floridagal23

4 days total - we have traveled extensively elsewhere, so we are doing the jfk/milan deal through emirates for a long weekend. I didn't realize that the ferries weren't available at night. What town is our best bet? So as to avoid being stuck in the hotel for dinner, where can we go that has lovely restaurants nearby - whether within walking distance or a short taxi ride away? I was hoping to not have to rent a car. Right now, our plan is to land at Malpensa, potentially arrange a car service to take us to our hotel in the lakes region, spend thursday afternoon/evening sightseeing, friday sightseeing, maybe saturday in lugano, then take the train to milan first thing sunday to sightsee and then fly out monday afternoon.

BLV

I've never taken FHR's "special amenity" seriously for any property and it certainly wouldn't ruin my stay. With that said, it's been 9 years since my last stay at d'Este but I can't wait to return (for a 3rd time). Grounds and ambiance of that property are mesmerizing and make me overlook its rather dated interior feel (and looks like Tremezzo is quite the same). Breakfasts accompanied by blue mist sitting atop the lake always felt special. I think it'd be a great May getaway from the city. As far as restaurants if you do stay in Cernobbio, Il Gatto Nero directly above is a nice place to visit if only for the views (or chance of running into Clooney) alone.

floridagal23

It looks as though Serbelloni is equally dated (if not more so from their site) than the others. Any thoughts? At this point I am trying to focus on the best area for a short stay in terms of local restaurants, etc and I thought the bellagio area might be nice.

Edited to add, has anyone stayed at villa amint or lefay on lake Garda? Also looking at casta diva.

floridagal23

Thanks. Would we be able to walk to dinner in the town?

Baghoarder

It is about ten years since I was at Serbelloni, so others may have more recent information, but it was extremely dated and unimpressive back then. I felt somehow duped on room allocation. At times it was quite comical (out-of-tune violinist leading a bored trio in the evenings, lobster dishes best forgotten....). It was as if the world of luxury hotels had completely passed it by, and not in a good way. I should have seen the signs immediately - all the staff asked us if we chose to visit Bellagio because of the Bellagio in Las Vegas....

Pausanias

This happens quite regularly on this Forum - people fancy visiting a tourist mecca like the Italian Lakes and can't find a hotel to match their comfort zone. The problem with areas like these is that the hotels lack much incentive to invest in their properties, so they trade on a kind of faded glamour, a fin de siecle approach to hotel management. So you end up paying $1000 a night and get a room with peeling wallpaper, stains on the carpet and a mouldy bathroom. You also get a stunning view from the window and some grandiloquent public rooms, gardens and silver service in the restaurant. It's a trade off.

Personally, I'd rather pay about $300 a night for a family run albergho and be affordably surprised than pay a $1000 a night and be resentful for the entire stay.

It may be that the only luxury option for Lake Como area is to stay in Milan and take the train. From Como there are all sorts of tour options and I'm also sure that, say, the Four Seasons in Milan could organise anything.

vuittonsofstyle

Casta Diva is beautifully designed but the service and food are indescribably awful. Such is Lake Como.

I hear that Clooney just sold his house there, too.

FlyingDoctorwu

I have to say that this is the approach I took. We looked at Villa d'este and I just could see paying 1200 euros a night for a lake view. We ended up in an okay suite in a small hotel with a great view in Bellagio for about 300 euros a night. It was fine and comfortable but by no means luxury. It was also nice being in town with plenty to walk to.

FDW

Baghoarder

This is a perfect summary of the Serbelloni. I found myself looking wistfully at the 3* hotels in the village.

This is also an area where luxury villa rentals may provide more/better options.

BLV

Walked into town many times but I don't remember eating there. Loved both of Villa d'Este's restaurants so much that most lunches/dinners were spent there (too bad you won't be able to experience the floating-in-the-lake pool). Also, if you do choose to stay there, make sure to request the main building and not (I think it's called Queen's Pavilion) the newer one by the pool.

And I agree regarding Serbelloni being unimpressive. See, dated would have been more or less ok if it had VdE's ambiance

MSPeconomist

I ate at Villa d'Este but I recall noticing people walking off the grounds to the village at dinner time. I found it to be a cute little village, pleasant enough but obviously crowded in high season. I don't recall seeing any greet restaurant choices but there was a range and some looked pleasant and rather good.

floridagal23

Thanks, everyone. We booked Serbelloni based on location alone since we'll be there for such a short time. Our room rate is not awful there and if something else comes up, we'll be able to cancel it.

edited to add, i rechecked villa d'este's rates and while the FHR rate was sold out, it looks like I was mistaken and the rates were a total rate for the 3 nights. Based on our requirements:

-central location to catch the ferry around the lake and the ferry to lugano
-ability to walk through cute towns for dinner (don't want to be chained to hotel for dinner and know ferries stop at night)

and keeping in mind that we will really only be in the italian lakes region for 2.5 days and 3 nights, would you recommend villa d'este or sebelloni?

Many thanks!

BLV

Will this be your first time in the area? For 2.5 days it seems like you're trying to cramp in a bit too much. I've done Lugano while staying in Cernobbio and it was at least a 1/2 a day trip. Let's say say another at least 1/2 day to get a boat and cruise around just the lake. Then the little towns. If the main point is to relax then the hotel choice is important & I'd vote for Villa d'Este over Serbelloni. If it's the first time and you just want to explore around in those 2.5 days I'd pick something else altogether.

floridagal23

First time in the area, but we are very active and used to jam-packed itineraries. I am getting somewhat overwhelmed with this, though. We tentatively planned:

First half day there - walk around local town (Como or Bellagio depending on where we stay), drinks/dinner, sleep.

First full day: Either full day of ferries around lake to gaze around and visit bellagio (if we stay in Cernobbio), drinks/dinner

Second full day: Visit Lugano if possible. I had thought we would be able to take a ferry or train from either Bellagio or Como. Does it really take half a day to get there if we are up and out fairly early? We just want to walk around the village and maybe go to the chocolate factory.

Last morning: Walk around grounds if at Villa D'este or see villa next door, take train to milan.

So - I guess whatever will put us in the most central place for visiting lugano and accessing bellagio and/or como is best. Thanks.

floridagal23

It seems we are now deciding between Serbelloni v Villa D'Este.

Rooms at Villa D'Este seem slightly more updated and the grounds beautiful.

At Serbelloni, we can walk to Bellagio, which is a plus.

Thoughts? It seems some really, really like Serbelloni and some prefer Villa D'Este. Thanks.