A vast, over-the-top example of Belle Epoque architecture, this majestic old lakeside hotel in Stresa boasts exquisitely manicured and landscaped gardens. The interior lives up to the exterior’s beauty with panache; all is tastefully ornate and gilded, like a mini-Versailles. Doubles with garden views are decorated in a (relatively) discreet manner, with bathrooms luxuriously outfitted in marble. The fabulously glitzy Hemingway Suite (the famous writer actually stayed there twice, once right after WWII and again in 1948) includes three bedrooms, a living room, four bathrooms, and a terrace overlooking the lake. Relax at the blissful spa and take your meals at the gourmet restaurant with a lakeview terrace.