Varenna hotels with fewest hills and stairs to climb

Two years ago we used an Airbnb company called Varenna Holidays. You could see if they have something that meets your needs. They were good to work with and the 1BR was nice.

This is the link: https://www.varennaholidays.it/

Obviously, check if any lodging option has a lift. Hotel du Lac has steps, the last time we stayed there.
Have you watched U-Tube videos on Varenna? Once you're there, it's very difficult to avoid steep hills and steps. What do you plan to do? I intend this comment with all due respect. I've been to Varenna three times, and the town is built on a hill. Of course, sitting on a balcony with a lake view is quite pleasant. Have a great trip.

Thanks George for the suggestion of Airbnb. I hadn't considered that and will investigate.

Thanks Pat for your comments. We plan to stroll the promenade, take the ferry around the lake and sit lakeside and enjoy some wine, as you mention.

How are you arriving in Varenna? It's been years since I was there, but stairs and hills are hard to avoid. You'll need to plan your dining carefully, also.

Perhaps consider the Hotel Olivedo. Right across from the ferry, restaurant on site and elevator.

Thanks Jean for your response. We will be arriving by train from Milan. We plan to take a taxi from the station if our hotel is very far or walk downhill if we get a hotel near the ferry dock. We can use a taxi to go back to the station when we leave. We have a reservation at Hotel Royal Victoria (with free cancellation if necessary). They provide a free shuttle to and from the train station as well as to and from the ferry dock so that will help.

You commented on taking the train from Milan.

You probably know it is a local train without any reserved seating.
On our way from Milan it was easy.

On the return to Milan, we took the mid morning train along with everyone else.
It was packed and we stood the entire way.

In retrospect, a mid afternoon train may have been better…

Thanks George for the added info about the trains. We plan to go back to Milan and then on to Venice so may not be able to be too flexible about timing but good to be forewarned!

Albergo del Sole and Hotel Royal Victoria are both right on the main square so you wouldn't need to climb hilss or steps to reach them. Both are listed as having elevators. Both are in the RS guide. I have not stayed at either but I had dinner at the Albergo del Sole retaurant and I walked by both.

Thanks CD for your suggestions. I have a reservation now for Hotel Royal Victoria (with free cancelation).

We’ve stayed at the Hotel Royal Victoria and it does have an elevator and nice patio that looks out onto lake. There are several restaurants close by that shouldn’t require too many stairs, ask hotel desk for recommendations. We also have stayed at Hotel du lac before name change and there was no elevator and a number of stairs. Enjoy!

Thanks Margie for your comments. In the interim, we have a refundable reservation at the
Royal Victoria so is good to know it does in fact have the elevator.

We stayed at Albergo Beretta (it had an elevator). It was close to the train station and ferry dock, and we had a view of the lake from our room.

We took the train to Varenna from Milano Malpensa Airport transferring in Milan. After leaving Varenna we took the train to Venice.

Thanks MNannie for your hotel recommendations. I note that you said you took a train from Varenna to Venice. We plan to do the same. What train arrangements did you make? Back to MIlan to change for Venice or did you find another route?

We plan to do the same. What train arrangements did you make? Back to MIlan to change for Venice or did you find another route?

When we were there, there wasn't a ticket machine (maybe that is different now), so we were told to buy the ticket at the travel agent's office (in the train station building but around the corner with a separate entrance). The tickets purchased there took us all the way to Venice. We went back to Milan and then to Venice.

When arriving in Milan from the airport, we found the ticket machines in the basement of the train station's lobby.