About the hotel
Hotel Bellagio is a fairly small hotel in the heart of the village of Bellagio, on the shores of Lake Como. The Bellagio is a two-star hotel which is both smarter and more expensive than its category suggests. In high season this is, like everywhere in Bellagio, an expensive place to stay. The hotel is in a convenient position though, and has lovely views over the lake. I stayed at the hotel some years ago and was really pleased with it. Do check the latest reviews through the link on this page when you book.
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Booking online and prices
I booked a double room with a lake view online, using the links on this page. July is peak tourist season and I paid the room’s top rate of 160 per night. A room without a view would have cost 20 less per night.
Location and arrival
The hotel is up Salita Grandi, one of the narrow stepped lanes which rise from the waterfront in Bellagio. There’s a sign for the hotel at the foot of the alley, and you’ll be able to see the hotel sign a short distance up. The location is very convenient – a short walk along the waterfront and then uphill from the town’s bus stop, and an even shorter walk from the ferry stops. It is, however, necessary to climb up the cobbled steps of the alley to reach the hotel. Inside the hotel, which has six floors, there is a lift to spare guests any further effort. We arrived exhausted, having set off up the wrong alley on our first attempt, and were checked in and shown to our room by the receptionist.
Bedroom and facilities
Our bedroom, like the rest of the hotel, was simple but smart. The decor and fittings were modern and new, and we liked the cool, up-to-date character of our mostly-white bedroom. As requested, the hotel had made up separate twin beds. The room wasn’t very large – there was just space to walk around the bed – but it was well-equipped with a desk, two chairs to sit on, bedside tables, a flat-screen TV (with English-language news channels) and lots of wardrobe space. The beds were comfortable and everything seemed fresh and spotless. We didn’t have a fridge or mini-bar, but we did have a safe, a full-length mirror (inside the wardrobe door) and coat hooks.
Our bathroom was a good size, with an efficient shower and clean, modern fittings. The hotel provided basic toiletries, though rather oddly we were only supplied with ‘intimate cleanser’ rather than the normal soap and shower gel. The rooms were cleaned fairly well and towels were changed each day.
The best thing about our room was the view. We had a corner room on the third floor, with a full-length window opening onto a wonderful panorama. We could see across the lake and watch boats arriving and departing from the jetties nearby. A second window had a view over the hillside villas of Bellagio. We were able to lie on the beds and enjoy the scenery. It was fiddly opening and closing the external shutters, so for a couple of nights we woke early to daylight and lake views. The hotel had air-conditioning but we found our room uncomfortably warm and were frustrated to find we couldn’t control the temperature ourselves. However, a quick trip to reception solved the problem. The room was comfortable and quiet; the double-glazing was very effective and we weren’t disturbed by any noise.
Breakfast and hotel facilities
The hotel has a good-sized breakfast room with more tables on a pleasant terrace outside. Breakfast was a continental-style buffet, offering croissants, rolls, jams and spreads, yoghurts, cereals and fresh fruit. Guests helped themselves to toast, hot drinks and to fruit juice. The croissants were fresh and the buffet was good for what it was, though there was less variety than one sometimes finds in Italy (no cheeses or meats, for example, though there was a big selection of pre-packaged pâtés).
There is a little sun-terrace on the top floor of the hotel, but those really keen on sunbathing or swimming will be more interested in the hotel’s arrangement with a nearby ‘sporting club’. This is under the same management and guests of Hotel Bellagio can use the pool, loungers and restaurant. During our stay there was a shuttle service several times a day, to be arranged with the receptionists. The hotel also offers discounts at the restaurant of a sister hotel (the Hotel du Lac).
Customer service
Staff at the hotel were all civil and helped when asked. There were a couple of occasions when reception was unstaffed for several minutes, but generally there was someone there to help with queries, such as turning down the temperature of the air-conditioning. However, the service lacked the kind of friendliness Italians are usually so good at. When we walked past reception, the staff rarely looked up or greeted us, and on check-out our treatment was surprisingly off-hand.
My view
I really appreciated the efficient contemporary feel of the hotel and the simple decor of our room. The views were outstanding and the location was extremely convenient. The hotel was relatively expensive, but Bellagio in July is an expensive destination. The breakfast and the service were the weak points of the hotel. I think that more warmth from staff would have elevated the hotel into a really special place to stay. I’d recommend the hotel to guests wanting a practical and smart base in Bellagio. Our lake-view room would have made a lovely hideaway for a honeymoon or romantic break. The steps up to the hotel would render it impractical for visitors with impaired mobility, but for other travellers this is a good place to stay in Bellagio.
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