Lake Como is already a pretty glam destination, thanks to amazing scenery and charming villages, but it’s been taken up a notch by the recent arrival of Hilton Lake Como. Although it’s a purpose-built property, the hotel draws inspiration from the area’s history of silk production (it’s on the site of a former mill) by blending industrial touches like the frontage of the building, with more modern elements like the glass cube lounge area. It may be part of a huge hotel group but this place definitely has its own distinct character.
With 170 rooms set around an internal courtyard it’s the largest hotel in Lake Como and it really does feel spacious. The rooms are kitted out in soft greys and blues, borrowing the colours of the lake, and they come with king size beds, parquet floors, LCD flat screen TVs, locally made textiles, and floor-to-ceiling windows that perfectly frame the scenery.
The bathrooms are just as sleek, decked out in marble and equipped with Peter Thomas Roth products, rain showers and a nice big tub. The duplex suites, which have been cleverly built into the roof space, have retractable ceiling blinds so you can see the lake and sky from your bed, whilst the three big money suites have their own private terraces and, of course, some pretty epic views.
[easy-image-collage id=107547]You can get a British or Italian-style afternoon tea in the Taffeta lounge and southern Swiss/northern Italian food at the sleek Satin restaurant, but we particularly rate the breakfast spread. It’s loaded with regional cheeses, meats, pastries, cakes and fruit as well as a hot buffet. They even put out a small takeaway and biscotti station at the front of the restaurant for those who don’t have time to stop.
The jewel in the crown of Hilton Lake Como has to be their rooftop space. As well as the infinity pool and solarium (there’s also a spa and health club with an indoor pool on the ground floor), it’s home to bar and restaurant Terrazza 241. Italian flavours are given a modern twist on the sharing menu, which includes dishes like beef tartare; tomato and basil gazpacho with burrata; Sardinian bread with lobster tails; and a range of prime fish and meat cooked over hot stones. It’s also a great place to come and drink, with music on Fridays and Saturdays, even more fab views over the lake, and excellent bartenders, who put their spin on classic cocktails and shake up some signature serves. We can confirm that the citrus vodka, rosewater, lychee and lemon Two41 goes down very easily indeed.
[easy-image-collage id=107554]Hilton Lake Como strikes a great balance between elegant and cool and it really offers something new to the area, especially with that rooftop bar.
Rooms start at €139 per night
Via Borgo Vico 241 Como, 22100, Italy
hilton.com