10 Best Luxury Hotels on Lake Como

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Want the Lake Como of the postcards? Sleep mid-lake. From Bellagio, Menaggio or Varenna, the boats cross to each other in 10 to 15 minutes, so the famous villages and gardens are a short hop away. The grand hotels near Como town trade that for quiet lakeside gardens, private docks and their own boats. Here’s where I’d book, from Como’s old town to the middle of the lake.

Lake Como Luxury Hotels

Mid-Lake or Como Branch: Where to Stay on Lake Como

Lake Como forks at Bellagio into the Como and Lecco branches. Where your hotel sits sets how far the public boats take you.

• Mid-lake: Bellagio, Menaggio and Varenna face each other across the middle of the lake, with Cadenabbia and Tremezzo on the west shore. Car ferries link Bellagio, Varenna, Menaggio and Cadenabbia, and they take foot passengers too.
• Como branch: Cernobbio, Moltrasio, Torno and Blevio line the arm that runs south to Como town. Blevio gets far fewer public boats than Moltrasio or Torno, and boats from Como reach Moltrasio in about half an hour.
• What about Como town? Public boats start from the piers on Piazza Cavour, and trains from Milan’s Cadorna station arrive at Como Lago, a short walk away. Stay here for the old town, the cathedral and the funicular, then take the hydrofoil to Bellagio.
• Budget time on the Lecco branch: The eastern arm has its own boat line from Lecco to Bellagio. From Mandello del Lario the ride takes about 55 minutes each way, so a Bellagio round trip fills most of a morning.

Lake Como Ferries: Slow Boats, Hydrofoils and Hotel Launches

Navigazione Laghi runs the public boats, from slow ferries to fast hydrofoils. Hotel launches cost extra but leave on your schedule.

• Hydrofoils: Fast boats stop only at the main piers and charge a supplement on top of the normal fare. From Como, they reach Bellagio in under an hour.
• Slow ferries: Slow boats call at every village along the way. Allow about two hours from Como to Bellagio, and use them for short hops between neighbouring piers.

When Lake Como’s Luxury Hotels Open and Close

Most grand hotels on the lake close from November to March.

• Closed for winter: Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, Il Sereno Lago di Como and Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como open in spring and close in early November. Grand Hotel Victoria concept & spa, by R Collection Hotels and Villa Lario Resort Mandello keep the same winter break.
• Short winter break: Passalacqua closes for about two months, from early January to early March. That leaves it open for Christmas on the lake.
• Open all year: Palazzo Venezia in Como town stays open through the winter. Book it for a winter weekend in the old town.
• Villa d’Este: Cernobbio’s grande dame runs from mid-March into early January. Its winter season includes a Christmas programme by the lake.

Lake Como Luxury Hotels with Children

Pools, spas and gyms set their own rules for children, so check them before you book.

• Kids’ pool: Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni has a heated indoor pool for children, no deeper than 70 centimetres, with a door straight out to the outdoor pool. The pools are kept for hotel guests.
• Connecting rooms: At Palazzo Venezia, the lake-front Suite connects to a Junior Suite. Ask for the pair when you book.
• Take the whole house: Passalacqua rents out Casa al Lago, its building by the water, for the exclusive use of one family or group. That gives you the lakeside rooms to yourselves.

Lake Como Villas and Gardens to Visit from Your Hotel

The lake’s best-known villas sit on the boat routes. Most close for winter, so match your visits to the season.

• Balbianello on its point: It sits on a wooded point at Lenno, a 1-kilometre uphill walk from the village or a taxi boat ride from Lido di Lenno. Book a visit ahead.
• Villa Carlotta: Its gardens have their own boat stop, Tremezzo – Villa Carlotta, about 400 metres from the gate. Boats from Como take about 45 minutes.
• Gardens of Villa Melzi: English-style gardens run along the shore between Loppia and Bellagio’s old town. They open from spring to autumn.
• Greenway del Lago di Como: This easy 10.5-kilometre path runs from Colonno to Griante, past Sala Comacina, Lenno and Tremezzo. Walk a stage and catch a boat back from Lenno, Tremezzo or Cadenabbia.
• Brunate funicular: A few steps from the lake in Como, the funicular climbs to Brunate. The ride up takes 7 minutes.

Lake Como Mistakes: Steps, Ferry Queues and the Last Boat

Plan around the hills and the boats.

• Bellagio’s steps: The old town climbs from the waterfront in steep, stepped lanes such as the Salita Serbelloni. Restaurants up the hill mean a climb on foot after dinner.
• Ticket queues: Lines at the Como ticket office build on busy days, and popular afternoon boats to Bellagio sell out. Buy tickets online or early in the morning.
• The last boat: Evening boats are few, so check the last departure before booking dinner in another village. Bellagio has separate docks for car ferries and passenger boats, so check which one your boat uses.

FAQs

1. Is Villa d’Este better than Grand Hotel Tremezzo?

Neither wins outright: they suit different trips. Villa d’Este sits in Cernobbio near Como town, in a park of about ten hectares, and its Sporting Club opened the lake’s first floating pool. Grand Hotel Tremezzo puts you on the mid-lake boat routes instead, with Bellagio, Menaggio and Varenna a short crossing away. Pick Villa d’Este for its gardens and a quick run to Malpensa, and Grand Hotel Tremezzo for hopping between villages.

2. What is the best month to stay at a luxury hotel on Lake Como?

May and September give you open hotels and running hydrofoils without the midsummer crowds. July and August are the lake’s busiest months, according to the area’s own visitor figures. The weeks around the 25 April and 1 May holidays fill up too, so book those dates early. Late October is quieter still, but the boats thin out and the weather turns less settled.

3. Bellagio or Varenna: which is the better base?

Varenna is easier to reach: direct trains from Milano Centrale stop at Varenna-Esino in about an hour. Bellagio puts you on the point where the lake forks, with Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni on its waterfront. Both get busy by day, and a boat links them in about 15 minutes. Base yourself in Bellagio for a grand hotel on the water, and visit Varenna by boat.

4. How do you get from Milan Malpensa to Lake Como?

Driving is quickest: allow 50 to 55 minutes to the Como branch and about an hour to Tremezzo and the middle of the lake. No direct train runs from the airport to Como, so take the Malpensa Express to Saronno and change for Como Lago. That station sits a short walk from the ferry piers. Palazzo Venezia arranges private transfers at extra cost, and Il Sereno Lago di Como sets them up on request.

5. Is Lake Como worth visiting in late October?

Yes, if you book before the hotels close: most grand hotels on the lake stay open into early November. The autumn ferry timetable starts in early October, with fewer fast boats, so check boat times before planning a day. Weather turns cooler and less settled late in the month. Pick a mid-lake hotel so the short crossings still work when the hydrofoils thin out.

6. Do you need a car at Lake Como?

Not for a mid-lake stay: the boats link Bellagio, Menaggio, Varenna and Tremezzo through the day. Parking in the lakeside villages is scarce and expensive. Hire a car only for day trips the boats don’t reach, and check your hotel’s parking before you arrive. Arrive by train and boat if you’re staying near a pier.

7. Is Bellagio too crowded?

Bellagio is busy during the day, and Menaggio and Varenna draw the same crowds. Varenna is the smallest of the three. Sleeping in the village gives you its lanes in the early morning and the evening, after the day visitors leave on the last boats. For quieter evenings, pick a hotel on the Como branch with its own lakeside gardens.