Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni
ITALY
Some hotels are like film stars; they just have something special about them. In other words, Lake Como’s Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni is to hotels what Meryl Streep is to acting — the epitome of perfection.
The only five-star luxury accommodation in the incredibly popular and ridiculously picturesque village of Bellagio, this family-run haven is dripping in opulence. Everything — from the imposing exterior with lakeside pool flanked by palm trees to the Terrazza Darsena, where you can enjoy an aperitif with a view and beautiful gardens — has an almost indescribable wow factor.
Inside, the décor is grand, while also being welcoming and comfortable, with a clever mix of eclectic furniture, and an ostentatious staircase. My high-ceilinged, airy suite had a Marie Antoinette-esque, powder-blue theme to it, with billowing voile curtains framing a view of the lake that could have come straight out of an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel — even Daisy Buchanan would have been impressed.
The food is equally exceptional, with the hotel boasting the Michelin-starred Mistral restaurant headed by Ettore Bocchia. A pal of Heston, Bocchia is a pioneer of molecular cuisine, using liquid nitrogen to create ice-cream and frying food in melted sugars. These techniques were on full display during our seven-course meal, which we enjoyed while gazing upon a cinematic pink and red sunset from the glass conservatory dining area on the lake. As we ate, in the distance, we spotted two men with golden tans and floppy hair taking an evening dip in a scene reminiscent of the glorious Jude Law and Matt Damon in The Talented Mr. Ripley.
Elsewhere in the hotel, you’ll find restaurants offering everything from gelato and tiramisu to fish caught in the lake by the hotel’s personal fisherman, as well as numerous bars.
There’s plenty to keep you busy without setting foot outside the grounds — choose from the luxurious spa and treatment rooms, outdoor and indoor pools, a private beach, a gym and a tennis court — but if you want to venture further, the hotel is conveniently situated for exploring Bellagio, whether you wander around the cobbled streets taking in the ambiance or visit the stunning I Giardini di Villa Melzi.
The jewel of the hotel’s crown is, without doubt, its lakefront location.
I’ve never been much of a water baby but bathing in the tranquil, crystal-clear waters filled me with such peace that my anxiety melted away. If you want to explore the idyllic Lake Como, the hotel can also organise boat rides to whisk you around its villages and sights.
Lake Como is a very special place, so it takes a lot to stand out there, but the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni manages to transcend its rivals with elegance and an idiosyncratic touch to make you feel perfectly at home. If only it was.
Nightly rates start from €495 (£433 approx.) per night for a Classic Park View Room; villaserbelloni.com