Il Sereno Lago di Como

Easily one of the best, if not the best, hotel in which I have ever stayed. The design of the entire property is outstanding. It is extremely modern, but yet also has a cozy feel. The entire staff is hospitable, warm, friendly, yet not intrusive at all. Rarely does a hotel have such a friendly staff in all areas (bar, restaurant, pool, spa, reception) but somehow they have done it. I strongly recommend getting a room with a balcony; we had breakfast in our room (there's no extra charge if it's included in your room rate) and ate it on the balcony which was a real treat. We also booked a package with the hotel (rather than going through Amex) as it honestly was a better deal - it included a tasting menu (and wine pairing!) at their restaurant. I still remember the pasta course! The restaurant is fancy, but not stuffy. I think it's worth going to at least once. I also really appreciated the healthy food options at the bar/casual restaurant. Sometimes you just want a salad for lunch! They have a delicious, perfectly balanced Nicoise salad that I had multiple times. The only downside has nothing to do with the hotel specifically: Lake Como, wherever you go, is very expensive. Cabs are not reliable, so you have to arrange a car service or boat to other towns. I was extremely content to stay on the property, given everything I've written here. We are already thinking about returning next year!

Il Sereno delivered! Small, newish hotel with modern, spacious, luxurious rooms, all overlooking beautiful Lake Como. Staff to guest ratio VERY favorable. And staff is delightful. High end restaurant is excellent. If we have a "complaint", it's that we just couldn't make ourselves (we were with our 10 year old daughter) do the fine dining experience every night. We took a guided boat tour of the lake one day with an outside operator, something we'd recommend. Highly recommended: reserve one of the hotel's motor boats for a couple of hours and take it out yourself. It was a trip highlight.

I am giving this review 5 stars because of how the property and staff handled the problem. On the plus: the property is stunning, the service is exceptional and it’s one of the few properties with balconies right on the lake. We actually loved pretty much everything about the property. We loved Isabelle in guest services, too, who really helped us with the trip. On the negative (and i guess this is a positive for some) we were really surprised given the few number of rooms at how family friendly the hotel was. Given this and the small number of rooms it’s amazing that a large family with little ones can disrupt a large portion of vacationers stay as did in our experience. There was not much that could be done. I would encourage this property to institute either a no kids policy altogether or 12+. Unfortunately i don’t think I would stay there again given this — and due to the lack of pool rules (kids jumping and screaming in the pool as if it was their own etc). It’s a shame that this family created such havoc in the hotel and I suspect this has happened before during high season, especially.

PLEASE READ - HONEST REVIEW FROM HOTEL SNOB WHO LOVES TOP NOTCH SERVICE AND AMENITIES. IL SERENO ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🤌🏽🤌🏽🤌🏽❤️❤️❤️ Lake Como’s BEST 5 star resort!!! Wow: this was our first time to Lake Como and Il Sereno was PERFECTION!!! We vacation as a family at many 5 star properties but Sereno is now our favorite!!! - gorgeous property on the lake with stunning views - modern rooms are spacious, comfy and everything works properly - SERVICE SERVICE SERVICE: with only 40 suites the hotel team treats you like family and give the most amazing and thoughtful service. From the guys at the pool & dock, to the concierge team, the food and beverage, even the valet. Everyone treats you like family and is well trained and genuinely wants to provide a great experience. You feel the love and it’s special. (Special shout out to Gabrielle at the pool, Isabella at concierge and Matteo at the restaurant - truly special individuals who my family won’t soon forget. - food is superb: Michelin star restaurant in lobby but they always say yes and even allowed us to order from the all day menu when we wanted less sophisticated foods for the kids (and myself)

Wow! I was blown away by this property, perfectly situated on Lake Como! The boat that you can rent provided for one of the most unforgettable experiences I’ve ever had with my boyfriend. Above all else though, was the staff! Of all the hotels I’ve ever been to, I’ve never encountered a more accommodating and friendly staff. Hospitality at its absolute finest!