Grand Hotel Tremezzo
April 2024
This legendary hotel in Lake Como is located in the small town of Tremezzo. For over a century, Grand Hotel Tremezzo has offered guests an escape with its luxurious rooms, magnificent views of Lake Como, and spectacular service.
What stood out:
The Grand Hotel Tremezzo’s signature white and orange stripe motifs are everywhere, and every part of this property is perfectly maintained. Standouts are the Italian Riveria inspired “beach” by the lake, and of course, their iconic floating pool over Lake Como.
The service is outstanding; from the moment you arrive, you will feel welcomed. Check-in involves front desk staff walking guests to their rooms with a room tour. Waiters at the restaurants remember guests. Housekeeping even leave small gifts during turndown service.
Booking and Arrival
The Grand Hotel Tremezzo is open seasonally, from March to November, and close during winter months for renovations. Peak season is during the summer months from May to September. Our stay was during the last week of April 2024. Base room rates during this time started at 1100 euros per night.
The best way to get to the hotel is to take a train to the town of Como (Como San Giovanni train station). From there, you can take a taxi to get to the hotel, which is about 30km (18 miles) away. There is a small taxi line at the front of the train station, though you may be waiting around for taxis to arrive depending on the time of day. Of note, there is no Uber in this part of Italy.
For convenience, we ask the hotel is to arrange for private transfer, which was charged to the hotel bill. The driver was waiting for us in the train station with a hotel sign. The ride took approximately 45 minutes.
On arrival, the bellhop came to assist with our luggage and took us up an elevator to get to the lobby, which is located on the 2nd floor. The lobby is your first glimpse of the historic decor of the property, which includes beautiful flower arrangements in the center. There is also a candy counter located in the lobby, complementary for guests to grab a sweet treat whenever they like; I thought it was a nice touch and noticed that they change out the candy selection every few days.
Check-in on the lobby floor was welcoming and quick. We were taken to our room by a front desk staff, who gave us a quick tour of the property and of the room.
Room
We booked the base room, which is a Park View Prestige Room.
I was blown away by the garden views from the room; due to how much care the hotel takes to upkeep and maintain the grounds, the garden looks like a scene out of a movie. The room itself was spacious with a small sitting area. The bathroom included a double sink vanity with a large tub and separate walk in shower.
What sets the room (and this hotel) apart from others properties is the little details; the hairdryer is a Dyson. The bath products is from the hotel’s own line, Aqua Como. Every evening housekeeping came to perform turndown service and would leave small hotel branded gifts for us to enjoy, including mints and an Aqua Como-scented air freshener.
Dining
La Terrazza
Our booking included daily breakfast, which is located in La Terrazza. Seating is in a covered terrace that looks out onto Lake Como. Breakfast includes a buffet and also made to order items such as omelets and waffles. The buffet selection is extensive; includes hot items (sausage, bacon, potatoes) and cold items (pastries, cereals, cheese, deli meats, fruits). Staff assist guests with plating and selecting items.
T-Bar
T-Bar is located on the lobby level of the hotel and serves cocktails and small menu selection of food throughout the day. Like La Terrazza, seating at T-bar is on a covered terrace that overlooks Lake Como. We came here on two separate afternoons for aperitivo, an Italian tradition of pre-meal drinks and snacks. Both times we were given a selection of snacks with our drinks, like potato chips, olives, crackers. One night we were also given some appetizers to enjoy. It was a great way to unwind after a day of sight seeing.
T-Pizza
T-Pizza is located in the property gardens, next to the pool. It serves lunch and dinner, and as it’s name indicates, focuses on pizza. These Napoli-style pizzas are made in a wood burning oven. We ordered a classic Margherita pizza, and it was amazing! One of the best pizzas we had in Italy.
L’escale
L’escale is the Michelin-starred trattoria on-property. We did not eat here, but would definitely like to next time we return. Reservations are recommended.
T-Beach and the Floating Pool
Probably the most iconic feature of the Grand Hotel Tremezzo is the floating pool. When we were there in late April, it was still a bit too chilly to swim as the pool is not heated (we were told by staff the water is quite cold). There is direct access to the lake from the pool platform as well.
Next to the floating pool is T-Beach. This “beach” is inspired by the Italian Riviera, with real sand and lots of loungers for guests to relax along the river bank. In the peak of summer, this area must get quite busy, but during our stay we only saw a handful of guests lounging throughout the day.
Da Giacomo al Lago is the pool-side restaurant, serving lunch and dinner. We had lunch here; the menu focuses on seafood. The fried seafood appetizer and prawn tortelli were both magnificent and highly recommended.
Flowers Pool, T-Spa, Tennis Court
Within the gardens on the backside of the property is the picturesque Flowers Pool, which is heated. Throughout the gardens there are loungers with umbrellas, all in the signature Grand Hotel Tremezzo colors of white and orange. There is also a clay tennis court, and rackets can be borrowed to play.
The spa (T-Spa) can be accessed through a walkway through the garden. It does include a heated infinity pool that has views of Lake Como. The glass walls retract to allow the pool to be outdoors during the summer months. When we visited, the glass walls remained in place to keep and area warm.
Conclusion
Grand Hotel Tremezzo is an iconic property on Lake Como; every part of this property exudes luxury and sophistication. It’s the little details that set this hotel apart from others, and Grand Hotel Tremezzo works hard to make sure the guest experience is up to their high standards. I cannot wait for the chance to return in the future!