Head-to-head · Lake Como
Two grand hotels in the middle of Lake Como, on opposite shores. Grand Hotel Tremezzo is fun, colorful and my favorite on the lake. Villa Serbelloni is very historic, with the lake’s best swimming, in the heart of Bellagio. Here is how I would choose.
Toured Grand Hotel Tremezzo, with lunch · Stayed at Villa Serbelloni · October 2026
My favorite hotel on Lake Como. Tiered gardens with my favorite pool, five restaurants, a clay court and lake-view junior suites looking straight across at Bellagio. Stay here and visit Bellagio by boat.
My Grand Hotel Tremezzo review →
Very historic and beautifully maintained, with a stunning modern spa, a little speakeasy bar I loved, and the best setup on the lake for actually swimming. It’s in Bellagio, which is the catch.
My Villa Serbelloni review →
| Grand Hotel Tremezzo | Villa Serbelloni | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Tremezzo, mid-lake on the west shore, facing Bellagio | Bellagio, where the lake’s branches meet |
| My visit | Toured, had lunch | Stayed |
| The building | A 1910 Art Nouveau grand hotel | A historic grand hotel at the water’s edge |
| The look | Colorful and restored, like a Wes Anderson film | Frescoes, chandeliers, damask and antiques; a bit too old for my taste |
| Size | About 80 rooms, reworked to add more suites | More than 90 rooms |
| Room to book | A junior suite or above with a lake view and balcony | A lake-view room with a balcony |
| Swimming | A garden pool (my favorite), an indoor-outdoor pool and one floating on the lake | A pool, a beach and a floating pier into the lake; the best for swimming |
| Dining & extras | Five restaurants and a clay court | Three places to eat, a speakeasy bar and a stunning modern spa |
| Crowds | Outside guests come in droves | Bellagio is incredibly crowded, even in October |
| Getting there | Car to Como, then about 30 minutes by private boat | Car to Como, then about 30 minutes by private boat |
| Best for | Families, first trips, couples who like a buzz | Lovers of historic hotels and art, swimmers, travelers set on Bellagio |
Work with me and you get Fora perks, typically a space-available upgrade, daily breakfast and a hotel credit, plus someone who knows these hotels personally: I request a lake-view junior suite at Tremezzo or a lake-view balcony room at Serbelloni, and arrange the car from Milan and the boat from Como. Same rate as booking direct.
Grand Hotel Tremezzo is my favorite hotel on Lake Como. Walking in is like stepping into a Wes Anderson film: the valets made me feel welcome, the tiered gardens are stunning, and the lake-view junior suites look straight across at Bellagio. It’s sceney, and outside guests come in droves, but it’s the most fun hotel on the lake.
Villa Serbelloni is an interesting hotel, and I’m still making up my mind about it. It’s very historic and beautifully kept, the modern spa is stunning, and in summer it would be the best hotel on the lake for swimming. But the decor is a bit too old for my taste, and Bellagio is incredibly crowded. I was there in October; I can’t imagine July and August.
For most trips, I’d book Tremezzo and visit Bellagio by boat. If you love old Italian hotels and art, and Bellagio is the point of your trip, Serbelloni is a beautiful choice.
Villa Serbelloni puts all of Bellagio’s restaurants outside the front door. The trade-off is that Bellagio is the lake’s most famous village and it’s packed with day-trippers. It was crowded when I stayed in October; July and August would be a nightmare.
Grand Hotel Tremezzo looks straight across the water at Bellagio. You can visit by boat, have lunch, and come home to the gardens. Tremezzo has its own crowds, since outside guests are welcome, but the garden pool and the indoor-outdoor pool stay calm and private.
If being in the lake matters to you, Villa Serbelloni wins: a pool, a beach and a floating pier you can jump into the water from. It’s the best setup I’ve seen on Como. The spa was the other surprise; in a hotel this historic, I didn’t expect something so modern and beautiful.
At Grand Hotel Tremezzo, my favorite is the pool up in the tiered gardens. There’s also a pool floating on the lake, but I’m not a fan of those: they rock with the water and can make you queasy.
At Grand Hotel Tremezzo, book a junior suite or above with a lake view. They’re spacious and beautifully restored, with balconies and gorgeous bathrooms, and you feel like you’re sitting right on top of the lake. Garden-view rooms look onto pretty gardens and cost less.
Villa Serbelloni’s rooms are very traditional: frescoes, chandeliers, damask and antiques, all beautifully kept. If you love that, you’ll love it here. For my taste it’s a bit too old. Ask for a lake-view room with a balcony.
Both hotels are in the middle of the lake, and the road from the town of Como takes 45 minutes to an hour, narrow and winding. For Grand Hotel Tremezzo and Villa Serbelloni alike, I arrange a private car from Milan to the water in Como, then about 30 minutes by private boat to the hotel’s dock.
Once you’re there, the moods are opposite. Tremezzo is playful, colorful and relaxed; service at lunch was solid, neither overly formal nor overly attentive. Serbelloni is old-school: service is formal and polished, but warm, and I never felt unwelcome.
For most travelers, Grand Hotel Tremezzo. It’s my #01 on Lake Como: fun, beautifully located facing Bellagio, and great for families. Villa Serbelloni is right if you love historic hotels and art, want to swim in the lake, and Bellagio is the point of your trip.
I’d steer most clients away from sleeping there. Bellagio is very crowded, even in October. You can visit it easily by boat from Grand Hotel Tremezzo, directly across the water. If Bellagio is the point, Villa Serbelloni puts you in the middle of it.
Villa Serbelloni: a pool, a beach and a floating pier into the lake. Grand Hotel Tremezzo has a lovely garden pool, which is my favorite there, plus an indoor-outdoor pool and one floating on the lake.
Grand Hotel Tremezzo, my pick for families on Lake Como. It’s lively with lots to do. The property is built into the hillside, so there are a lot of stairs.
At Grand Hotel Tremezzo, a junior suite or above with a lake view and balcony. At Villa Serbelloni, a lake-view room with a balcony.
The same way: a private car from Milan to the water in the town of Como, then about 30 minutes by private boat to Grand Hotel Tremezzo or Villa Serbelloni. It’s faster than the road and far more memorable. I arrange both legs.
Tell me your dates and who is coming, and I will tell you which one fits and which room to ask for.
Grand Hotel Tremezzo review → Villa Serbelloni review → Grand Hotel Tremezzo or Villa d’Este → Villa d’Este or Villa Serbelloni → My Lake Como guide →