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Lake Como has been on my travel bucket list for some time, just like Taylor Swift's it seems, and after a recent trip I can confirm it didn’t disappoint (despite no Taylor sightings).
Think dramatic scenery with green mountains tumbling down into the crystal blue waters, the snowcapped mountains of Switzerland visible in the distance and pretty towns dotting the lake, ready to be explored. It’s a picture perfect view to enjoy with an Aperol in hand.
And with Milan airport just an hour away, I asked myself, ‘Why it had taken me so long to make it to this beauty spot?’
Part of the beauty and joy of our Lake Como trip was our hotel, the one of a kind Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni.
Situated on the Bellagio peninsula, the headland that sits between the two forks of the lake. The hotel gardens, pool and beach are a little slice of Como paradise boarding right on the water's edge.
It's worth noting many of Lake Como's grand hotels have the main road running between them and the water, so don't offer quite such a tranquil setting. It really does feel like a luxury to gaze out uninterrupted at some of the best views up and down the Lake.
I visited with my Mum in late April, so early in the season. Locals say the best times to visit include May and September when the weather is warm, but the tourist crowds aren't quite at peak of the Summer months.
We spent hours over our weekend looking out at the beautiful lake views and the ever changing light on the landscape, which had the effect of slowing time and easing us into a meditative state of relaxation.
The chichi and busy tourist town of Bellagio sits a few steps away just beyond the hotel gates. So the unique position of the hotel allows you to seclude yourself away in sanctuary or nip into town to soak up the bustling atmosphere and eat delicious pizza or gelato in one of the cafes.
Part of the hotel's charm, aside from the location, are the opulent interiors. A modern boutique hotel this is not. It's at the opposite end of the spectrum and what they call in hotel speak ‘a grand dame’, with an illustrious history dating back to the 1850s.
Many of the original features have been lovingly preserved and restored - think ceiling frescos, gilt furniture and chandeliers that had us snapping pictures from all angles.
The impressively ornate ballroom sets the stage for a lavish breakfast buffet experience, complete with pour your own Champagne and delicious Italian coffee.
Despite the grandeur, there is a warm, welcoming ambience. The hotel is family owned (now run by the 4th generation of the Bucher family) and it shows with a friendly feel. Many staff have worked here for years and clearly take pride at working at this historic hotel, so the welcome is warm and service attentive with Italian flare.
A treat of a hotel experience, it calls for a celebration or special occasion and as Lake Como is as about as romantic as destinations comes, it's an ideal spot to visit with a loved one. You'll likely witness a proposal or wedding party during your time at Lake Como.
And if you have ever fancied living like European royalty or a President for a day or two at least, the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni will very much hit the spot.
You can stay in a suite used by US President John F Kennedy or Sir Winston Churchill and the hotel was the holiday playground of many of the European royal families over the years. There's a fascinating display in one of the downstairs corridors that charts the hotel's history and its unique declaration of Swiss neutrality in the Second World War, despite being situated in Italy.
All rooms are uniquely decorated, from the smaller park/town view rooms to the lakeside view suites, with a mix of modern decor and historical touches from furniture to features.
We stayed in the luxurious JFK suite, complete with a lake view snug, two bathrooms, a grand bedroom complete with gilt bed frames and marble pillars (seen below) and a balcony overlooking the hotel entrance. We couldn’t quite get over the fact JFK had slept and woke up to the same view of the ornate floral ceiling fresco. If you want a room (or rather suite) to impress then this is it!
You'll really want for nothing here - my only tip would be to take your own hairdryer if you are a blow dry pro. The bathrooms come with a deliciously scented products made with herbs from the hotel garden, but the hair dryer is the slightly outdated wall fixed variety that's no match for a Dyson. Alternatively, there is a private hair salon in the hotel spa.
One of our favourite spots was The Darsena Terrace Bar overlooking the pool and Lake. Make time in your afternoon for an aperitif here, it's the perfect vantage point shaded from the afternoon sun. Then head into one of the two restaurants on site, La Goletta is the informal dining down overlooking the pool, serving salads, pizza and meat and fish.
Upstairs on the veranda is the formal dining restaurant, Mistral, with food by renowned Chef Ettore Bocchia. Here you can indulge in his 7 course tasting menu, order a la carte or alternatively pick a sharing dish or two. Our pick? A delicious lobster and tomato spaghetti sharing plate that gets cooked at your table and the pineapple ice cream dish, made with liquid nitrogen as you watch, was also a show stopper.
But really it’s the 180 view of the lake out front and the show that unfolds as the sun sets and the stars twinkle overhead that really steals the show. On a warm balmy night the glass walls of the restaurant come down and the roof recedes allowing you to dine under a night sky canopy. We'd say it has to be one of the most romantic places in Italy to have dinner. So it's another add for the bucket list.
One of the highlights of our trip was a private boat tour with Ronnie, boarding from the hotel jetty on a super chic Venetian mahogany speed boat. On our early morning tour it felt like we had the Lake to ourselves as we cruised around the Bellagio peninsula to the pretty hamlet of Pescallo, a great place for a morning swim.
We then headed across the Lake for a coffee stop in the pretty town of Varenna, followed by meander along the lakeside to take in the grand villas that dot the shore, imagining what life would be like if we lived there!
When in need of some rest and relaxation head into the hotel's basement and you'll find the newly refurbed Luco del Lago spa, with a full menu of facials, massages and body treatments. There's also an indoor pool with a Finnish sauna and hydromassage suite and a separate kids pool for families with young children.
For active types the hotel can also arrange water skiing, windsurfing, sailing, canoeing, mountain biking and horse riding, golf and there's a tennis court and gym onsite. And no trip to Como is complete without a bracing dip in the lake and short swim out to the hotel's pontoon and diving board.
Beyond the hotel, in the Medieval town of Bellagio you'll find plenty to discover from hidden steps and streets to chic fashion boutiques. Stroll the promenade down the Lake to the Villa Melzi D'Eril botanical gardens or take a ferry across to explore over on other side of the Lake.
So whether you want calm relaxation, some active fun or a mix of both, the Villa Serbelloni offers a dream escape. Our two night stay granted us some much needed chill time to catch up over breakfast, lunch and dinner and is already a memory we both treasure.
So my advice? Add not just Lake Como, but also the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni to your bucket list of special destinations to next visit.
Nightly rates at Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni start from €705, breakfast included.
Fore more from Camilla Kay, Glamour's European Beauty Director follow her on IG @camilla.kay