The glacial waters and mountain views of Lake Como in north Italy have attracted visitors for eons.Supplied
Tell someone you’re headed to Lake Como and their face changes – eyes get misty, their smile wistful (if they’ve been) and if they haven’t, you’ll pick up a hint of jealousy. In northern Italy, Como is one of three major lakes at the foot of the Alps. The glacial waters and mountain views have attracted the glitterati for eons: Romans built roads here and during each new ruling empire ever since, aristocrats have erected grand villas – some wealthy Italian families keep a home and a summer place on the same lake. And when George Clooney bought a place in 2002, it bumped visitation from North America to new levels.
When it’s your turn to visit, make like an aristocrat and book into the old-money escape of Villa Serbelloni in the town of Bellagio.
The hotel recently got a large new wellness facility.Supplied
“When you enter Villa Serbelloni, time stops,” says thirtysomething owner Jan Bucher of the neoclassical villa his family has run as a hotel for four generations. Bucher and his siblings grew up here, his father grew up here and his parents still live on the main floor.
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Time does slow down once you step inside: The gilded mirrors and cherubs gazing out from ceiling frescos or carved into marble columns have seen a lot over 152 years – from guests such as Winston Churchill, the Rothschilds, John F. Kennedy and Hollywood elite as far back as Mary Pickford, to wounded soldiers in the First World War and Jewish families escaping fascism in the next one. The Buchers are from Switzerland originally, and the hotel was considered neutral during the Second World War.
Villa Serbelloni is not weighed down by its grand history. Recent innovations such as its enormous new wellness facility keep the hotel current.
Why you should visit
Villa Serbelloni is the only five-star establishment in Bellagio.Supplied
The revamped spa – Luce del Lago – will be a big draw this summer. The renovation and expansion adds a sparkling blue marble hammam and chic treatment rooms for quartz stone massage beds and Vichy chromotherapy on water mattresses. Those who don’t want to mingle can book a private spa suite with a high-tech “bio sauna.” This small two-seater has a plant wall, mood lighting and music, plus an AI voice that can be turned on to lead users through meditation. (“A lot of people get bored in a regular sauna now,” notes hotel sales and marketing director Francesca Barba.)
The wellness area is more than 1,600 square feet, now with a colourful children’s pool and separate spa pool with in-water bubbly beds, a Finnish sauna and steam bath access, and what’s known as an “emotional shower” (where light, scent and water temperatures vary). Expect all the usual body treatments too with top-of-the-line European products and price tags to match. Day passes are available, but only hotel guests can use the hotel’s eye-candy outdoor Baci da Bellagio beach club daybeds and outdoor pool. This is where the glitterati lie about to see and be seen. A floating dock and diving board await the swimmers just off shore – in full view of the hoi polloi passing by on ferries.
Since you’re in the neighbourhood
The advantage to overnighting in Bellagio is the chance to explore the medieval streets and hit its exquisite shops (this is the place to buy locally made silk) before ferries begin disgorging tourists. Even in April, when I visited, the cobblestone alleys were busy by 11 a.m. Get up early and stroll along the lakefront promenade until you reach the 17th-century Villa Melzi. Tickets to the grounds and garden walks include entry to the family chapel with its impressive sculptural tombs. (Exit the other side to see the tiny fishing village of Loppia, too.)
Hop on one of those ferries to explore the nearby town of Verrana for its la dolce vita vibe – and the even better botanical gardens of Villa Cipressi where you can escape the busy streets and wander scenic paths teeming with tropical greenery and then sit down and smell the azaleas and oleanders for a while. Summertime hotel guests, however, might consider booking a “water limousine” (nothing so crass as “taxi” to describe these sleek wooden watercraft). Ferries are first come, first served. Sometimes people get stuck in lake towns longer than they expected.
Hot tip: ferries are first come, first served.Supplied
Room for improvement
What I found missing at Villa Serbelloni were daily, complimentary activities (even those who can afford the hotel’s low-season starting rate of €750 a night enjoy a freebie). Starting the day with a yoga class overlooking the lake or a lesson on the outdoor turf tennis court (or indoor squash court) would be a nice perk. Even an aperitif class in the cozy bar or a history tour of the hotel (many staff have worked here for decades, they have lots of stories) would be a great way of sharing local culture with its mostly international clientele.
The take-away
Here, a Michelin-starred chef runs the kitchen.Supplied
The revamped spa – Luce del Lago – will be a big draw this summer.Supplied
Villa Serbelloni is one of the grandest of the grand dames on Lake Como, and certainly the only five-star establishment in Bellagio. Here the sheets are linen, the silk duvets are handmade and turndown service includes delightful touches such as a bedside mat covered with a linen cloth to soften the landing of feet on hardwood floors. Each hallway, guest room and lounge area is filled with art (the owners are collectors) and orchids (patriarch Gianfranco Bucher loves to grow them). Naturally, a Michelin-starred chef runs the kitchen and Mistral is the gourmand’s must-try restaurant, with old school Italian traditions and table-side food theatre. Come for the gold-extruded spaghetti with tomato and basil, stay for the peacock-filled hand-made tortellini soaking in peacock broth.
And while Mistral might be the best spot for dinner, enjoy apertivo outdoors at the wisteria-covered Terrazza Darsena patio. Sip your spritz while the sun sets behind the mountain peaks and the speedboats pass by. Now you’re truly living like a local.
The writer was a guest of the hotel. It did not review or approve the story before publication.
