Last minute help! Need accommodations in Lake Como.UPDATE!

Ooff, did they try booking.com? I see quite a few in Bellagio in the price range with decent reviews. We stayed in Varenna which we liked. We had thought that Bellagio would be "snooty". We really liked the day we spent in Bellagio and everyone we me was kind, friendly and helpful.

https://www.booking.com/searchresults.html?label=bin859jc-10CAEoggI46AdIM1gDaJwCiAEBmAEzuAEXyAEP2AED6AEB-AEBiAIBqAIBuAL76Z7QBsACAdICJDQ1NTZmMDg0LWNkOWEtNGE3ZC1hZDk4LTA1MTFmNTNjNWY2YdgCAeACAQ&aid=397645&ss=bellagio&efdco=1&lang=en-us&src=index&dest_id=-111395&dest_type=city&ac_position=0&ac_click_type=b&ac_langcode=en&ac_suggestion_list_length=5&search_selected=true&search_pageview_id=de4600bdd847047b&checkin=2026-06-10&checkout=2026-06-12&group_adults=2&no_rooms=1&group_children=0&nflt=price%3DUSD-min-310-1%3Breview_score%3D80

For Varenna:
https://www.booking.com/searchresults.html?label=bin859jc-10CAEoggI46AdIM1gDaJwCiAEBmAEzuAEXyAEP2AED6AEB-AEBiAIBqAIBuAL76Z7QBsACAdICJDQ1NTZmMDg0LWNkOWEtNGE3ZC1hZDk4LTA1MTFmNTNjNWY2YdgCAeACAQ&aid=397645&ss=Varenna%2C+Lombardy%2C+Italy&ssne=Bellagio&ssne_untouched=Bellagio&lang=en-us&src=searchresults&dest_id=-131901&dest_type=city&ac_position=0&ac_click_type=b&ac_langcode=en&ac_suggestion_list_length=5&search_selected=true&search_pageview_id=5bdc0127912c05c3&checkin=2026-06-10&checkout=2026-06-12&group_adults=2&no_rooms=1&group_children=0&nflt=price%3DUSD-min-290-1%3Breview_score%3D80

For Menaggio:
https://www.booking.com/searchresults.html?label=bin859jc-10CAEoggI46AdIM1gDaJwCiAEBmAEzuAEXyAEP2AED6AEB-AEBiAIBqAIBuAL76Z7QBsACAdICJDQ1NTZmMDg0LWNkOWEtNGE3ZC1hZDk4LTA1MTFmNTNjNWY2YdgCAeACAQ&aid=397645&ss=Menaggio%2C+Lombardy%2C+Italy&ssne=Bellagio&ssne_untouched=Bellagio&lang=en-us&src=searchresults&dest_id=-121536&dest_type=city&ac_position=0&ac_click_type=b&ac_langcode=en&ac_suggestion_list_length=5&search_selected=true&search_pageview_id=81fc00ca2dd709bb&checkin=2026-06-10&checkout=2026-06-12&group_adults=2&no_rooms=1&group_children=0&nflt=price%3DUSD-min-300-1%3Breview_score%3D80

Hi Jules,

Thank you for the links for possible accommodations!

Some of those look questionable in terms of the price, don’t you think?

I know nothing about this hotel, but the Albergo Beretta in Varenna has a small double room available with lake view for £588 for 2 nights. It's within walking distance of both the train and ferry. It is rated 1 star, so don't expect luxury.

I like Lecco. The nice hotels are less expensive than Varenna and Bellagio and there is a ferry port there which will take you anywhere on the lake. Look at Booking.com and use the map. Choose a hotel on the same side of the lake as the ferry port. Very nice lake front. Also a train stop to get you in and out easily.

hey hey Priscilla
why are the prices questionable? looking at hotels on booking.com are for 2 nights, within their price range.
they are in HIGH HIGH & HOT season and less than one month. i would find something fast being last minute and low budget. hope they know it will be "packed to the gills" crowded, long lines for ferries. reservations absolutely needed for breakfast, lunch and dinner. many have booked months to a year ahead, last minute trips, lake como is one of the top lakes to go too. friends from SF bay area leaving june 2 for destination wedding for nephew, first trip to italy, they were so surprised how busy booking a place few months ago. go with the flow, enjoy and they will have a fun time. thanks for helping 'em out :)
PS: check-in times 3-4pm check-out times 10-11am, further away from will have more budget friendly hotels, near ferry dock to get on easier than the really long lines, ferries go to different towns/villages and they really only have late afternoon 1st night, full day 2nd night and check out next day.
aloha

Priscilla, didn't you say budget of 300 euro per night or less? Booking shows a total for two nights.

Priscilla,

Have they tried any of the hotels in Varenna? It's one of the easiest places to reach from Milan and there are several hotels to choose from. Unfortunately at this late date, many hotels in various towns on the lake will be starting to book up. A few hotels come to mind......

• Hotel Royal Victoria (although might be above their budget)
• Albergo Olivedo (right by the ferry dock.... an older property but I found it to be quite comfortable)
• Orange House B&B (I've never stayed there so it would probably be a good idea to check reviews)
• Check RS Italy guidebook for other listings.

Hope they find something!

Thanks everyone for your helpful replies.

Jeanm,
Thanks for the link for Albergo Beretta, I’ll let them check it out and decide.

Threadwear,
Do you have a hotel recommendation in Lecco?
How would you compare Lecco to the midlake villages? Is it charming?
We stayed in Varenna (years ago) and enjoyed visiting Bellagio too.

princesspupule
Thanks for the warnings about the crowds.
They’re actually attending a friend’s destination wedding in France but decided to visit Italy for a few days.

Jules,
Yes, you’re correct.

I was just surprised by the hotel prices because some are only charging $180 for 2 nights (?)

Ken,
Thank you for your suggestions.
We did check some of the ones you mentioned but were unavailable for their dates or molto caro!

Since Albergo Olivedo is right across from the ferry dock did you find it noisy from the crowds waiting for the ferry?

I’ll make sure they check the Orange House B&B

UPDATE:
We found a hotel in Menaggio but are still looking for something closer to the ferry dock, or in Varenna due to their morning train departure.

Does anyone know if there are taxis in Menaggio?

We stayed at Orange House. Its close to the train station in Varenna and we had a nice big room with an en suite bathroom. We were picked up by the owner at the station. Breakfast was included. There was a nice little grocery store and another shop right across the street. However, I recommended it on the forum and a couple stayed there and were really upset for multiple reasons. One was that their room was small, one was that the breakfast person didn't speak English. One was that their amenities lacked. However, the room was priced at about $120 USD, its not the Four Seasons. I would imagine that they did not get (or pay for) the room we had. I'd stay again, but since then I'm careful about making recommendations which is kind of too bad.

The booking.com prices didn't surprise me. We've traveled to Italy a lot. For most areas, I tend to find a whole range of prices with some searching.

EDITED TO ADD:
We spent some time walking around Lenno when we were there for Villa Balbianello. It was nice, much less busy than Varenna and Bellagio, but I'm not sure I'd stay there. Seemed like there were more options in Bellagio and Varenna. (We did not get to Menaggio)

We spent some time walking around Lecco when we were there for Villa Balbianello. It was nice, much less busy than Varenna and Bellagio, but I'm not sure I'd stay there. Seemed like there were more options in Bellagio and Varenna. (We did not get to Menaggio)

Lecco has a lot of apartment rentals and very reasonably priced for your dates on Booking.com. It is only a 22 minute train ride to Varenna and a 40 minute train ride to Milan. It has a ferry to Bellagio and other stops on Lake Como. It is not a tourist stop like Bellagio or Varenna, but it is not as expensive either. Lecco is just an alternative place to sleep for less.

Jules,
Thank you for your recommendation for
The Orange House, I’ll let them check it out.

Threadwear,

Thank you for the additional information about Lecco.

I will let them check the ferry schedule to/from Lecco and suggest searching for accommodations, thank you.

I saw several choices on Booking and Hotels.com for those dates.

Varenna and Bellagio are the most popular towns so more likely to have fewer vacancies, but if you expand your search to Menaggio, Bellano, Lenno, etc. you should be able to find options. 300€/night is not a low budget, even in high season, the problem is availability at the last minute. Check also the individual hotel websites. Properties don’t put all their rooms on Booking.com.

Since your daughter in law is 6 month pregnant you need to find something that doesn’t require a lot of uphill walking. As you move away from the lakeshore many towns will require uphill walking as they are on a slope. You can check the walking distance from the ferry dock and the incline of the walk by using GoogleMaps, also GoogleStreet View gives you an idea of any required walk.

Roberto da Firenze,

Thank you!

It good to know that accommodations away from the shore are uphill.
I’ve only visited Varenna & Bellagio (years ago) and presumed, or read somewhere, that Menaggio was flatter.

I called the hotel they booked in Menaggio
and was informed that one needs to reserve taxis in advance.
There’s also a bus from the town center to near the hotel so will research that option too.

We’re still searching for a hotel closer to the ferry & town center. Thank you again!

Priscilla,

During my stay at Albergo Olivedo I don't recall that there was an excessive amount of noise from the ferry dock, although my room was on the front facing the lake. I imagine that rooms on the back of the hotel would be a bit quieter. As I recall, they also had some kind of an annex that was located slightly behind the hotel. I haven't been there in a few years so don't know what might have changed.

At this point thy may have to "compromise" and take whatever they can find in their price range.

In reference to Villa Balbianello, that is not near Lecco, it is near Lenno. Both on the shore of lake Como but different sides.

Please check make sure you spell city names correctly because it doesn’t take much to end up in Auckland (New Zealand) instead of Oakland (California), both also on the Pacific Ocean coast.

Priscilla, I also stayed at the Albergo Oliveto and really loved it. It has excellent reviews on Booking.com now, too. Keep in mind that when I was there, it was 1997, but it looks like it hasn't changed that much. It was really a wonderful location, and the food was incredible. I think I booked half board, which I don't know if they still have, but it was really, really good.

https://www.booking.com/hotel/it/olivedo.html
https://olivedo.it/

Thanks Roberto

THANK YOU ALL!

UPDATE: We found a hotel in Menaggio!

Ken, & Mardee,
Thank you for the additional information about Albergo Olivedo. This albergo was fully booked for their dates but will keep it in mind for the future.

Roberto,
What can I say; Grazie mille!

Thank you all who replied to this post, this forum is the best!

For anyone thinking about the Orange House B&B, my husband and I stayed there in 2010, so obviously not a recent experience. That said, we enjoyed our time there. The B&B has just two rooms, one on the ground floor and one upstairs. We had the upstairs room. The breakfast room is upstairs and at least then offered a variety of foods. Our room was clean and comfortable and it was any easy walk from the train station and the ferry. The host was very nice (since it was 16 years ago and he was not a spring chicken I don’t know if he’s still there) and the fact that someone working there doesn’t speak English would not be a dealbreaker from my point of view.

hey hey Priscilla
YIPPEE, congratulations for your "kids", all happy
no more stressing and gray hairs ;)
LOL @ Roberto.

aloha

Andrea,
Thank you for the Orange House recommendation.

Princess pupule,
Thank you! It’s a great relief!

Priscilla,

It's great to hear that they found something, and hopefully within their price range. They can use the suggestions mentioned here for future reference.