Il Sereno: Modern luxury on the shores of Lake Como

In a nutshell: A fashionable hideaway with a prime patch of Como actual estate.

Cost position: £££

The neighbourhood

A small push from Como’s principal station, Como San Giovanni, Il Sereno sits at the conclusion of a winding street in the quaint commune of Torno. When you can peel on your own absent from the sunbeds, or your room’s non-public balcony, the surrounding village is very well really worth a wander, and you’ll shortly discover it will make a scenario for remaining a single of the prettiest settlements on Lake Como. The town sq. provides spoils like the Saint Thecla church (go inside for a mix of marble, dusty rose-hued partitions and painted ceilings), energetic dining places and Instagrammable alleyways major to the star of the present: the lake.

The search

Developed by Milan-dependent architect Patricia Urquiola (who also intended Mandarin Oriental Barcelona and the Missoni boutique in New York Town), Il Sereno is the antithesis of what you would expect a Lake Como hideaway to appear like. Gone is the neoclassical mansion in its location, a hanging creating of walnut wood and vertical gardens. Listed here you can undoubtedly decide a e book by its facade, as Urquiola’s sleek styles increase to the interiors, exactly where a floating staircase prospects to the lake-amount restaurant and neutral-toned frequent regions. Every little thing feels new, shiny and high-priced, without ever tipping into pretentious.

The vibe

Any take a look at to Lake Como can go away you sensation like an A-lister, but Il Sereno is just one of the handful of lodges in the place to have obtained the celebrity stamp of acceptance. Miley Cyrus spent some time below in 2019 (scroll again by means of her Instagram and you are going to location her perched future to the hotel’s infinity pool). The clientele is an eclectic mix of well-to-do young Europeans and more mature Americans, but absolutely everyone is right after 1 matter: a break from reality. The good news is, it’s straightforward to locate, regardless of whether by using out the hotel’s custom made-constructed Riva boat, reserving into the lakeside jacuzzi, or lazing on the room’s private balcony and seeing the actions on the lake.

Mattress and bathtub

You just can’t go improper with an all-suite resort. Every single of the 40 rooms features personal balconies and sights throughout the lake – very best taken in from the plush King-measurement bed by way of the ground-to-ceiling windows. Urquiola’s comfortable furnishings and warming tones proceed right here, and murals of smooth greys and blues sit earlier mentioned the beds to reflect the lake. Bogs are bigger than most London flats, with deep-soak tubs and rainfall showers. The balcony, again, is the star, and it wasn’t quick to pull ourselves absent from it – other than to delve into the minibar, in which most of the treats (which include chocolate-included hazelnuts) are complimentary and replenished day-to-day. If you’re seriously searching to up the ante, the not long ago opened penthouse suite is a sprawling 200 metres squared and has a private terrace with its personal jacuzzi hunting about the lake.

Foods and drink

Dinnertime at Il Sereno al Lago provides an personal ambiance, as the lake goes from dusk to dusk and the mansions throughout the other aspect convert on their twinkling lights. The tasting menu is unquestionably for an acquired flavor dishes include rice with pollen, bread and butter asparagus creme brulee and a number of “sweet” plates which would not minimize it even for the most hardened sweet tooth. Breakfast, on the other hand, was a actual address. Served in the dining place each individual early morning (or to the home for an additional charge), the a la carte menu includes correctly sized parts of eggs benedict, waffles with chocolate hazelnut unfold, freshly-baked pastries, fruit bowls and a charcuterie board.

Pools, spas and public locations

The pool is the hotel’s pièce de résistance. The azure blue of the infinity pool, surrounded by environmentally friendly sunbeds that pepper its perimeter, stands out against the lake’s darker, further hues. The lobby entices people with cushioned couches and tender lights, though the Valmont spa is neatly hidden absent in a transformed boathouse, in which flooring-to-ceiling windows contrast with the hundreds of years-aged granite partitions in the procedure rooms. The windows give views of the lake – and a privateness curtain is discreetly drawn by masseuses at the starting of a session. The Rejuvenate by the Lake signature therapy (€250) is truly worth the revenue – a glorious 90 minutes used becoming exfoliated and acquiring knots you did not even know you experienced becoming labored out of your back again.

Nuts and bolts

Area depend: 40 suites.

WiFi: Free

Excess rates: Actions and spa use appear at an
added price, and there is a metropolis tax cost of £4.20 for each person, for each place.

Disability obtain: 1 area is equipped for attendees with disabilities.

Pet plan: Pets are welcome for €200 (£170) for every booking.

Bottom line

Best thing: The balcony. My reserve went unread as I was also enamoured observing the boats whizz by on the lake.

Worst factor: Obtaining all over. Public transportation is irregular and taxi rates are higher. Unless of course you retain the services of out the boat it is really hard to go away the resort and see much more of Lake Como, which can be frustrating for on-the-go travellers.

Best for: Honeymooners, and those who want to pretend they’re an A-lister for a weekend.

Not proper for: Young children and families – when not explicitly reported, it feels like an older people-only oasis.

Instagram from: Just about everywhere. Make like Miley and go for the vintage pool shot, or consider a person of the boats out to get the cash shot of the lodge itself.

Room fee: From €750 (£639) per night during reduced year (16 Oct-31 March), and €950 (£809) for every night time all through higher season (19 Might-24 September). All costs involve comprehensive à la carte breakfast and complimentary mini bar (sans alcohol).

serenohotels.com/house/il-sereno

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