Like many of Lake Como’s five-star hotels, Mandarin Oriental occupies a villa steeped in history; in this case, Villa Roccabruna, once home to Italian soprano Giuditta Pasta, who legend has it would serenade composer Vincenzo Bellini from across the lake. While the Hong Kong–based group expanded the historic estate—the 75 guestrooms, suites, and villas are now spread across nine buildings set within a botanical park—the sense of Old World grandeur remains. Opulent common areas are dressed in handmade wallpaper, Venetian glass chandeliers, and neoclassical marble columns, all punctuated by breathtaking floral arrangements. The rooms skew more pared-back and contemporary, allowing the setting to take center stage; even entry-level rooms feature balconies and lake views.
Among the hotel’s most buzzed-about features is the floating pool by Herzog & de Meuron, engineered to gently bob with the lake’s waves and mirror the water’s shifting hues. The property also boasts the area’s largest spa, with multiple saunas, a vast steam room, ice showers, a hydrotherapy pool, a zen garden, and treatments using 111Skin, Team Dr Joseph, and the cutting-edge Swiss Perfection line. Of the three restaurants, the centerpiece is L˜ARIA, where chef Massimiliano Blasone blends Italian and Japanese influences in a striking space with floor-to-ceiling windows and a breezy terrace overlooking the lake.
Address: Via E. Caronti, 69, 22020 Blevio CO, Italy
Amenities: Restaurants, bars, gym, spa, pools.
Bonus Tip: Those looking to tie the knot have their pick of dreamy on-site venues, including a glass-enclosed greenhouse with lake views, a classical amphitheater, and Villa del Lago. The latter is a neoclassical villa with floor-to-ceiling windows, occupancy for up to 180 guests, and a private dock on the lake.
Courtesy of Casa Olea Hotel