Discussion
I have stayed all over Italy in Agriturismi - small farms that let rooms & apartments out. They really great places to stay, and often quite reasonably priced.
http://www.agriturismo.net/
Buon vacanza
http://www.agriturismo.net/
Buon vacanza
The Bumblebee said:
crofty, is it a good time to go at the end of March, I've been told the season doesnt start till end of April. Do you know any really nice 5 star hotels there?
Ah - just spotted that you want a posh place, so maybe an agritursmo won't do ( although there are some very high-end one's ) .March can still be cold in the lakes, but if you head down south you stand a better chance of catching some rays. Puglia is fantastic, or Sicily.
The Bumblebee said:
Do you know any really nice 5 star hotels there?
Lake Como - Villa D'EsteIt's a 5*.
Hope that helps
We've stayed at the Hotel Verbano on Lake Maggiore a few times now. Great food, great views, but you do need to get a boat to the mainland if you want to go somewhere for the day.
Right now it's aout 10 degrees Centigrade, so you're not likely to catch a tan.
There's a hotel called Concorde I think in Arona. Might be worth a look, there's also one called the Atlantic.
Oh, here's a website I found.
http://www.lagomaggioreonline.it/alberghi_arona.ht...
I've not stayed in either of course, so I can't really recommend one. I know none at all in Como. They are there of course. OH! Como has an excellent indoor karting track.
The reason I say Arona is because as beautiful as Como is (and it is) Arona is a little bigger so perhaps there's more to do and you can always drive out to Como. Also from Arona you can buy an all day ticket for the waterbus for about 20 euro, an that'll take you all around Maggiore and its islands, up into switzerland if you have your passport.
Get on google maps and look for arona, stressa, como, varese, orta (Small but pretty) and Lake Garda for a good idea of what's where.
There's a hotel called Concorde I think in Arona. Might be worth a look, there's also one called the Atlantic.
Oh, here's a website I found.
http://www.lagomaggioreonline.it/alberghi_arona.ht...
I've not stayed in either of course, so I can't really recommend one. I know none at all in Como. They are there of course. OH! Como has an excellent indoor karting track.
The reason I say Arona is because as beautiful as Como is (and it is) Arona is a little bigger so perhaps there's more to do and you can always drive out to Como. Also from Arona you can buy an all day ticket for the waterbus for about 20 euro, an that'll take you all around Maggiore and its islands, up into switzerland if you have your passport.
Get on google maps and look for arona, stressa, como, varese, orta (Small but pretty) and Lake Garda for a good idea of what's where.
www.rivalago.it
Stayed there for a week last September and it was superb. On the shore of lake Iseo with plenty to do in the area!
BMT.
Stayed there for a week last September and it was superb. On the shore of lake Iseo with plenty to do in the area!
BMT.
We stayed in Malcesine on Lake Garde, in this hotel http://www.europa-hotel.net/ in a "deluxe" room - with a balcony and superb view of the lake. A family run "designer" hotel, which just means that the rooms are rather nice, and modern - some italian hotels can be quite dated. Friendly staff, helpful, and there's an underground car park as well. If you don't have a car there are boat services to other parts of the lake, and a cable car up the mountain.
We stopped in Limone on Lake garda for our honeymoon and would love to go back again - absolutely gorgeous .
I think the hotel was called the Leonardo Da Vinci ?
Best bit was hiring a speedboat and given no limits as to where we could go , and then scraping it against the harbour as we came back in !!
I think the hotel was called the Leonardo Da Vinci ?
Best bit was hiring a speedboat and given no limits as to where we could go , and then scraping it against the harbour as we came back in !!
The Bumblebee said:
cheers noggin
I stayed at this place in Puglia a few years back & it was fab :http://www.hoteldeitrulli.it/
but then when I was searching for it just now, there were loads of bad reviews on Tripadvisor, so maybe I am easily pleased.
The lakes are amazing, but in March you might well catch some skiing 20 miles away, so you won't be doing much sunbathing / swimming down at lake-level!
Albergo Milano, Varenna, Lake Como.
Fabulous, intimate hotel overlooking the lake. Five minutes walk to ferry terminal. Plenty of cafes and restaurants on your doorstep. Highly rated by Rick Steves. I stayed last June, will definitely be going back. About 130/150 euros a night.
Fabulous, intimate hotel overlooking the lake. Five minutes walk to ferry terminal. Plenty of cafes and restaurants on your doorstep. Highly rated by Rick Steves. I stayed last June, will definitely be going back. About 130/150 euros a night.
Edited by ianash on Monday 2nd March 15:39
The Bumblebee said:
Has anyone gone on holiday to the Italian lakes? If so, could you recommend a really good hotel for a short holiday. Thanks
Try Grand Hotel di Como, just outside Como. Big modern hotel with all the facilities and big rooms. Also has a secure underground car park. Maybe too far to walk into Como, (say 45 mins ?), but only 5 mins walk from the ferry - circa <10 mins and €1 each way. Great little restaurant just opposite the ferry landing stage. No point in driving around Como town, it's plenty small enough to cover on foot.We were in this hotel last May and loved it. It's worth doing a boat trip up to Bellagio..........from the local ferry stage. Also worth a drive to Bergamo; a fascinating hilltop fortress town. Parking can be a bit tricky though, at least at weekends.
We would certainly use this hotel again and plan to "do" Bergamo again in the Autumn.
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