Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Lake Como, Italy

As our time in Piedmont went on, the anticipated weather was looking better and better in Lake Como.  Originally, I had booked a small simple hotel in Bellagio but with warm weather and no clouds in sight, I decided to upgrade our Lake stay to the Grand Hotel Tremezzo so we’d have access to more amenities. If you know me, you know I’m not known to be spontaneous like that!

Grand Hotel Tremezzo is the epitomy of Lake Como and proved to be really beneficial for us to get the full Lake Como experience while only staying 2 nights.   As we drove along the narrow road that surrounds the lake it became really clear that to get around the Lake was going to be difficult, if not very time consuming.   Further to that, all of the towns are very spread apart- even by water it could take over an hour to get to Como town from where we were.   

As you drive closer to GHT, the majestic yellow coloring of the hotel comes into sight.   On your right, the Lake, and the GHT Beach club and floating pool and marina.   I could already tell this was going to be a special stay.

GHT is a 5-star hotel but that doesn’t always mean it’ll be a perfect stay.  But evaluating the service alone, the hotel is clearly punching above its weight class.   Every member of the staff that we encountered was beyond friendly and helpful.   But there were little things that stood out to us.

When we checked in, we were asked what time we would want turn-down service at night.   Even at very nice hotels that are attached to higher price points, we typically run into issues with turn down service.  We’ll have to remind them that we’re out of the room at dinner so to please turn down the room, only to come back to find that no one came.   Each night, the staff would leave trinkets on the bed, including a guide on what to do the next day, perfume, or chocolates, along with a page-long romantic essay I thought was fun. The bed and softness of the sheets will turn any light sleeper into a heavy sleeper.

The second thing we loved about GHT was the breakfast spread.  Admittedly, I’m a breakfast snob and I will judge you on your breakfast spread- It is the most important meal of the day after all.  

There wasn’t anything they didn’t consider.   An entire display dedicated to cured meats along with the prosciutto leg, a massive cheese table, champagne bar,  tea table with fresh honeycomb, cereals, a yogurt bar with every nut, seed, and dried fruit you could imagine, an entire fresh fruit display, dessert bar, and chocolate bar full of lots of hazelnut delights before you even got to the buffet of standard breakfast items like soft scrambled eggs, Italian spinach, roasted tomatoes, and mushrooms.   

 The third thing we loved was the Concierge. The hotel has a nothing is a problem attitude.  Shortly after our arrival, over lunch, we organized what we wanted to do while there and enlisted the Concierge to make advisements and bookings.   We originally had a reservation at a restaurant in Torno that was now way too far to get to. They offered options that would be easier, but instead we opted to take their advice on restaurant alternatives.  

One of those recommendations was a nearby hotel and restaurant called La Darsena, an easy walk from GHT.  In minutes we had our sunset boat cruise booked, a wine tasting, and dinner reservations. Not only did we get a prime booking but also a lakeside table in the corner of the restaurant.   Its extremely rare that I’ve seen a concierge have pull to be able to secure that, without us even asking. 

As we were at the hotel with only 2 nights to explore, there were some activities that the hotel offered that we thought were a great way for us to get the feel for Lake Como on short time.

Wine Tasting at L’Escale

We liked the wine tasting so much, we ended up booking the restaurant for our final dinner. Pours were not typical of a tasting, but included 3 full glasses with small bites paired. All of the wines were from the Lombardy region. The pasta tasting was a favorite!

The Beach Club

The beach club is fantastic. Several sets of lounge chairs, a restaurant in the sand, and a bar. The food menu is simple but worth a lunch paired with a G&T or aperol spritz. Grilled fishes like prawns, salmon, tuna, or meats served with green salad and roasted vegetables. We wished we had eaten here the first day versus the balcony bar with their intercontinental lunch menu.

 The Panaramic Walk

Surrounded by mountains, Lake Como seems to be a hikers dream. How you get to the tops of those peaks, I’m not sure but there is a fantastic path that overlooks the lake for a panoramic walk.

The Boat Ride

GHT has 2 traditional wooden boats ready to be rented and make all of your Instagram dreams come true! We went out at 630 for a 2-hour sunset cruise around the lake with Giuseppe, our captain. (You can rent them for 1, 2, or 3 hours). Giuseppe popped a bottle of Prosecco and then we were on our way!

He stopped along the way to point out all of the famous villas and the public ones for rent.

Although it was a last minute decision to stay there, I have no regrets whatsoever. Was it pricey? Yes. Was it worth it? Absolutely!