Best Luxury Hotels in Lombardy

When you’ve visited the delightful town of Sirmione, you’ll understand why this area of Lake Garda is one of the most popular of tourist destinations. A stay at the 5-star Palace Hotel will allow that extra time needed to explore this most beautiful area of north Italy. Situated in the old town area, a five-minute stroll through the cobbled streets of old will have you entering the alluring Italian-style gardens with their marble fountains, statues, fragrant shrubs and flowering plants. With much use made of marble and ceramics in reception and guest rooms, the interior has a light contemporary feel, while the location provides the most stunning of backdrops.

Located in the coastline town of Lezzeno, Filario Hotel has a modern aesthetic but a traditional sense of hospitality. Each room and suite has cosy balcony overlooking the lake and has an earthy, natural décor to connect with the surroundings while still being fitted with the best mod cons expected of a top-class hotel. The Filo restaurant takes you on a journey of traditional Italian food in a romantic setting and you can work off the excesses in the fitness room, a bicycle tour around the lake and mountains, or order en-suite massages and spa treatments.

High above the sleepy lakeside town of Gargnano sits the Lefay & Spa Resort. A popular hotel for those seeking a tranquil, wellness, getaway-from-it-all break, with all the trimmings of 5-star opulence. The resort sits in 27 acres of wooded nature park. Stunning panoramic views across Lake Garda can be had from your room’s terrace. With the warm Mediterranean climate and a spa which has won awards for improving clients’ sleep and posture problems, you will return home refreshed and rejuvenated.

The Grand Hotel Fasano sits on the edge of Lake Garda and close to the popular Gardone Riviera. Built in the 18th century as a hunting lodge for Austrian aristocracy, the Ville Principe was converted into a luxury hotel in 1888, with the second part of the hotel added in 1903. An elegant 5-star hotel, rooms are bright and airy with all the usual 5-star extras including a laptop in each room. Enjoy breakfast on your terrace overlooking the lake, before taking advantage of the well-equipped wellness centre, spa and swimming pools.

A Michelin-starred restaurant and freshwater infinity pool set right on the lake are just two standout features of this luxury hotel in the village of Torno. Offering luxury accommodation (suites only) decorated by a Wallpaper Magazine Designer of The Year, Il Sereno has Lake Como lapping at its foundations. Panoramic views are complemented by high style and classic Italian design and guests can enjoy excellent facilities including a spa (in the original century-old boathouse) with sauna and steam room, beautifully kept gardens, on-site cooking lessons, and fishing.

Armani Hotel Milano is a 5-star escape and embodies the Milanese essence of sophistication and style. There are plenty of options when it comes to the spacious guestrooms and suites including private balconies and terraces and featuring the exclusive Armani Presidential Two-Bedroom Suite with its rooftop terrace and spectacular skyline views. Exquisite dishes are on offer at the incredible Armani/Ristorante and Armani/Bamboo Bar with its unique Alchemy of Flavours menu – designed to take guests on an unforgettable gastronomic journey. Serenity is achievable in this vibrant city thanks to the Armani/Spa and its sensational treatments. There is also a high-tech gym which is open 24 hours a day. Armani Hotel Milano prides itself on elegant event spaces for hosting anything from a business meeting to a private wedding celebration.

With a view across to the lovely village of Bellagio, the Grand Hotel Tremezzo is one of the most imposing hotels in the heart of Lake Como. Set in lush gardens with the Grigne Mountains as the backdrop, the lovely art nouveau hotel offers luxury accommodation in rooms and suites including a number of historic suites with facilities such as access to private garden areas, and also rooftop suites for spectacular views. Guests can dine in excellent gourmet restaurants (once patronised by Greta Garbo), enjoy treatments in a luxury spa, and swim in various lovely pools and from the lake’s only private beach.

Converted and extended from a 19th-century villa, Villa Flori is a luxury 4-star hotel standing between Como and Cernobbio. As well as a selection of rooms and suites, it offers the spectacular Gran Lago Suite right on the waterfront complete with wraparound terrace and lush gardens that offer almost complete privacy. Hotel guests can dine in the sophisticated elegance of the Raimondo restaurant complete with terrace or relax in the lounge bar or wind down in the mini spa which also offer Technogym machines for a bit of a workout.

Just around the corner from Cappella Colleoni church, one of the most visited attractions in Bergamo, the GombitHotel sits at the intersection of two ancient Roman roads. The interiors are the work of forward-thinking young artists, crafted using simple materials and pastel hues to foster a sense of freedom and creativity. 15 bedrooms have an airy, urban feel. This is augmented by original features, such as heavily beamed wooden ceilings, adding an element of history to the otherwise contemporary styling. Housed in a stone tower, the alternative boutique hotel has a bar, a library, and a pool.

A 19th-century mansion at the water’s edge, this five-star hotel by R Collection occupies an idyllic spot, surrounded by extensive gardens. Inside, the Art-Nouveau design building celebrates art concepts and Made in Italy. It has a lake view restaurant and gourmet restaurants, two bars, an outdoor heated swimming pool and a Technogym. Grand Hotel Victoria’s Erre Spa is quite something, with water paths, aroma and chromotherapy, an ice room, Himalayan Salt Room, tropical and waterfalls showers, a Kneipp path and an indoor pool surrounded by four-poster day beds. Rooms are sleek and contemporary, with style nodding to the early 20th century. Some come with balconies, but all have minibars and aircon.

Enjoying its status as the only 5-star hotel in Bellagio, Villa Serbelloni has been owned and run by the Bucher family since 1918. One of the oldest and most elegant hotels in this area of Lake Como, this hotel offers 95 air-conditioned rooms and suites decorated in classic and antique Italian styles with all mod cons including flat-screen TVs. Guests can enjoy a swimming pool with large sunbathing area, a spa with sauna and steam room, a fitness room, and beach facilities. A choice of restaurants and bars, a jazz trio performance each night, and white-gloved service means a pleasurable stay in luxurious surroundings.

Bulgari Milan is arguably the most outwardly glamorous hotel in the city, as the building itself is a renovated 18th-century palace. It lies around 1km from Milan Cathedral, on its own private street in the downtown area. Standard rooms offer free Wi-Fi, a flat-screen television, marble bathrooms and either garden or courtyard views, and upgraded rooms include a walk-in closet. Meanwhile, high-class suites include a living area and a dining area. Among the hotel’s other features are a 4,000-square-meter private garden and a traditional Italian restaurant.