Villa Passalacqua Hotel Lake Como Italy

 A historic private villa since 1787, transformed into a once-in-a-century luxury hotel on the shores of Lake Como. Set across the original palazzo (building) and within an additional private villa, there are 20 rooms in total in this magnificent property. The eight rooms of the palazzo are decorated in jewel-toned walls, in keeping with the interiors from yesteryear, with imposing 200-year-old oak beams and lamps of the finest Venetian silk overhead. The Villa has twelve extraordinary rooms and suites with high ceilings, ornate stuccos, and traditional floors from the building’s 18th-century origins, combined with modern comforts for a truly luxurious stay.

Here, dining is a ritual to be celebrated, and guests are invited to take part in the making, as well as partaking, with cooking classes available with the villa’s chef. Keeping the villa’s long history as a private residence alive, Passalacqua has a ‘home away from home’ approach to dining that invites guests to choose when, where, and what they eat. From candlelit dinners, a picnic on the lakeshore, or a pasta-making session before your family-style feast.

The grounds and immediate area are stunning here – lush gardens, pretty magnolias, kiwi vines, and burbling fountains dot the incredible manicured gardens. All the while, Lake Como looms as a constant presence, sometimes just a glimpse through the trees or a dramatic sweeping panorama glittering in the sun. There are several social areas outside with a beautiful pool complete with loungers and sunshades.