants and the most perfect place to relax.

"Bus to Lausanne across the lake..." I think aliced means the bus from Menaggio to Lugano.

FYI, there is a Hotel du Lac in both Bellagio and Varenna.

And, also one in Menaggio---all 3 are viable.

How many days are needed to get a good sense of the area?

I've only been to Lake Como once so am hardly an expert, but with 4 nights we certainly had a good overview and had time to take a shopping trip to the outlets in nearby Switzerland.

If time is tight, you could cut this to three nights/3 days.

It depends on how you want to spend your time, relaxing and strolling a town or two or really getting around to see the many sights. And it depends to a degree on where you're sleeping, one of more remote towns or one of the mid-lake (Menaggio/Bellagio/Varenna) towns well-served by ferries. Depending on the time of year, having a car is not necessarily an asset.

But I agree with ekscrunchy that three full days would work for most people.

How many days are needed to get a good sense of the area?

Personal preference.....there are so many things that you could do and see..I just keep going back again and again...

Most of the hotels probably have private parking, over 20 Euro a night?

And you probably have to contend with ZTL?

I'm not aware of any ZTL restrictions, even in the town of Como.

The Hotel du Lac in Varenna charges 15 euros per night for parking. Residence LaLimonera (apartments) in Bellagio has free parking.