Grand Hotel Tremezzo Is So Italian, Even the Italians Stay There

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Your first visit to Lake Como, when you won’t settle for anything less than its grandest hotel.

When you imagine a grand old Italian hotel, what do you see? An elegant, perfectly symmetrical façade? A lobby with soaring ceilings, stately columns and fresh flowers in vases? Hefty brass keys hanging in cubbyholes behind the concierge desk?

Grand Hotel Tremezzo has all of these features—and yet it also has a fun, flirty vibe, like a pop star’s fantasy version of a classic Lake Como hotel. Opened in 1910 as one of the first grandes dames on Lake Como, it’s practically the archetype of the genre, with a few twists. Various renovations and updates over the years have added whimsical, modern touches, like the zingy colors of the sofas and armchairs in the music room and the pop art–esque fountain designed by a modernist Italian architect in the gardens.

The property is no longer owned by the family that established it more than a century ago, but much to its (and therefore, our) benefit, it’s still family-run. The De Santis family purchased it in the 1970s, and Valentina De Santis—one of the most stylish hoteliers not just in the region but in all of Italy—keeps it relevant through updates and collaborations with leaders in the worlds of fashion, design and food.

It’s not all about what’s new, though. Valentina and the De Santis family have taken care to inject the hotel with historical gravitas, hanging archival silk scarves from Fondazione Antonio Ratti, a nonprofit with a collection of more than 30,000 antique textiles, on the walls of the salon-like music room (Como is famous for silk production). They’ve also placed porcelain figurines on shelves near the reception desk and outfitted the rooms and suites with precious antiques sourced from antique fairs. In the spa, set in the historic Villa Emilia (once the library of Villa Carlotta, now a museum and botanic gardens), contemporary furniture and lighting brightens the relaxation room, which has mosaic floors and painted ceilings, putting a fresh, modern spin on something historic. They definitely have a knack for taking old objects and making them feel on trend. Somehow, your grandmother’s porcelain figurines seem charming in this setting, precisely because they form part of the hotel’s scenery.

“The Grand,” as loyal repeat guests call it, is the kind of hotel that inspires you to dress your best and feel like the most fabulous version of yourself. You’ll sashay down the halls on your way to dinner at La Terrazza Gualtiero Marchesi, the fine-dining restaurant, or slip on your favorite caftan and designer sunglasses for some serious relaxation by the iconic Floating Pool—the first of its kind on Lake Como.

Between the three pools, extensive gardens, tennis courts, spa and five restaurants and bars, there’s enough on-site to keep you busy for at least two or three days. But set halfway up the lake’s western shore, with charming villages like Bellagio only a short boat ride away and beautiful villas flanking its sides, the hotel is also perfectly positioned for you to venture out. No matter where you go, on property or off, you’ll feel like the star of a romantic comedy set on Italy’s most glamorous lake.

The Room

Like the public spaces, rooms are heavy on antiques, with vibrant pops of color and mirrored sideboard cabinets that conceal the minibars. In rooms where there’s precious little wall space, the TV pops up from a trunk-like cabinet at the foot of the bed. It’s details like these, or the shell-shaped silver soap holders in the marble bathrooms, that really wow you.

About half of the rooms face the park, including entry-level rooms; upgrade for coveted views of the lake and a balcony on which to sit and gaze out. Regardless of category, all rooms have a bathtub; most rooms have a separate shower as well.

The largest and most modern suites are on the rooftop. Each has a large terrace with a hot tub. If you prize the hotel’s classic character, though, you’d do better to book one of the historic suites, such as the Suite Maria, which has a four-poster bed facing the lake and a separate sitting room where you can read before dinner, or take your digestif afterward.

The Features

The WOW (water on the water) Floating Pool was the first of its kind on Lake Como.

Don’t miss: Dinner at La Terrazza Gualtiero Marchesi. Run by a protégé of Marchesi, who was considered the father of modern Italian cuisine, it’s the only restaurant in the world that serves the maestro’s most famous dishes. Start with the Dripping di Pesce (squid and clams artfully plated with mayonnaise, tomato, parsley and black squid ink), then savor the saffron-scented risotto alla milanese topped with real gold leaf.

Favorite features: The WOW (water on the water) Floating Pool and beach club. The cushy orange lounge chairs are reserved exclusively for hotel guests, but anyone can have lunch or an aperitivo at the outpost of Da Giacomo, the classic old-school Milan restaurant known for excellent seafood, where the orange-and-white color scheme perfectly matches the Aperol spritzes.

Can’t stop thinking about: Playing pool on the 18th-century table in a little room at the end of the hallway near the spa and boutique. There are also antique chess sets and candy in big glass jars—fun, playful details like these keep the hotel from feeling stuffy.

The Vibe

An Aperol spritz is de rigueur at the beach club, Da Giacomo al Lago.

What are people drinking? Aperol spritzes—usually by the Floating Pool. Or Negronis and other classic cocktails, rounded out with snacking olives and nuts at T Bar on the terrace, which is the preferred spot for a predinner aperitivo.

The souvenir you’re bringing home from the gift shop: A silk foulard printed with flowers on an orange background by Mantero 1902, one of Como’s best historic silk producers. Pick it up at the T Shop boutique, which stocks a trove of items by Italian brands, many created exclusively for the hotel.

The local spot everyone’s talking about: Villa del Balbianello, arguably the most legendary villa on Lake Como, is less than a 10-minute drive or boat ride away. It’s perhaps most famous for its appearances in multiple blockbuster films, but it’s also worth visiting to see the secret escape routes and artifacts collected from the farthest corners of the globe by its last owner, Guido Monzino, an explorer who climbed Mount Everest and went on an expedition to the North Pole in the early 1970s.

Do it for the kids: There may not be a kids club, but the hotel pampers and engages little ones with their own suite of amenities, including mini robes and coloring books. As part of the Stay with Bobo program named for the hotel’s mascot, kids get a passport and can collect stamps at the various outlets to get a prize.

Gaze back up at the hotel’s iconic façade as you depart on one of the vintage speedboats.

Everything Else

• Number of rooms: 80
• Number of pools: 3
• Fitness center? Yes
• Spa? Yes
• Salon? Yes
• Number of bars/restaurants: 1 bar, 5 restaurants
• 24-hour room service? Yes
• Childcare and kids club? No kids club, but childcare can be arranged