Frommer's Review
This is one of the grande dame hotels of the Italian lakes, a favorite of Ernest Hemingway, who set part of A Farewell to Arms in the hotel. Renovations over the past decade have restored the elegance to the decor -- gilded stuccoes, mosaics lining the hall runners, giant Murano chandeliers -- in the spirit and style of the 1860s era in which the hotel was built. Its Liberty-style facade is surrounded by well-manicured gardens of palms, flowers, ponds, fountains, and pools. Rooms come in various types. "Alla Stresa" means 19th-century-style furnishings in intricately inlaid wood, large, comfy beds, and marble bathrooms. "Al Impero" rooms are done in Empire style, with gilded Napoleon-type headboards and dressers, richly patterned carpets, pietra dura inlaid stone tabletops, and stucco decorations in the bathrooms. "Alla Baveno" rooms are mostly junior suites, some on the garden and some with lake views, with small tapestries, elegantly detailed lacquer furnishings, Murano chandeliers, and gilded and inlaid appointments. Suites are sumptuous and vary widely; the Hemingway suite in particular is out of this world (and at a cool 2,860€/$3,718 per night, a wee bit out of most people's price range), with two bedrooms of half-tester king-size beds, three bathrooms (two with Jacuzzi tubs built for two), frescoed ceilings, and a large terrace. The hotel cares for all its guests, though; they even added balconies to the least expensive rooms, the ones on the back overlooking the mountains.
Facilities: 2 restaurants (elegant Italian, poolside lunch bar); bar; 2 outdoor heated pools (1 for diving); indoor pool; nearby golf course; outdoor tennis courts; large exercise room; spa; Jacuzzi; sauna; concierge; tour desk; business center; salon; limited room service; massage; babysitting; laundry service; dry cleaning (same day)
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
