Peace and privacy on Lake Garda

Kiki Deere

Lefay Resort & Spa

Set in 27 acres of grounds, the resort (left) is crafted into the mountainside above Gargnano, a pretty town with orange trees lining the lakefront. The building takes inspiration from the tiered lemon houses of the lake, with rows of stone pillars supported by wooden beams. The building was constructed with biocompatible materials: rooms feature natural fabrics and rainwater is recycled, while the restaurant uses seasonal produce from nearby farms. Electricity is completely from renewable sources, with almost two thirds generated on site. All rooms have lake views. trees, the 16th-century manor house is in an enviable lakeside location on the tip of Monte Baldo, a peninsula stretching out into the lake. With only seven rooms and five suites, the atmosphere is intimate and exclusive. Interiors are furnished with the owners’ private collection of antiques, oriental rugs, 16th-century paintings and 18th-century prints. It feels more like a private home than a hotel. A handful of rooms are in the main building, while others are dotted around the grounds in secluded locations, ensuring plenty of privacy. Built in 1892 by the sons of lumber magnate Faustino Feltrinelli, the Art Nouveau villa has a highly decorated façade painted in warm terracotta and golden hues. Between 1943 and 1945 the villa became the home of Mussolini and his family. It was converted to a hotel in 2001. The entrance hall has coffered ceilings and 19thcentury carved wooden benches, while the library has a wood-burning fireplace and shelves lined with classic literature. The elegant salon overlooking the lake has intricate frescoes, antique Venetian Set among vineyards just north of Riva del Garda – an attractive town on the lake’s northern shore – this modernist low-rise building features bold and sophisticated design and blends in harmoniously with the surrounding countryside. Neutral materials and clean-cut wooden furnishings give the hotel a simple, chic feel throughout. A hearty buffet breakfast is served on the veranda in the warmer months; during the rest of the year, breakfast is at a communal table in the living and dining area. Like the Vivere Suites and Rooms, this handsome hotel is in Riva del Garda – a lakeside town nestled beneath rugged cliffs. Dating back to 1899, interiors are a mélange of old and new, with marble columns and high ceilings juxtaposed with abstract art and a modernist glass-fronted atrium. Set in 13,000sqm of lush verdant grounds, the hotel has a state-ofthe-art spa with Finnish sauna, and three steam rooms, along with two swimming pools. All rooms have lake or mountain views. The stylish Bali Bar is a great spot for a cocktail or two.

From an intimate manor house set among olive groves to an Art Nouveau villa, selects tranquil hotels by the water

For a complete guide to the best hotels on Lake Garda, see: telegraph.co.uk/ tt-lakegardahotels