At the end of October we will be completing a month in Italy but it will not be enough time to get into the lake/mountains! Still, we want a taste of the Piemont region to dream about until our next visit. We will be traveling by car from Parma with one overnight before a mid-morning flight out of Malpensa to London. Having stayed at First Hotel in the past, we thought it would be a nice change to stay in a more rural location, near lakes and mountains but within a reasonable drive to the airport. Does anyone know anything about Bed & Breakfast La Bressanella at Via Bressanella, 2, 28050 Pombia, Italy? Is staying in the region around Pombia worth the drive to the airport the next morning?

Are there other locations that might be better for a relaxing overnight in lodging with some personality? I know we can stay in a conveniently located hotel, but I was hoping for something a bit less generic. The Como region appears too far away from the airport so we have abandoned any hope of staying in that area on this trip.

Any help will be most welcome!!

Look at Il Sole di Ranco in Ranco on Lake Maggiore.It is not far from MXP.

Never stayed there but to me it sounds like a lovely idea -- but then I think taking a chance on Italy is always fun. Have you looked at Pombia's website? It looks like they have some pretty architecture and art, plus a safari park!

http://nuke.comunedipombia.it/

http://nuke.comunedipombia.it/Storia...9/Default.aspx

There are other b&bs and restaurants in the area reviewed on Tripadvisor if you're nervous, but I think La Bressanella looks comfortable. Personally, I would prefer something with a restaurant on-site if I could find one, but I'm that way wherever I go in Italy.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev..._Piedmont.html

The more-usual choices for those with a car headed toward Malpensa are Oleggio, Stresa or Arona on Lago Maggiore, and Lago d'Orta. But why not Pombia? The price is right and it looks comfy.

Thanks...it does sound nice I think. Now to convince DH that staying in a B+B will be a better experience than a hotel! By the way, the last time we were in the general lakes area in late October the fog was so thick you could butter your bread with it. Was that unusual for late October or more the norm? I know there are never guarantees with the weather, but if the last two weeks of October have a 50% chance of fog then we may as well stay at the airport hotel!

Thanks once again for a reassuring voice zeppole!

Fog is the norm, almost year-round. Not only do you have the lakes, you have all the rice paddies of Novara. Fog is one of the reasons Malpensa has such a poor "on-time" departure record.

Can't offer reassurances on that one!

As you said...no reassurance on the visibility! Looks like I'll have to toss a coin on this decision! Thanks , I'll come back and let you know how it worked out.