Lake Como in Southern Italy is an idyllic location, much favored by those who can afford it, including actor George Clooney, who has a villa there. At the end of this month, the region will welcome a brand new hotel, the first in decades. Baroque Travel has all the details
Famous Milanese architect and designer Patricia Urquiola is the creator of Lake Como’s newest hotel, the magnificent Il Sereno Lago di Como. This stunning all-suite hotel offers just 30 sumptuous suites, each boasting a furnished terrace with breathtaking lake views. The hotel is the third in Sereno Hotels’ portfolio: the others are Villa Planiana, which is also located on Lake Como, and Le Sereno Hotel and Villas on the Caribbean isle of St Barths.
Although the hotel only opens to the public at the end of August, its reputation for excellence precedes it. Its signature restaurant, Ristorante Berton Al Lago, will be run by renowned Milan restaurateur, Andrea Berton, who is a Michelin star chef. The menu, which will be inspired by traditional regional flavors, will offer Italian cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The restaurant features a vast outdoor terrace right on the lake, and there’s also a section built over the water inside a revamped centuries-old boathouse.
Of course, the spectacular gardens have a famous creator, too: acclaimed botanist Patrick Blanc is responsible for their beauty, which includes two of his signature vertical botanical gardens scattered around the property, plus a striking masterpiece, a ‘green sculpture’. Named ‘Le Mirroir Vert du Lac’, ‘Le Canyon’ and ‘Les Racines Echasees’, these pieces each boast thousands of different plant species.
Guests can enjoy discovering hidden passages in the garden on a leisurely stroll. Right at the center of the garden they will find the vast freshwater infinity pool with a sundeck and bar, and next to it is a small beach where they can soak up the sun at the edge of the lake.
Of course, Lake Como is an idyllic setting, and the hotel is surrounded by its natural beauty, lush vegetation and charming little towns. Il Sereno is set right on the eastern shore of the lake. This spectacular contemporary hotel is decorated in a most understated manner, which contrasts to the classical designs more common here. The interior is filled with custom furniture pieces, exquisite rugs, wall coverings, fixtures and fittings, all elegant and sophisticated.
The hotel’s lounge areas offer breathtaking views, the walls are marble with bas-relief patterns and the suites themselves are luxury personified. Each offers exquisite robes and towels made by D.Porthault, and bath toiletries from Ex Voto Paris, as well as a private bar, 24-hour room service, every possible high-tech offering imaginable including complimentary Wi-Fi, flat screen TV and bluetooth music systems.
The hotel has three custom-made, hand-crafted boats on hand for guests to enjoy. These include two Jetto’s and a grand Vaporina del Lago to transport guests to other destinations on the lake.