The exquisite all-suite hotel ‘Il Sereno Lago di Como’ on picturesque Lake Como – just a stone’s throw from the Swiss border – awaits us. The modern luxury hotel towers up from the foundation walls of an old villa, designed by star architect and designer Patricia Urquiola. The 30 suites are skilfully designed; high-quality materials, clear lines and soft colour tones convey a warm, natural atmosphere. A setting that makes you feel good and a must-see for design fans. And the outside areas, too, are incredibly beautiful. The enchanting garden provides a place to sit under lemon trees. There’s greenery growing everywhere, even on the façade of the hotel. Here, there’s lots to discover and enjoy.
The saffron risotto melts on the tongue; we swoon over the aubergine millefeuille and feast on the Milanese di vitello. Handmade pasta, mushrooms, pistachios, fresh fish from Lake Como, crisp vegetables and salad, tender meat, refined desserts – in the hotel’s own restaurant ‘Berton Al Lago’, master chef Andrea Berton from Milan presents his refined and newly interpreted version of regional North Italian cuisine – seasonal, fresh and healthy, as well as vegetarian and modern, not to mention the Michelin star the restaurant has been awarded. Head chef Raffaele Lenzi serves the delicacies both to hotel guests and to outside visitors, all of whom can enjoy the view directly over the lake while eating and breathing in the atmospheric charisma of this international, award-winning place. The whole experience is rounded off with an exquisite wine menu that focuses on Italian vineyard regions. Another culinary event is offered to us: a picnic trip on the lake, leaving directly from the hotel’s dock. In the exclusive designer picnic basket by Larusmiani, Raffaele Lenzi has put together Champagne and selected specialities to ensure that perfect dolce vita feeling. In a traditional Vaporina, as we coast by the magnificent historical villas of the rich and the beautiful, our picnic turns into a pic-chic. You never know; we might even catch a glimpse of George Clooney! We explore the impressive surroundings with one of the hotel’s own Ernesto Riva wooden yachts. These can be driven without a boat licence and are a lot of fun, as you can really enjoy yourself when you’re the person at the helm. But, of course, above all you find peace and relaxation in the attractive rooms of the hotel and on the banks of the deep blue lake. With their chic design, the stylish and elegant suites give you both a sense of security and a sense of freedom, all at the same time. ‘Il Sereno’: a perfect hide-away for the weekend, a place where you can relax, indulge and enjoy yourself, and where culinary delicacies and Italian style are perfectly combined.
