Villa Crespi

Stayed as a couple in mid Sept. This is a review of the hotel only. I have submitted a separate review of Chef Cannavucciuolo restaurant. The hotel oozes luxury from the moment you pull up to the ornate double gates and crunch across the drive to the understated front entrance. Warm welcome at the front desk, complimentary drink in the garden before being shown up to the largest Italian hotel room I've ever seen. Complimentary bottle of prosecco, decanter of vermouth, plate of fresh fruit and chocolate cake were a great welcoming sight too. Room was very comfy, very ornate great views across the lake. The garden is a great location at any time of day, with attentive breakfast, lunch and bar service, and the inside bar serves a limited but good selection of bar meals in the evening. Villa Crespi is a pleasant 15 minute walk into Orta San Giulio on a quiet largely traffic free road. The town itself is delightful, its main square located on the lakeside opposite Isola Giulio, a 5 min boat ride away. There are lots of narrow streets to explore, with plenty of restaurants and cafes and a pleasant 45 minute walk around the promontory takes you back to Villa Crespi without retracing your steps.

We had a fabulous stay, from the moment we were met on arrival to a very special dinner, to a wonderful meeting with Chef Antonino, Villa Crespi was a delight in every way. The building itself is beautiful and so well cared for but the staff are really what you remember when everything else is perfect and they excelled, especially the young lady that looked after us at dinner. She had a mixed dining room of guests speaking Italian, French and English. I cannot praise her professionalism and sense of humour enough. She really adapted to what each guest needed from their service. Dinner itself was truly beautiful and left us wanting to return. The thoughtful touches along the way were really appreciated, especially the surprise patisserie to celebrate our 21st wedding anniversary and milestone birthdays. Breakfast the next morning was just as delicious. We left Villa Crespi with wonderful memories so thank you.

Firstly this is a spectacular, historic, building that is truly impressive both inside and out. Booking was straightforward online and problem free. Note there is a famous Michelin starred restaurant onsite. This is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays making those evening have greater availability. Staff were truly wonderful. Incredibly helpful, courteous and friendly. Everyone we met spoke excellent English. Breakfast was wonderful, with a typical selection of Italian baked goods, fresh fruits, juices, yoghurts and cereals. There was also a chef manned egg station, but we didn’t use this. Our room (221) had a view over the gardens an was very well equipped and comfortable. Air conditioning was effective and relatively quiet. Coffee in the room was also good but it took a few moments to figure out the machine. The bar was comfortable and provided an excellent service.

We spent three nights at Villa Crespi. It is one of the most beautiful places we have ever stayed. 14 rooms overlooking Lake Orta. The hotel is predominantly there because of the wonderful 3 star Michelin restaurant which is open from Wednesday through to Saturday. We arrived on a Sunday and departed on the Thursday so we ate in the restaurant on our last night. We cannot emphasise the beauty, tranquility and comfort, not to mention the service from the Wednesday morning (when the full team was on board). Thank you to Stephanie the general manager and all hee team for making our stay so memorable.

Villa Crespi is stunning. It's location overlooking Lake Orta and just a short walk down to Orta San Giulio makes for a wonderful break. The staff are lovely. Attentive, friendly, personal and delightful. Our room was large, comfortable and well appointed with a marvellous view. Great breakfast. We would go back tomorrow. Transfer from Milan Malapensa with Antonio was great - well worth it and a lovely chap.