Varenna Lake como

No idea what site you were looking at, but not sure how one can tell how clean or comfortable a bed is from a photo. The photos I saw on Booking.com look like any hotel bed photo.

Is it really the only place left for your dates?

this is where I stayed, and rooms were clean and beds comfortable--- great view too!
http://www.hoteleremovarenna.it/index.php/l-hotel

I have stayed in Varenna twice at the Hotel Olivido on the water front in the Villa and enjoyed both of our stays with Laura the owner,she was very helpful to us and a Lot of people do complain about her,but we have had good relations with her, she even made a reservation for us in Castelrutto.
Mike

Our issue is our budget and the fact we won’t have a car so we need to stay close to the city center

I understand budget concerns, but Varenna is small--anyplace in the city center would be at worst within a short taxi ride from the train station and would most likely be walkable.

You don’t really need a car for many places on the lake, especially at that part of the lake. The train stops in Varenna and you can take a ferry to Bellagio or Menaggio, etc.

Just be sure you won't be hiking up hills with your luggage. The price of a taxi could negate the savings on the room.

I have stayed at hotel beretta before and it was a good budget choice. It's close to the train station, an easy walk to the waterfront for the ferries and restaurants. My room was about average size for Italy ( meaning small) and was clean. Breakfast was very simple with coffee, yogurt and pastry in the bar downstairs. All the people were very friendly there. There were no big hills involved from the train station which is why I wanted to stay there.

We have found a place to stay in varenna and will be staying two nights. Any suggestions on things to do to fill our days besides just walking around towns and taking the ferry. Any certain parks or villas that are a must see. We won't have a car. Also heard there is a cooking class in varenna thats fun but didn't now if it take up too much of our limited time.

I stayed in an AirBnB in Varenna. It was quite a few steps up from the lake, but the owner picked me up at the train station and drove me there. I walked back to the train station; it was maybe a ten-minute walk (and the train station is above lake level). I had only a small lake view between buildings from a small terrace off the apartment, but it was fun to stay up in the less-touristy part of town.