9 hours ago
Passalacqua review: this Lake Como hotel is Italy at its most glamorous
You will quickly run out of superlatives at this lakefront 18th-century villa in Moltrasio where the composer Vincenzo Bellini wrote La Sonnambula. Its public rooms could grace a Fellini film set, complete with meticulously renovated stucco work, Murano chandeliers, antique and bespoke furniture and intriguing artworks. Beguiling views over the lake are available from the hotel and its lush seven acres of gardens. Food is by Viviana Varese, the Nigella Lawson of Italy, the colour-burst pool bar pavilion has been decorated by in-demand designer JJ Martin and the 24 bedrooms manage the delicate balancing act between being luxurious and yet relaxing. Service is, as you'd imagine, charming throughout.
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Score 10/10The prize rooms are the dozen in the villa. The eight found in the former stables are smaller but no less charming, and if you appreciate greater privacy or are travelling as a family the four rooms in a cottage — set within its own garden — can be hired for exclusive use. The owner Valentina De Santis is an internationally respected hotelier and since opening in 2022 Passalacqua has topped many world's best hotel lists. All the rooms are layered with brag-worthy, 'blow-the-budget' touches that embrace tradition and modernity. There are 'secret' minibars in bespoke etched-glass cabinets inspired by 18th-century designs and containing tasty treats freshly made by the kitchen. There are pin cushions, embroidered with the hotel's three fishes logo, complete with threaded needles in a range of colours as well as three top-of-the-range Dyson hair appliances in every marble-clad bathroom. Televisions are hidden in end-of-the-bed ottomans inspired by vintage steamer trunks so that they don't jar with the room's hand-painted wooden tables and gilded mirrors.
Score 9/10 Viviana Verese's signature alta cucina di casa style (translated as refined home cooking) is the perfect foil to the villa's OTT interiors. The size of the hotel allows for flexibility over dining arrangements and guests can choose to eat under the frescoes of the trio of restaurant rooms, in the old-school bar, the pool bar, or by candlelight on the terrace. Dishes are simple with a focus on seasonal ingredients and so expertly executed that a humble garden salad becomes a work of art. The lake fish with vegetables is a local speciality and handled so cleverly here that its flavours are sensational. Save space for the handmade chocolates that end each meal and then pray you're hungry again by breakfast. It's one of the most theatrical available anywhere in the world, with a buffet of tempting fresh fruits, pungent cheeses, cured meats and indecently plump smoked salmon, with a white-hatted chef ready to make eggs any way, while a multi-tiered, fully loaded cake stand of cream- and custard-filled delights will be deposited by your table too.
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Score 9/10The spa in the former stables has first-rate treatments by the Italian organic skincare range Seed to Skin. There is also a small but atmospheric thermal sauna and steam suite in a vaulted stone chamber in the 18th-century tunnels underneath the garden. A dimly lit passage leads to a spectacular indoor lap pool in a conservatory-style space that overlooks the lawns. The terraced gardens that tumble down to the waterfront are sublime with various activities on each tier including an outdoor swimming pool, a bocce court, a kitchen garden and a gym in a greenhouse. There are regular yoga and fitness classes as well as complimentary gelato-making workshops, mixology tutorials and flower-arranging lessons.
Score 9/10Moltrasio is an unassuming village, with a great market and a steep hillside for soulful hikes. Como is a 30-minute drive south, and Bellagio is about 45 minutes by car to the north, although both are best reached by boat.
Price B&B doubles from £936Restaurant mains from £45Family-friendly YAccessible N
Susan d'Arcy was a guest of Passalacqua (
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