Walking through the enfilade of sophisticated, spacious rooms that together make up this chic suite, stunning views of the lake unfold before your eyes, in a backdrop of ideal natural beauty. This apartment with its authentic parquet floors, high stuccoed ceilings and refined corner-room salon, is a lavish belvedere, a place of discernment and pleasure.
The suite of 120 sq. m offers a bedroom with king-size bed (twins upon request), marble bathroom with a walk-in shower and a bath tub and a separate living room. Among other amenities you will find: complementary Wi-Fi, Smeg kettle and Illy coffee machine, Bluetooth sound system, free minibar with treats from the chef, TV and bath products. An extra bed for a third guest can be added on request (free for under-13s, otherwise €220 a night).
Sumptuous 18th-century aristocrats’ home on the shores of Lake Como has been converted into a one-of-a-kind hotel. Its 24 fabulous suites are spread across three beautifully refurbished buildings, surrounded by seven acres of landscaped gardens that descend to a private mooring. The hotel, restaurant and gardens are open only to estate guests. An hour’s drive from Milan, Italy’s fashion and design center, and fifteen minutes from the vibrant, cultured town of Como, the estate symbolizes Lake Como’s relaxed yet elegant lifestyle, and the personalized service culture of its historic mansions. Just outside the gate lies the charming historic town of Moltrasio.
The 18th-century Villa (12 suites) at the heart of the property is a romantic retreat in glistening silk, beautiful stuccowork and shining chandeliers. Today as in the past, the whole ground level is dedicated to the leisure and pleasures of everyday life, from a private corner of a bar to a well-stocked library, a walk-in kitchen and two fabulously frescoed dining rooms. There is also a long rustic style building (8 suites) that once housed the working part of the estate, and a lakeside house (4 suites), dating back to the 1970s.
The interior decorations are absolutely stunning. More than twenty different varieties of valuable marble, from Verona, Carrara and further afield. Venetian terrazzo flooring, laid by some of the few artisans who still practice this ancient art. Fortuny lampshades; Murano candelabras, sconces and mirrors; Como silk taffeta curtains; prints, artworks and unique antiques sourced by the owners' family from markets and auctions from all over Italy.
Descending on a series of terraces around a winding central axis abounding in water features, the gardens makes a perfect extension of the Villa, a number of green rooms designed in the superb tradition of the Italian country house. The kitchen garden adjoins a bocce court and an old pergola-trained vine of sweet table grapes. The fitness area faces an olive grove.
The third-biggest lake in Italy (without mentioning the 11 fountains) may be seductive, but the hotel’s waterside pool is just as rejuvenating. A few steps from poolside, the Winter Garden is a former greenhouse that has been converted into an all-day bar. There are treatment rooms in one of the buildings, as well as a Turkish bath and sauna – but you’ll have to use a secret staircase and 300-year-old tunnel to reach them.
There is an official restaurant, but staff can set up a table for you in any place you like. There’s a mirrored bar in the villa with tables inside and out, and a pool bar facing the lake, too. Guests can also enjoy drinks in the library. Breakfast is served from 7am to 11am, with lunch and dinner at any time you would prefer. Afternoon tea can also be served on request. The bar is open until midnight. The pool bar is working from 11am to 7pm.
