Lake Orta-Villa Crespi
 

Trying to make up my mind between Villa Crespi on Lake Orta or the Belevidere hotel in Bellagio.<BR>Any comments?

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Mary, Orta is wonderful but the Villa Crespi is not close to the water and I find it a bit creepy. There are other good options at Orta--check out this site: www.orta.net The San Rocco is the best 4 star, but the Hotel Orta is still the best location. Good luck !

BOB, <BR>Have you stayed at either of these Lake Orta hotels?<BR>We will have a car, will that make a difference? The Hotel Orta is much cheaper than the San Rocco.

We stayed at the San Rocco. It's very nice, has nice sized rooms, directly on the water. Has pool and down a ladder type lake access for swimming. Both times we were there, there were weddings in progress so it's highly regarded by the locals. Crespi looks interesting and might be fun to go to for a dinner to see what it's like, but if you want a water view (and on Orta, why wouldn't you?) go for the San Rocco. Hotel Orta is another story. Couldn't be more romantic looking in a very old-fashioned sort of way. Directly on the main square of town and on the water by the harbor. I love the look of it and a waterside table in the restaurant is special. Though I've never seen the rooms, they are probably also very old-fashioned and not in the same league as the San Rocco in terms of marble bathrooms, etc. Nonetheless if that old-fashioned, almost "another time" kind of charm appeals to you, this could be the place. Regardless of where you stay, it's hard to beat Orta for ambiance, relaxation, old world Italian charm. The little shops are wonderful and far less touristy than Bellagio. The flip side is there is not as much to do if you intend to be there for more than a day or two.

I stayed at the Villa Crespi. I wouldn't do it again, I'm afraid. Best point - the room was very comfortable. Also - with deference to Bob - it's a pretty amazing building. And the views from the tower are pretty damn good - though the stairs are going to give out some time soon.<BR><BR>But. Food was overwrought. Restaurant had about as much atmosphere as the Moon. Service was OK. Gardens are a shambles - they've run out of money to do them up, as far as I can see. The room matches the price, but the rest of the package doesn't quite.<BR><BR>There is one other key advantage. When Bob says "out of town", we're talking half a mile max. This is a SMALL town. It's a very good place to park the car - Orta was the only place round the lakes that I saw overrun with Italian trippers. Everywhere else the preponderence of visitors are foreign. A Milanese friend of mine has never visited any of the lakes. I think it was Sunday when I saw a queue of a long, very static queue of Torino reg cars packed with kids trying to get in. Villa Crespi is at the start of that jam, so you can still get into/out of town easily at the weekend.<BR><BR>It might be a highly prejudicial statement, but Villa Crespi is a whole lot fresher looking than the Orta, which is what you might call faded.<BR><BR>There are a couple of very pleasant looking modern lakeside hotels on the road heading north, with pools etc. Just south of the lake is a town called Soriso, with one of the best restaurants in Italy (Al Soriso). If I go back, I might try there, though the hotel/town doesn't look that glamorous.<BR><BR>In Orta there is a small restaurant called Olina, I think. It is very well decorated in the modern style (far fewer kitch trappings than many), and I thought the food was good. They also have rooms. The hotel is in the alley leading away from the main square, so it is atmospheric but cramped, with little view, but, if the rooms have been attended to like the restaurant, it would make a good spot (much, much cheaper/smaller/less flash than Crespi, for reference).<BR><BR>Orta is a very attractive little town, I think more charming than Bellagio, but Bellagio is very pleasant too. There is more to see/do in Bellagio. If you like shopping, it wins hands down.

To BOB and Mike<BR>Did you see or stay at Villa Crespi before it became part of Small Luxury hotels of the World?<BR>I understand it shut down sometime at the end of the 1998 season.<BR>

I am now very interested since I've made a reservation there.<BR>Please help<BR>

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There is a nice 4* hotel just north of the Villa Crespi in the town of Pettenasco. Looked very nice.

I have stayed on Lago Orta 3 times, all at the Hotel Orta. I had dinner at Villa Crespi and was not impressed. Why go to a Lake and not stay on the Lake?<BR>The Hotel Orta is THE location but it has seen better days--tons of old world charm. The San Rocco is a much more modern 4 star. If you want creature comforts then it is your best choice. If you want old world charm you do not have a choice. Tell Signora Oglina I sent you--get the half board option.

I stayed in 2000. It was part of SLH. It is affiliated with the other hotels that I mentioned along the shore. See www.lagodortahotels.com - I did my homework!<BR><BR>I would reaffirm that there was nothing faded about our room - it was very comfortable indeed and did have a view of the lake - just! We were in the battlements, the view was through the crenellations in the stonework. My particular beef was with the food.