Lake Como, from Cernobbio to Tremezzo
Luxury hotels in Lake Como
6 hotels
Lake Como keeps its great houses on the water, from the shore north of Como to where the three branches meet. They stand along the western shore from Cernobbio to Moltrasio, a few minutes north of Como; across the water at Blevio and Torno; and further up the lake at Tremezzo and Menaggio, where the three branches meet in front of Bellagio. We looked at every serious address on the lake and kept only those whose service holds up to the view from the terrace. Two hold five-star standing; the four beside them are four-star addresses, listed at exactly the tier they hold. Six made the cut.
The neighborhoods
Cernobbio & Moltrasio
The western shore just north of Como, the closest of the three to the city and to Milan, with two of the six hotels. Cernobbio has its lakefront and the park of Villa Erba; Moltrasio lies a few minutes further along the old Via Regina.
Blevio & Torno
The eastern shore directly across the water from Cernobbio, with two of the six hotels. Blevio's villas step down to the lake and Torno is a stone harbor village; both are reached by the lake road from Como or by boat.
Tremezzina, Bellagio & Menaggio
The center of the lake, where the three branches meet, with the other two hotels, at Tremezzo and Menaggio. Tremezzo and the gardens of Villa Carlotta face Bellagio across the water; Menaggio lies further north, and the ferries run between the three.
Good to know
Which are the five-star hotels on Lake Como?
Two. The five-star hotels we list on Lake Como are Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como, at Blevio, and Passalacqua, at Moltrasio. Alongside them we keep four four-star addresses, each listed at exactly the tier it holds: Grand Hotel Tremezzo; Il Sereno Lago di Como; Grand Hotel Victoria Concept & Spa; and Villa d'Este. Each has its own page, reached from the list above, with a concierge behind every stay.
Which part of the lake should I stay on?
The six sit in three places. Cernobbio and Moltrasio, on the western shore a few minutes north of Como, hold Villa d'Este and Passalacqua – the closest to the city, to Milan and to Malpensa. Blevio and Torno, on the eastern shore directly across the water, hold Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como and Il Sereno Lago di Como – quieter villages, reached by the lake road or by boat. Tremezzo and Menaggio, further north where the lake opens in front of Bellagio, hold Grand Hotel Tremezzo and Grand Hotel Victoria Concept & Spa – the center of the lake, with Bellagio and Varenna a short boat ride away. Choose the south for the shortest transfer and Como on the doorstep; the center lake for the wide water, the villas and the ferries.
When is the best season for Lake Como?
The lake is a spring-to-autumn destination, and its hotels run to the season: most open between March and May and close in November, and the concierge confirms each house's dates for your stay. May, June and September are the finest weeks – warm days, the gardens of the villas in flower, the water calm in the morning – and they fill first. July and August are hot and the busiest on the water and on the shore road; October brings the mists and the colors. Between November and March the villages are quiet and most of the houses are closed for the winter.
How do I get to Lake Como, and do I need a car?
Milan Malpensa is the nearest intercontinental airport, about an hour by car to Cernobbio; from Milan itself the train reaches Como in about forty minutes. On the lake, a car is useful but not essential: the shore roads are narrow and slow in summer, and the hotels' launches and the public boats cross the water faster than the road goes round it – Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio are minutes apart by ferry. The hotel arranges a driver from the airport and a launch on the lake; Lugano, across the Swiss border, is a short drive west of Menaggio for a day in Switzerland.
How do I reserve a stay?
Search your dates on the hotel's page to see reference rates, then send the concierge a request. The concierge confirms exact rates and availability with you before anything is booked, and any payment and its timing are set out before you confirm.
