Does anyone have specific suggestions for good accommodation in the Lake Como area? Somewhere with a bit of character (eg, a pensione) rather than a bland hotel.
I don't want to stay in Como - am more interested in staying on the water, somewhere like Bellagio, Torno, Mandello de lagio ...
I am travelling alone, on a budget but prepared to pay more for these few days (up to about EUR65). I need to be able to get there without a car.
Any suggestions would be great thanks!
Rick Steve's Italy book has lots of good places with character and good values. We've used all of them and you can trust all his advice. He recs Varenna and there are some great places right on the water there. I think there and Bellagio are the best of all of Como area.
There is a great family run hotel right on the lake at Argegno called Villa Belvedere. It is quite small and is super clean, well priced and comfortable. When I say right on the lake I mean it - their wall is the lake wall. There is a ferry stop about 2 minutes from the hotel and so it's really easy to get to. From here you can explore all the other places on the lake. Bellagio is just wonderful.
A couple of years ago, my husband and I stayed at Hotel Olivedo in Varenna. We had an excellent stay. Laura runs the hotel and she is a wonderful host. You are required to pay extra for an included dinner but it is well worth it. She gave us a wonderful room overlooking the lake and we had a balcony to sit on and watch the ferry pickup and drop off people. She also has a wonderful outdoor covered area where you can sit and have a drink or eat dinner and people watch. The evening we were there, it started raining so it was great to sit under the canopy with a bottle of wine and watch the towns across the lake light up as it got dark instead of being stuck in our room.
I also stayed at Albergo Olivedo last fall, and had a wonderful time. The Hotel isn't fancy, but has a lot of character and the food is wonderful! The location is fantastic also - just a short walk from the train station and right in front of the Ferry docks. There's a small park close by and not far from the main part of town (via the promenade that goes along the lake).
The only minor drawback was the noise of the boats coming & going, but I didn't really mind - it somehow seemed to add to the experience.
I can hardly wait to return! Check Rick's Guidebook for specifics on the Hotels in Varenna and Bellagio.
Cheers!!!
