Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Lake Como

With a spot-on location on the west side of Lake Como, the Grand Hotel Tremezzo is a historic grande-dame hotel that would tickle Wes Anderson. Rooms are fantastically over the top with heavily swagged curtains, antique gilt-framed mirrors, velvet armchairs and bathrooms in marble from top to bottom. The best of the bunch come with a coveted balcony overlooking the still, deep waters. There are plenty of places to loll: the lakeside beach club across the road; a peaceful pool surrounded by pretty rose gardens; and the T Spa, which has teamed up with holistic pioneer ESPA. Inside the latter, all is contemporary and slick, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the water and a wooden deck with sunbeds (time it so you're in the outdoor plunge pool for the last of the day's rays). There are also tennis courts, delicious wood-oven pizzas served under umbrellas on the stone terrace, and a sleek, Venetian-style boat for embarking on a private, guided tour. End the day in the main restaurant, La Terrazza, with a bowl of impeccable spaghetti vongole while looking out at the lights twinkling in Bellagio and Varenna, two must-visit cobbled towns on the other side of the water.

This feature was first published in Condé Nast Traveller August 2015

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