After traveling to 80 countries and all seven continents over the past five decades, our 2023 stay…read moreat Hotel Belvedere on Lake Como made it very clear that this is now our favorite hotel in the world! Don't let the four stars deceive you, because this is a five-star accommodation all the way!
The views of Lake Como are stunning on the eastern slope of this unnamed peninsula that pierces the lake like an arrow, especially from the outdoor deck above the pool. The rooms are so elegant and modern, the rain showers are huge, and the views from our massive patio in the Junior Suite were breathtaking. Cascading down the hill on the hotel property are numerous plateaus of well manicured lawns, sculpted bushes, and beautiful flowers. You're in close proximity to the action of bustling downtown Bellagio, but secluded just far enough for total peace and quiet at the hotel. Situated in the shadow of a hill just to the north owned by The Rockefeller Foundation, with the mountainous terrain as a buffer between the town center and this lovely property, the serenity makes you feel far from the city that's a mere 5-minute walk away. It is the optimal location in Bellagio!
The spa is extensive, a facility at which we took full advantage of a thorough, hour-long massage that vastly improves circulation. The staff is incredibly courteous and well trained. But it's many of the little things they do at Hotel Belvedere that make it such a great place to stay. To offer several examples, the luxurious array of body washes and lotions are noteworthy, the larger trashcans without lids uncommon in most hotel rooms are much easier to navigate, the breakfast is one of the best we've ever had, and the room service food is so good you might want to have your nightly dinners in your room.
While breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m., we had to depart at 7:00 on the final morning to catch a ferry. So the staff composed four takeout boxes for the two of us with a wonderful selection of breakfast foods. It was kindness that goes above and beyond. Of our 46 years of international travel, this is the ultimate hotel for us!
