Lake Como Hotel price reality check

hey hey LisatoItaly
prices have skyrocketed every where, believe it, people have paid the price being so determined to see lake como. read the forum for what people have said about the crowds on the lake, standing in long lines to get on the ferries, restaurants packed, trains/buses like a can of sardines, the "tuxedo society" doing photo shoots in evening satin attire for that great shot
social media, instagram, tiktok has "ruined" many cities/towns/villages with many traveling nowdays
go visit another lake
aloha

There are vast differences in people's definitions of "good". For me, that lodging rate is laughable, but obviously it's affordable to some. I imagine a place with that price tag would be very nice; I just wouldn't appreciate it nearly enough to want to spend that kind of money. (I also don't go to Michelin-starred restaurants.)

I don't know when you're traveling, but based on my experience in 2024, this is late to be looking for summer 2026 lodging on Lake Como (though I guess Como city might be a different situation). The less expensive properties tend to fill up very early. I ended up in a small place--rather plain but air conditioned and totally acceptable to me--in Tremezzo. It offered breakfast but was something of a walk (partly along the sometimes-busy lakeside road) to the nearest restaurants and to the ferry dock. It wasn't quite as convenient as the ever-popular Varenna, Bellagio and Menaggio, but it was less expensive.

Have you looked on booking.com? The reviews there are generally reliable, because you cannot leave a review unless you've actually stayed at the property. Menaggio is likely to be less expensive than Varenna and Bellagio, if you can find a vacancy there.

Is this the April/May trip mentioned in your other post?

When, what and where are you looking?

I hate to say this but in looking at both Lake Como and the Amalfi Coast/Sorrento, and Taormina--all super-popular with American tourists, and the international "Insta set," the ultra-luxury hotels are closer to 2,000euro per night than 1,000 (!!!). And last season for the first time, I began seeing similar prices at the very top of the luxury sector in Puglia!!! These are popular honeymoon hotels, so that must account for part of the price hikes.

This is AI-generated for the GH Tremezzo,, one of the grand old hotels of Italy and perhaps the nicest place to stay on the Lake:

"Typical Pricing Breakdown:

Average Weeknight: Around $2,783 (approx. €2,500).
Average Weekend Night: Around $5,259 (approx. €4,800).
Low Season (March): Prices may drop significantly.
***High Season (August): Prices can rise by over 100%."**

This is as shocking to me as it must be to you but, as mentioned above, you do not need to spend anything near 1000 euro for a lovely property on Lake Como. For the famous names, yes, but there are many, many hotels, although you are now looking at the very last minute, which could prove a significant problem.

Personally, I'd give Lake Como a hard pass. It was uncomfortably crowded in late September when I was there last, around 2011 or so, so I shudder to think what it must be like now, especially in May.

I think 90% of foreign tourists to Italy flock to maybe 5% of the country's destinations......there is SO MUCH else to see, where you can have a reasonable night at a good hotel and not fight your way through crowds.... But I've said this a thousand times and my advice seems to float off in the wind; I'm no expert, but why not look at a comprehensive guidebook and investigate other options.

I'mm curious: Why do you especially have your heart set on Lake Como? What is the draw for you? Have you read about it in guidebooks? Instagram? Magazines (do those still exist???). Heard from friends?

I imagine, but have not looked, that even the mid-range favorites are close to 500 euro per night now, which is just as shocking, to me. But you are looking at one of the most famous and popular resorts in Europe, if not the world. I do wonder who these people are (besides having a barrel of money) who have booked out those top, top hotels,, and so far in advance, too.,,..they can't all be Americans (?!)

The post by ekscrunchy should somehow be required reading for travelers to popular places. For 2025 and now 2026 our favorite hotel rates basically doubled. We pay it. We also tip 10-20 euros per night. It’s worth it. Costs are rising rapidly worldwide.

Thank you all! My earlier post about Verona was/is for the same trip, now for the first week of Sept. I found a good Airbnb near the Arena. However, I am flying into MXP 4 days earlier so wanted to add a lake stay reachable the first evening (landing MXP around 5pm) without squandering a night at an airport hotel. Lake Maggiore seems like a decent option, but other RS posts have stated it was "soul less" and that Como is preferred. I am definitely not into crowds and won't be doing photo shoots. Will do a day trip to Lake Garda from Verona. I will take a look at Menaggio and Tremezzo, as suggested. Fancy hotels with spas and Michelin stars do not interest me, in fact, it sounds like I would go hungry :) I like historic hotels that are clean, good service, a quiet night's sleep with good food options nearby. For reference, I was happy with the Intercontinental George in dt Edinburgh (~$650US/nt). My sister has recommended Como several times and I'm just afraid of missing something spectacular, being so close, but skipping it. This will most likely be a one time trip. Coming from the US. Will Maggiore for the stay and Garda for the day trip be sufficient??

I just checked on Booking.com how much it would cost to stay in Menaggio for 3 nights starting on Thursday April 30, 2026, considering it is one of the busiest weekends of the year since Friday May 1 is a national holiday everywhere in Europe (Labor Day).

The Grand Hotel Menaggio, and the Hotel Royal want $909 and $609 for the 3 nights, respectively, therefore $200-$300 a night. They all meet the requirements you stated.

It is true that the super posh Grand Hotel Victoria Spa and Resort wants $3500 for the same period.

There are more options in the other towns nearby on the western shore of the mid lake.

You can find similar options in September.

So I guess it depends on when, where, and what level of luxury one wants. However if you want to stay in Varenna and Varenna only, then you have to be ready to pay through the nose, because every American (and European) wants to go to Varenna, and a town with a population of 600 people can only accommodate so many visitors with the blue and golden guidebook.

What town in Lake Como and what dates are you looking at?

We liked Stresa-worth a few nights
So easy from MXP

Another option is Bergamo Alto- beautiful little town-you would have to change at Milano Centrale so at least 2 hours from MXP but so is Como/Varenna
If you go to Lake Como make sure you can actually get to your lodgings that late-ferries don’t run at night

We stayed at a wonderful accommodation on Lake Como just outside of Como city area in Carate Urio. Magnificent views at a reasonable price. There was a boat dock immediately outside hotel which offered ferry service to nearby locations around the lake. We had a car, but you could easily stay without. It was so amazing, I almost hate to post on here for fear that I will not get a booking on my next visit - check out Hotel Orso Bruno. We stayed in early October before they closed for the season and the rates were very reasonable, especially considering our accommodations with a large terrace overlooking the lake!!! One of the loveliest stays I’ve had anywhere in my European travels!

Last June we stayed at Hotel Albergo Milano in Varenna. IIRC, the rate was about $300 per night including breakfast. Location is excellent; there are many nearby restaurants. The hotel's restaurant, La Vista, is excellent, too. We dined there twice for dinner. Reservations are a must. Walking distance to the ferries, to Piazza San Giorgio, to Villa Monastero.

If this trip is April/May 2026 as indicated in your previous post you are very late booking accommodations
I would advise you to decide quickly and get something booked
Location at this point is probably dependent on what lodging might still be available

Last year I stayed in Milano city centre and it was like 100$ with breakfast and decent room. The train ticket to Como cost like 10-12 EUR one side, so I just spent a day there and come back.

Wow, we're actually talking about $300/night as being 'reasonable'. Think about that. I remember losing my mind booking in NYC/Manhattan in 2006 and paying $350.

I am planning Rome & Puglia for next March and especially in Puglia, I can get good AirBnB or hotel prices, no problem. In Rome, I have my eye on a great AirBnB looking over a familiar piazza for about $220/night for 10 days. That's reasonable to me.

Well Jay, unfortunately Varenna on Lake Como has become so popular that everybody wants to go there. And it’s not Rick Steves’ fault, it is especially the result of the hype on the entire social media universe.

Puglia is definitely a more reasonable option, and you can still find good accommodations in a hotel for 100€ a night, even in June and July (August is a bit more difficult), but even Puglia is becoming more and more popular in the travel media. Last year I was there in July and I was amazed at the amount of American English you could hear in the streets of Alberobello, Vieste, or Polignano, so don’t be surprised if Puglia does not become the next Cinque Terre or Amalfi Coast. United Airlines is starting a new seasonal non stop from Newark to Bari next month (jet fuel prices and availability permitting). The only hope is that since Puglia is huge, and many places are not easily reachable without a car, there will still be locations to be enjoyed without the madness of the Cinque Terre.

Newark?! That is one wild destination pairing!

Roberto, cost is definitely part of the allure of visiting Puglia. If I'm getting a good bang for my buck wherever I travel, if things happen to go a little off the tracks during our trip, then I don't feel so bad. But I am convinced that there is value if one looks hard enough in every part of Italy, maybe excepting Cinque Terre and the Como area. I think I know Florence and Rome well enough to be able to determine...for this amount of $$$, I get that amenity. And I weigh it out, make sure I'm not staying in a real rathole, and then book it. It's never failed me yet.

Want a real eye opener? We've never been to London, and because I've recently become enamored with British history, especially in the 1930's/1940's and WWII, I thought that might be an option. Marrone!! If we tack London on to our next international trip, let's say for 5 days, what it would cost me there I could spend 2 or maybe even 3 weeks in Puglia. I've always said that I could spend a couple of winter months in Rome cheaper--and that's including airfare--than what I'd spend in Florida or Arizona as a 'snowbird'!

Wow, we're actually talking about $300/night as being 'reasonable'. Think about that. I remember losing my mind booking in NYC/Manhattan in 2006 and paying $350.

Adjusted for inflation that $350 is now $567
https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

I made a quick comparison of median menu prices for a 'primo' (first course) at my favorite (authentic) Italian restaurant near my office in the SF East Bay, and prices at the 15 top rated Italian restaurants in Florence according to TripAdvisor traveler ranking.

The median first course price of my 'to go' Italian restaurant near me is $23.50, however you need to add 30% on top of that, to account for the above 10% of sales tax in the SF Bay Area and the statutory ~20% tip. So the median average price becomes over $30 a plate .
I did the same exercise in the top TripAdvisor restaurants in Florence, , and the median price for the 180 dishes I accounted for was 15€ a plate (tax and service included), or over $17 a plate at today's exchange rate. The 'coperto' (cover charge per person) might add 2 euro or so to the total bill, so add another 5-10% to that and we are still under $19 a plate.

So the SF Bay Area Italian restaurants (and I assume your Chicago as well) are about 60% pricier than the ones in Florence, but even in Florence prices have gone up considerably since the pre-Covid years. So if you really want to save you should spend your winters away from major cities like Florence or Rome, and head to less expensive destinations, especially the south (e.g. Palermo or also Puglia) which has also considerably better weather in winter.

Just a quick comment about the United flights to Bari.
We are returning to Puglia in May; I tried to book United direct flights from the US to NAP and return from BRI.
The United price was twice the price of the ITA price, so we will be flying ITA, connecting in Rome, rather than that much-lauded direct flight from Bari to NYC.

”Lake Maggiore seems like a decent option, but other RS posts have stated it was "soul less" and that Como is preferred.”

That made me laugh out loud! I’ve stayed in Varenna at Lake Como one time. I’ve stayed in Stresa at Lake Maggiore four times.

”… don’t be surprised if Puglia does not become the next Cinque Terre or Amalfi Coast.”

Roberto, that’s sadly what I thought might happen. I will be there the third year in a row soon - wanting to savor the time there before the special qualities of it disappear.

Puglia is a large region, Cinque Terre or Amalfi Coast are just very small stretches of coastline.

Tuscany is probably the most popular region with the international tourist crowd, but it's also large, so there are many areas within Tuscany that are not overcrowded like the city center of Florence.

Puglia will probably be more comparable to Tuscany, than the AC or the CT, with crowded popular locations, like Alberobello or Polignano, and other areas that are less so.

And now let's convince Rick Steves to push Calabria. The 'Ndrangheta needs a larger pool of rich visitors to kidnap for a ransom.

So the SF Bay Area Italian restaurants (and I assume your Chicago as
well) are about 60% pricier than the ones in Florence, but even in
Florence prices have gone up considerably since the pre-Covid years.
So if you really want to save you should spend your winters away from
major cities like Florence or Rome, and head to less expensive
destinations, especially the south (e.g. Palermo or also Puglia) which
has also considerably better weather in winter.

Vindication, Roberto!

And oh yes, Calabria can be done cheaply as well. For another trip...

Only issue with rural or small-town areas--especially without a car--is that it's possible you could end up as kind of captive audience if you stay for more than 3-4 days, having to dine at the same restaurant, etc. In Florence, a place like Nerbone in Mercato Centrale or that lampredotto stand near the Sant' Ambrogio market--even that market itself--for 5-10 Euro a great lunch can be had. OH--Trattoria Da Rocco inside the market with 80-something Rocco at the helm--is family-style with unlimited wine and I think it was about $25/pp.

In Rome--especially with an AirBnB--even better. Breakfast from goods I buy at the local grocery or at the market (Campo de' Fiori), lunch a slice of Roman pizza from the Forno bakery at 3-4 Euro, then dinner where we usually share an appetizer/first course, each have a secondi, share a dolce/dessert, a half carafe of house vino...and come out of it at 50-60 Euro for the two of us. I think the sheer competition of restaurants in Rome keeps the prices down. Honestly, if I was there for two months I could find at least 10-15 ristorantes/trattorias within walking distance that I'd put into a rotation of sorts. All great, all different.

Roberto Da Firenze-Puglia has been the next best instatiktok place since we were there in 2022. Seriously, it was so full of people and we were there first weeks of June.

But everyone who goes to Puglia seems to go to the same few towns.

We spent four nights in Nardo last September and I spotted two foreign tourists.
We encountered none in beautiful Fasano.
And we stayed three nights in a wonderful masseria outside Ceglie Messapica, which has some of the best restaurants in Puglia....again, very few obvious tourists apart from those who were eating at CIBUS.

There may well have been more, of course, but they were not evident. Towns like Galatina, Nardo, Ruffano, Castro, Specchia, Ugento do not get the masses of bus tourists that flood Alberobello, Locorotondo, Polignano, etc.

Which is why, ekscrunchy, I will consult you heavily before visiting Puglia!