STAY LAKE COMO

FOR THE DISCERNING BUDGET TRAVELLER

From €180 per night. Open April–October.

Best forRomantic minimalism with a lakeside view

Perched at the edge of Lake Como’s eastern shore, this understated stay feels more like a well-kept secret than a hotel. With just a few carefully considered rooms above a waterside restaurant, Al Molo 5 offers a rare kind of intimacy: private, personal, and deeply in tune with its surroundings.

Varenna is the quieter cousin to glitzy Bellagio, but don’t let that fool you. It’s effortlessly elegant, and Al Molo 5 is a pitch-perfect base to soak it all in. Set right by the ferry port, this minimalist guesthouse blends Scandi cool with Italian charm. There are only a handful of rooms, each with lake-facing windows that open up to the kind of views you’d expect at triple the price.

Check-in is casual, as if arriving at a friend’s lakeside retreat. The owners — a young couple who live and breathe the property — greet you with warmth, a handwritten note, and quiet knowledge of every stone and beam in the place. They offer wine, tips on local swims, and no pressure at all. It’s relaxed in the most refined sense.
Each of the guest rooms sits just above the lapping water, with large windows or balconies that frame Como’s mesmerising stillness. The interiors are pared-back but beautifully done — chalky white walls, raw wood beams, handwoven textiles and a soft, neutral palette that echoes the landscape outside. Think Tyde London goes Italian summer.

There’s no television, instead: a linen robe draped over a chair, vintage books by the bed, and the gentle sound of the lake brushing against the dock below. Bathrooms are minimal but modern, with rain showers, ceramic sinks, and refillable toiletries made just across
the border in Ticino.

Breakfast is taken on the restaurant terrace, quite literally above the water. A basket of warm pastries, homemade jams, local honey and fruit arrives at your table — along with your coffee of choice, made exactly the way you like it. You might sit here for an hour, watching ferries arrive, listening to the lake wake up, tracing the mountains across the horizon. There’s no rush. No checklists. Just light, water, and fresh apricots in a bowl.

In the evenings, you’re welcome to dine downstairs at the dockside restaurant run by the same family. Tables lit by candlelight, simple dishes like lemon-zested lake fish, hand-rolled pasta, a carafe of local white. You eat slowly. You speak softly. You feel, unmistakably, like you’re somewhere — not just anywhere.

There are places that stay with you. Not because they overwhelm or impress, but because they invite stillness. Because they give you space to feel, to notice, to breathe. Al Molo 5, a boutique guesthouse in the quiet heart of Varenna, does exactly that.

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Hotel Belvedere – Bellagio

MID-RANGE WITH LUXURY TOUCHES

Rooms from €290 per night. Open from April through October.

Best for: Iconic views and old-world charm

Hotel Belvedere sits just above the postcard-perfect town of Bellagio, commanding sweeping views across the junction where all three branches of Lake Como meet. Family-run since the 1880s, it strikes that sweet spot between heritage and modern comfort. Rooms are bright and spacious, many with private terraces overlooking the lake, and the outdoor infinity pool is pure elegance. There’s a small spa, a sleek restaurant serving elevated Italian classics, and enough seclusion to make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time—without losing any of the modern conveniences.

Family-owned for over 140 years, it’s a place of calm design, measured
hospitality, and deep, generational warmth. The drive into Bellagio is cinematic: winding roads, sunlit villages, glimpses of water between cypress trees. Check-in is quiet, personal. No formality, just a gentle welcome and a seat on the terrace with a glass of something cold. Luggage is already on its way to your room. There’s an ease to everything here — no fanfare, no fuss.

Rooms are pared back but thoughtful — layered neutrals, handcrafted details, and floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the lake like a painting. Some rooms have balconies; others offer terraces framed by climbing jasmine. The soundscape is cicadas, birdsong, and the occasional distant bell from the town below. Bathrooms are spacious and modern, with rainfall showers, Culti Milano products, and deep-soaking tubs in some suites. Everything feels quietly luxurious.

Belvedere’s pool is one of its most serene assets — a terraced infinity edge that seems to flow straight into the lake. Sun loungers are plentiful, and the pace here is slow. Mornings begin with a swim under a lilac sky; afternoons roll into lazy lunches as golden light slides across the mountains. The surrounding gardens — fragrant with lavender, lemon trees, and rosemary — make this feel more like a private villa than a hotel.

The spa is intimate but beautifully designed, with a Finnish sauna, steam room, whirlpool, and lake-view loungers. Treatments draw on natural elements, with olive oil, alpine herbs, and gentle techniques that emphasise restoration over transformation. Outdoor yoga sessions are available, often held at sunrise, where the lake reflects the first light in perfect stillness.

La Terrazza, the hotel’s restaurant, is a lesson in simplicity done well. Dishes are light, seasonal, and locally sourced: handmade pasta, delicate risottos, burrata with mint and marinated fruit. It’s food you want to linger over — fresh, balanced, and deeply satisfying.

Hotel Belvedere isn’t flashy. It doesn’t try to impress. And that’s precisely its charm. Everything — from its soft palette to the unobtrusive service encourages presence. It’s a place to pause, to unfurl, and to reconnect with life’s quieter pleasures. If you’re the kind of traveller who values elegance without excess — who packs linen over labels and reaches for stillness over status — this is your Lake Como.

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Villa d’Este – Cernobbio

THE SPLURGE: ICONIC & INDULGENT

From €1,200 per night

Rooms from €650 per night. Best visited April to October.

Best for: Hollywood glamour and a taste of la dolce vita

No list of Lake Como stays would be complete without Villa d’Este. A 16th-century Renaissance palace turned legendary hotel, it’s hosted everyone from royalty to rock stars (George Clooney is a known neighbour). The grandeur is palpable: manicured gardens, floating pool, silk-draped suites, and interiors that whisper of old-world Italian aristocracy. Service is white-gloved but warm, and the level of detail—from the hand-painted ceilings to the lakeside candlelit dinners—is unmatched. It’s not just a hotel; it’s an experience—and if you’re going to splurge, this is where to do it.

Set on the lush banks of Lake Como, Villa d’Este is where old-world grandeur meets considered modern living. For those who travel with intention and a sense of style that favours grace over glamour, Villa d’Este offers something rare: a stay that feels as emotionally rich as it is visually breath-taking. Arriving here feels like stepping into a curated dream of Italian aristocratic life. Ivy-covered facades, stone fountains, and the hush of history greet you as you pass through its gates. Staff glide rather than walk; service is precise but warm. There’s no need for grand gestures — the space does the talking.

The interiors are what you’d expect from a property of this calibre — frescoed ceilings, marble bathrooms, silken upholstery — but what sets Villa d’Este apart is its restraint. Each room feels lived in, not staged. Antique furnishings and family heirlooms are balanced with modern comforts: crisp linen sheets, quiet climate control, perfectly appointed lighting. You’ll wake up to light dancing on the lake and fall asleep to the faint rustle of leaves and the distant echo of a piano from the bar.

The floating pool is perhaps Villa d’Este’s most photographed feature, but in person, it’s quietly thrilling. Suspended on the surface of the lake, it offers an uninterrupted sense of space — water meeting water, sky blending into stone. Sunbeds are spaced just enough for privacy; the air is laced with rosemary and quiet Italian conversation.

There are several restaurants, each one polished and perfectly composed — but none feel formal. Breakfast on the terrace is a slow affair of ripe fruit, warm brioche, local cheeses and endless coffee, all taken with views of boats gliding past. In the evening, dine alfresco beneath parasols with silver service that never oversteps. The menu is classic — risotto, grilled fish, handmade pasta — and executed with quiet confidence. It’s food you remember not because it was showy, but because it was exactly right.

Villa d’Este is a place of ritual — morning swims, garden strolls, aperitivo at golden hour, jazz in the bar at night. Everything is intentional. Everything is felt. And while it may be one of the most storied hotels in Europe, it never feels distant or overly polished. It invites you in
— and then, slowly, it wins you over completely.

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Villa Musa – Laglio

STYLISH SELF-CATERING

From €800 per night (entire villa)

Best for: Private group getaways with five-star flair

There’s a corner of Lake Como that doesn’t make much noise. Tucked quietly between olive groves and ochre villas, the village of Laglio holds a rare kind of charm — quiet, cinematic, and untouched by the buzz of its more photographed neighbours. And at the very heart of this slow rhythm sits Villa Musa: a private retreat that doesn’t just offer luxury, but a lifestyle.

This isn’t a hotel. It’s not even a typical villa. Villa Musa feels more like a whispered secret — for those travelling with friends or family, Villa Musa is an ultra-stylish self-catering option that offers the privacy of a holiday rental with the aesthetics of a luxury hotel. Set in the tranquil village of Laglio, this villa sleeps eight, with interiors that balance rustic Italian textures with curated modern touches—think stone walls, plush linens, and a statement kitchen worthy of a chef’s table. There’s a plunge pool, wraparound terrace, and private lake access, plus optional concierge services for those who want the five-star extras without ever leaving the villa.

From the outside, Villa Musa is beautifully unassuming — earth-toned stucco, arched windows, cascading ivy. But step inside and the space unfolds in layers of calm design, organic texture, and glass-framed views that draw the lake inward. Everything here feels intentional. Every stone, every rug, every piece of hand-thrown pottery seems placed not to impress, but to invite. Walls in soft plaster tones, micro cemented floors, low-slung seating in natural fabrics. There’s no excess. No gloss. Just a seamless dialogue between old and new, inside and out.

Villa Musa sleeps up to 12, but never feels crowded. The layout is generous, with sprawling communal spaces and quiet corners to disappear into. Bedrooms are hushed and tactile: raw linens, timber beams, rain showers that open to the light. Some have lake-facing balconies, others French doors that lead straight into the garden.

Days at Villa Musa begin slowly. Coffee made barefoot in the kitchen, fruit cut onto heavy ceramic plates, morning swims taken straight from the private jetty. The kitchen is fully equipped (and beautiful), but should you prefer, a private chef can prepare seasonal breakfasts on the terrace. This is the kind of place where mornings stretch on into early afternoon — reading by the pool, lounging under olive trees, dipping in and out of conversation. The saltwater pool is sculpted into the landscape, minimal and beautifully positioned with uninterrupted lake views. Sun loungers are nestled into the garden rather than arranged in rows. There’s shade when you need it, and sun when you want it.

Evenings at Villa Musa unfold slowly. Aperitive on the terrace, followed by long, candlelit dinners that carry on well after dark. Whether you cook yourself with produce from local markets, or bring in a chef to do it for you, meals here are meant to be shared, savoured, and never rushed. Everything tastes better outdoors, especially when paired with the scent of jasmine and a bottle of cold Lugana.

Sleeping up to 12, Villa Musa is perfect for design lovers, slow travellers, families who live light, or groups of friends looking to reconnect over shared time and real conversations.

Available for weekly bookings.

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Where To Stay In Lake Como