9 Best Hotels in Lombardy and the Lakes, Italy

Europe's rich and famous have long favored this hotel, one of Italy's grandest, where rooms are done in Empire style; a broad veranda sweeps out to the lakefront; a swimming pool extends above the water; a restaurant offers top-notch views and cuisine; there are four private villas; and pavilions, miniature forts, and other follies ensure whimsical garden walks. Built on the site of a former nunnery as Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio's summer residence, this lakeside retreat has had a checkered history since its completion in 1568, swinging between extremes of grandeur and dereliction. Its life as a private summer residence ended in 1873, when it was turned into a fashionable luxury hotel.

Creature comforts in this turn-of-the-20th-century building—one of the top grand hotels on the lake—include a lush park, three heated swimming pools (one of them floats on pontoons on the lake), a small private beach, and sumptuous guest rooms where old-world style meets modern amenities. Get a lake-view room if you can: the Bellagio vistas across the water are spectacular, and for the ultimate splurge, the rooftop suites have their own terraces with heated, outdoor whirlpool tubs. The formal restaurant, La Terrazza Gualtiero Marchesi, serves seasonal cuisine and fresh fish with that same wondrous view from its terrace; L'Escale Trattoria & Wine Bar is a fun, casual option. Continue the pampering at the lovely T Spa, where you may splurge on a Spa Suite with private whirlpool tub, sauna, and Turkish bath.

The 19th-century luxury at this grand lake hotel—originally designed to cradle nobility and still a refined haven for the discreetly wealthy—has not so much faded as mellowed: guest rooms remain immaculate and plush; public areas are still awash with gilt ornamentation and marble; and breakfast is served in a ballroom. The staff are unobtrusive and very knowledgeable about lake transportation and sightseeing. One of the restaurants, Mistral, features inventive molecular gastronomy dishes along with a more traditional menu.

Throughout this, the first European outpost of the luxe Il Sereno Hotel in St. Barths, you'll find floor-to-ceiling lake-view windows and an understated retro-mod aesthetic, with a muted palette of browns and grays complementing a panoply of wood, stone, leather, and copper accents. Thoughtful guest room touches include heated toilets and comfy beds; splurgeworthy penthouse perks include a private wraparound terrace and outdoor whirlpool tub. Relax by the infinity pool on the lake, sit amid the orange grove, and admire the vertical garden designed by architect Stefano Boeri, creator of Milan’s famous apartment buildings, Bosco Verticale (Vertical Forest).

In Italian, belvedere means "beautiful view," and it's an apt name for this enchanting spot, where the modern rooms have classic touches such as antique furniture, decorative tiles, and marble bathrooms. The hotel has been in the Martinelli-Manoni family since 1880, and the unbroken tradition of service makes it some of the best lodging in town. Terraced gardens, a lovely pool, and a spa have replaced the vineyards that once surrounded the house.

The first thing you’ll notice about this elegant resort in the hills above Gargnano are the stupendous lake and mountain views; the second thing will be its enormous spa, which is so filled with amenities (heated indoor-outdoor pool, saunas, well-equipped lake-view gym, extensive treatment menu) that you might just want to stay all day—and some guests do. The large rooms are modern and airy, and all afford panoramic views from their private terrace or balcony.

The nine 19th-century villas that comprise this Lake Como outpost of the extravagant Mandarin chain have been thoroughly updated for the 21st century, offering a quiet setting (just north of the busy town of Como) and luxurious amenities that include a 14,000-square-foot spa and a swimming pool that "floats" above the lake. Public areas, guest rooms, and suites have beautiful lake views; some accommodations also feature floor-to-ceiling windows and private terraces or gardens. Dining options include the lakefront L˜ARIA restaurant, which serves Mediterranean cuisine, and the more casual CO.MO Bar & Bistrot. There's a car service available from the hotel to Como town and other destinations (for a fee), though it's first come, first served; since taxis on the lake are in limited supply, it's best to have your own car if you plan to explore the rest of the lake.

Count Andrea Lucini Passalacqua hosted artists and politicians at this 5-acre lakefront villa in Moltrasio, just north of Cernobbio, until the count's death in 1890; today the Bellini Suite (a 2,700-square-foot suite with an opulent music room reserved for Vincenzo Bellini while he composed operas) and 23 others, have restored frescoes, Murano glass chandeliers, and luxurious soaking tubs. The De Santis family's luxury hideaway, in the vein of its Grand Hotel Tremezzo, has a tennis court, pool festooned with orange-and-white striped cushioned chairs and umbrellas, 15 fountains, and staff in ascots, which adds to the bygone era atmosphere. Cocktails with garden-fresh herbs (such as a Lavender Gin Sour and Rose Petal Martini), are served in a cozy fire-lit bar, with a ceiling adorned in the Lucini family's coat of arms of three pikes, which is also the insignia on brass key chains, stationery, and embroidered robes. In the on-site restaurant, black-tied waitstaff present regional dishes such as perch and veal shank with Milanese risotto, all inspired by 19th-century botany books and served on Ginori 1735 porcelain.

This 1892 Art Nouveau villa hotel, named for the Italian publishing family who once vacationed here, has attracted the likes of Winston Churchill, D.H. Lawrence, and Benito Mussolini to its private lake-view gardens; extensive library; sumptuous and palatial rooms (as befits the final bill); and overall opulent interior of fresco ceilings, wood paneling, and antique ceramics. If you can afford it, take the tower room or one of the independent guesthouses.