Villa d'Este

This hotel is like walking into a dream ! It’s a big splurge but worth it - every tiny detail was amazing - the dinner , the incredible buffet breakfast , the concierge who went out of his way to help us when the trains weren’t running , every employee was attentive , the grounds are breathtaking - and having traveled to Europe many times , my husband and I agreed - the most comfortable bed we have ever slept on . We want to come back for a longer trip !

This hotel would rank in my top 3 hotels of all time that I've stayed at. It was truly remarkable - not just is it gorgeous with its position directly on Lake Como and the beauty of its grounds, but what really stood out for us is their superior customer service. Nothing was ever an issue for the staff, who bent over backwards to accommodate our every wish. Whether we refer to the concierge service, who were really helpful, to room service, to the restaurant, and their exceptional can-do attitude. I want to especially single out their restaurant - as a vegan visitor, I could not have been more taken care of, and not only were choices plentiful, but the meals served were to die for. Truly world-class and exceptional quality.

It's hard to explain why this is such a wonderful hotel - but it just is. We have stayed at amazing places, with probably more wonderful rooms but Villas d'Este is something special. The minute we drove through the gate we felt pampered. The service is the BEST. The setting is spectacular and the way the hotel is maintained is tip top. We were meeting our son, his wife and eight month old baby there and we had interconnecting rooms with little balconies - it really was a perfect set up. We requested this in advance and the hotel managed it. The breakfasts were yummy with the quickest most charming service. Sitting on the terrace under the stars at night really was magical. The only thing that would have topped everything would be if the hotel offered a shuttle boat service leaving in the morning and returning at the end of the day to go to Bellagio and back. We took the boat from Cernobbio to Como planning to take the boat from there to Bellagio (leaving almost 2 hours to get tickets for the boat from Como to Bellagio - as the concierge said we should arrive an hour early to get tickets as you can't book them on line). When we arrived there were huge lines and all tickets sold out to Bellagio. We ended up sharing a private boat with 4 other people but were only given 2 hours in Bellagio. We had lunch there but had hardly any time to explore the town or the immediate area around it. We could have happily spent 5 or 6 hours there. If we went again we would drive from the hotel around the lake.

Our stay at Villa D’Este was beyond enchanting! We’ve visited Lake Como several times but this was our first time staying at Villa D'Este and it was even more fabulous than we expected. We’ve stayed at two other five star properties on the lake, but Villa D'Este is above and beyond anything we imagined. My husband has a great understanding and passion for history and art and the granduare of Villa D'Este magnificent from the 500-year-old architecture to the historical and glorious gardens to the floating pool - it was heavenly! Walking through the gardens is a must with waterfalls and lush trees and all the bougainvillea! The staff are also incredible. They’re warm, professional and attentive in a really focused but easy way. The food was exceptional - we loved the decadent morning buffet in the glassed in Veranda restaurant with mountain views. Lunch by the pool with fresh fish as a treat and one of the most amazing meals ever was a Sunday dinner with live music - a three person band with an incredible saxophonist and we will never forget that night. Villa D’este was perfect! Leaving was hard and we can’t wait to return !

A long held dream to visit and 5 nights at this truly fabulous hotel in one of the most beautiful parts of the world was utter bliss . There’s no question that’s it’s geared for the discerning traveller and if you’re price conscious then perhaps not for you - possibly not the best for younger guests and children but for those looking for a bit of Downton meets Sex in the City just wow ! We hired a Riva boat and traveled the lake and ate at Mandarin Oriental and Bellagio but also ate at the utterly wonderful and fairly formal hotel restaurant - Michael the Maitre d’ is phenomenal . Mirko Marchi , Manollo Rossetti , Barbara Gibbellini run fabulous teams of people . Yes there might be some investment needed here and there eg carpets , decor, art etc but this isn’t a Dubai regular’s type of hotel - it’s for folk who want authenticity and quality of service and cuisine of a bygone era . Class in a glass - congratulations to David Bertilaccio and the whole team - we’ll be back .. in a heartbeat !