Il Sereno review: a uniquely modern hotel on the banks of Lake Como
This article contains affiliate links that will earn us revenue
Score 9/10Urquiola is one of her generation's pre-eminent designers. Her work is displayed in the permanent collection of MoMa in New York and the Fonds National d'Art Contemporain in Paris. As she is based in Milan, about an hour's drive away, Il Sereno feels like her weekend residence — and the attention to detail reflects that. The use of local book-matched marble is stunning, accessorised by Venetian terrazzo floors and walnut fixtures that add depth and warmth. For glamour, she's added watery blue, bronze and tangerine tones to the day beds from B&B Italia, husk armchairs by Moroso, custom lighting by Flos and covetable hand-knotted Warli rugs by Paolo Zani. Bathrooms are calming cocoons, many with deep tubs as well as rainforest showers. All are stocked with pampering black amber amenities by the A-list-approved Ex Voto Paris. There are also generous touches such as a complimentary panettone and minibars. In short, the rooms are so classy that you barely notice the dreamy views over the lake through the walls of windows.
Score 9/10 The Naples-born executive chef Raffaele Lenzi was running his own pastry shop at 14 and went on to work in world-class kitchens such as the then two-Michelin-starred Arquade at the Hotel Villa del Quar in Verona. He has been presiding over Ristorante Il Sereno Al Lago since 2016 and everything about this dining experience is theatrical. You approach via an extraordinary 'floating' sculptural staircase with walnut treads lashed together by copper-coloured metal rods, and sit beneath the building's ancient stone arches, the lake almost within touching distance.
Like the design, dinner takes its culinary cues from the past but adds a 21st-century dynamism. Tasting menus showcase Lombardian produce and you should expect the unexpected. Apologies for spoiling the surprises, but this might include a moreish hummus of fermented borlotti beans, perfectly cooked cauliflower with carbonara sauce, delicately piquant rainbow trout with sweet-and-sour melon and horseradish, and unforgettable veal osso buco. Breakfast embraces healthy granolas and fruit but can't resist Italian sugar hits of custard-filled doughnuts and panettone.
• More of the best hotels in Lake Como• Best villas in Lake Como
Score 9/10The sleek 18m infinity pool runs lengthwise to the lake and is fitted with underwater music and mood lighting. It has a smart sun deck lined with pea-green loungers. To its side is a mini sandy beach with direct access into the lake should you prefer to swim there. There are also paddleboards, kayaks and a rowing boat to take onto the water. The small spa is in a characterful old boat house and somehow squeezes in a hot tub, sauna, steam room, fitness centre and three treatment rooms where excellent therapists work their magic with products from the Swiss luxury skincare brand Valmont. The hotel also has its own private dock, three self-drive Riva boats and a Urquiola-designed Vaporina del Lago water limousine for aquatic explorations in style.
Score 8/10Torno is on your doorstep and is a pretty little town with atmospheric cafés, quaint churches and precious few tourists. If you hanker after hordes of holidaymakers, fashionable Como town is about a 15-minute drive away, where you'll find designer stores and fancy restaurants. Torno has a pier and ferry services and is about a ten-minute walk from the hotel for trips further afield.
Price B&B doubles from £765Restaurant three course menus from £112Family-friendly YAccessible Y
Susan d'Arcy was a guest of Il Sereno (serenohotels.com)
• Lake Como v Lake Garda: which one should you visit?• Best villas in Lake Garda
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
16 hours ago
- The Guardian
‘A delightful slice of unhurried life': readers' favourite European islands
Procida, in the Bay of Naples, is not as famous as nearby Capri and Ischia, but is all the more appealing for it. Not a tourist trap but an island where people actually live, it's a delightful slice of unhurried Italian life. The island is small enough to be explored on foot or by bicycle, though there is a bus service too. There are many pretty little beaches for swimming, sunbathing and picnicking – our favourite was Il Postino, where scenes from the movie of the same name were filmed. As people still fish for a living, there's no shortage of wonderfully fresh seafood in the restaurants. A local delicacy is lemon salad, made from the enormous, thick-skinned lemons unique to Procida. Villa Caterina B&B's orchard of lemon and orange trees provides fresh juice and marmalade for breakfast, and the rooms have wonderful views of the island and the bay, with Vesuvius looming in the distance and Naples only 45 minutes away by ferry. Bernie G When life gets too much, I dream of Styrsö in the Gothenburg archipelago. Big open skies, nature trails and heaps of swimming spots make this car-free island the perfect summer escape. It's topped off by a brilliant seafront restaurant, Tångbaren, where you can have a plateful of fresh seafood and a cold glass of wine, and watch the sea bob away. Hannah I was 21, living in Germany for a year to improve my language skills, and decided on a whim to visit the tiny East Frisian island of Spiekeroog (yes, it was the fantastic name that first attracted me to the place). I spent a happy couple of nights at the Hotel Inselfriede, a small family-run hotel just a 10-minute walk from where the ferry arrives from the mainland. The island is car-free and a beautifully peaceful place to explore the dunes or simply sit with a coffee and watch the Sa Dragonera is a tiny but utterly beautiful uninhabited island that lies just south-west of Mallorca in the Balearics. It is brimming with history (there are 18th-century watchtowers built to observe pirate activity). Supposedly named after the lizards that inhabit it, the island is a hugely popular walking and birding spot, and is only accessible by small ferries from the nearby Sant Elm. It is best to go first thing to beat the heat and pedestrian traffic – you won't regret it when you see the views from the Everyone knows that Greece has some of the most beautiful Mediterranean islands. But few foreign tourists have heard of Kythira and that's just the way the locals like it. For most of the year only about 3,500 people live on the island. In summer, however, thousands of Greeks come for holidays, many back to homes that have been in their family for generations. There are no major tourist resorts – it's a Greek island rich in history and tradition, with dozens of beautiful beaches. Andy Moffat Inisheer (or Inis Oírr), one of the three spectacular Aran Islands in Galway Bay, is my favourite small island by far. The ferry from Rossaveel on the mainland takes just under an hour, but you feel as if you've been transported back in time – this is a tiny island of stone walls, fishing boats, old cottages, and more ponies and traps than cars. You can walk or cycle across the island in an afternoon to explore shipwrecks and ancient ruins. At the end of the day, enjoy some traditional music in the charming pub. You can camp almost on the beach for a good price. Eleanor Sign up to The Traveller Get travel inspiration, featured trips and local tips for your next break, as well as the latest deals from Guardian Holidays after newsletter promotion Kuusiluoto is a gem in the heart of Helsinki, only reachable on foot across rickety wooden duckboards that make it feel like you're walking on water. Setting foot on the island, you'll meet a welcoming committee of friendly sheep. The only indication you're in a bustling European capital is the skyscrapers across the water. To get to Kuusiluoto, start from the city's technology museum (itself well worth visiting, and just a short bus journey from the city centre) and walk a couple of miles along well-marked paths through reed beds. The island has a sauna, woodland trails, free postcards and those most valuable attributes – peace and I didn't know much about Silba before I arrived – it's a small, car-free island with no hotels, just family-run guesthouses. The catamaran from Zadar takes roughly 90 minutes, with several sailings a day during summer. Once there, you can walk on shaded paths through olive groves, find quiet pebble coves with clear water for swimming, and climb the Toreta tower at sunset for great views of the Adriatic. My tip: bring a snorkel, stay at least two nights, and make sure you book your return ferry in advance as the schedules are On the community-owned Isle of Eigg, the constantly changing light is so enthralling that you don't need to do anything else during your stay but say 'Look!' and point out beautiful variations of rainbows, sunbursts or cloud formations. Stay at the Laig Beach Bothy and gaze out of the beautiful big windows at the sky, sea and mountains. As Virginia Woolf wrote: 'One should not let this gigantic cinema play perpetually to an empty house.' Anna The island of Ouessant (Ushant) is the most westerly point of metropolitan France. It's a short ferry ride from the mainland, and as wild as it gets. Visit for a day as part of a longer holiday, or stay on the island for your entire trip. You can hire bikes as soon as you step off the ferry. There are beautiful beaches, such as Plage du Prat; impressive lighthouses; and bars and restaurants in the main village of
Scottish Sun
18 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Jet2's new flight route to connect the UK to Greece's biggest island
Plus, the other new routes Jet2 has launched from this airport TAKING OFF Jet2's new flight route to connect the UK to Greece's biggest island JET2 will fly from East Midlands Airport to the beautiful island of Crete next summer. The budget airline is launching its second route to the island, heading to the city of Chania. The flights will start in May next year, and tickets are already on sale. 4 Jet2 will launch its second route to Crete from East Midlands Airport next summer Credit: Alamy 4 Chania has waterfront cafes and restaurants overlooking the harbour Credit: Alamy Jet2 will run a new weekly Tuesday service to Chania from May 26, 2026 to October 27, 2026. Sun Travel found one-way tickets on from £94. The flight to the city is the tenth route from East Midlands Airport to Greece, and the second to the island of Crete. Jet2 already offers a route to Heraklion, the capital of the island on the northern coast of the island of Crete, Greece. Chania has plenty to offer with pretty harbours and it is very near to one of the world's best beaches. When one Sun writer visited the city last year, he discovered great food and some of the cheapest pints on the Med. Other discoveries included the Venetian port and cosy taverns. The area is a hub of activity, with food, drink and shopping by the bright blue waterfront. The island has an impressive array of museums too, ranging from archaeology and the Byzantine period to the National Football Museum. Outside of the city are lots of beautiful coastlines, including Kalathas Beach, Agios Onoufrios Beach and Nea Chora Beach. A 'Maldives style' water bungalow resort in Greece has gone viral for being a fraction of the price of the bucket list holiday 4 The world-famous Elafonisi Beach is an hour and a half from Chania Credit: Getty For anyone who wants to see a world-famous beach, take a day trip to Elafonisi Beach which is a 90-minute drive from Chania. The beach on the southwest coast is known for having pink sand and blue waters and has been declared the best beach in the world by Tripadvisor for 2025. This new flight marks the tenth Greek destination route from the East Midlands Airport base next summer. From East Midlands Airport, anyone seeking Grecian sunshine can also head to Corfu, Heraklion (Crete), Kefalonia, Kos, Preveza, Rhodes, Skiathos, Thessaloniki and Zante. For summer 2026, Jet2 will have 43 destinations departing from East Midlands Airport. Other new routes include flights heading to Agadir, Costa de Almeria, Pula, Preveza, Thessaloniki and Split. Here's more on Jet2 flights heading to 17 destinations from Luton Airport over summer 2025. And Jet2's new flights that are connecting the UK to two Spanish beach cities.
ITV News
a day ago
- ITV News
Politics and protests: What to expect from Donald Trump's Scotland visit
Donald Trump will arrive in Scotland later on Friday, on his first visit to the UK since his re-election. The US president will be met by both political leaders and protests during the visit, which is expected to last five days, and will see him inaugurate a new golf course in Aberdeenshire. The trip comes two months before the King is due to welcome Trump for a formal state visit to the UK. The Trump administration continues to deal with turmoil on the home front, as the president struggles to salvage his reputation with voters amid reports around his friendship with convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. But Trump's visit to his ancestral home will hardly provide an escape from controversy. The visit has faced criticism from both political opponents and local residents, and will see a significant police operation across Scotland. Why is Trump visiting Scotland? Trump is expected to visit his Turnberry golf resort, as well as his course at Menie in Aberdeenshire. His trip also comes as a new golf course is about to debut on August 13, which the Trump family business has billed "the greatest 36 holes in golf." Trump is dedicating the new course to his Scottish-born mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, who grew up on the Isle of Lewis. But Trump's existing Aberdeenshire course has been mired in controversy in recent years, after it struggled to turn a profit, and was found by Scottish conservation authorities to have partially destroyed nearby sand dunes. Trump's company was also ordered to cover the Scottish government's legal costs after the course unsuccessfully sued over the construction of a nearby wind farm, arguing in part that it damaged golfers' views. Critics also argue the trip - which is expected to cost tens of thousands of dollars - is a blatant example of Trump blending his presidential duties with promoting his family's business interests. The White House has brushed off questions about potential conflicts of interest, arguing that Trump's business success before he entered politics was key to his appeal with voters. White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers called his visit "a working trip", but added that Trump has "built the best and most beautiful world-class golf courses anywhere in the world, which is why they continue to be used for prestigious tournaments and by the most elite players in the sport." Who will Trump meet during his visit? The president will meet with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during his stay, when the pair are expected to discuss the UK-US trade deal. Trump said the meeting would likely take place at one of his properties. He will also meet with Scottish First Minister John Swinney. The SNP leader previously said he would take the opportunity to raise various issues with the president, including tariffs, Gaza, and Ukraine. Speaking ahead of his arrival, Swinney said the global attention the visit will receive provides the opportunity to promote Scotland's tourism sector and economic investment potential, as well as to allow people to respectfully demonstrate the principles of freedom and justice. "Scotland shares a strong friendship with the United States that goes back centuries," he said ahead of the visit. "The partnership remains steadfast through economic, cultural and ancestral links - including, of course, with the president himself." The first minister said Scotland is a "proud democratic nation" that "stands firm on the principles of equality and freedom for all, and a society that stands up for a fair and just world." Swinney has been vocally critical of the US president in the past, and openly endorsed Trump's political opponent Kamala Harris before last year's election - a move branded an "insult" by a spokesperson for Trump's Scottish businesses. John Swinney has argued that it is "in Scotland's interest" for him to meet the president, and for the visit to go ahead. But some Scots disagree, and a major police operation is being mounted during the visit in anticipation of protests. Thousands of officers are expected to be deployed by Police Scotland, who will deal with planned mass protests around Trump's golf courses and major Scottish cities. Trade unions, disability rights activists, climate justice campaigners, Palestinian and Ukrainian solidarity groups and American diaspora organisations are among those holding demonstrations in protest of the visit. The Stop Trump Scotland group has encouraged demonstrators to come to Aberdeen and 'show Trump exactly what we think of him in Scotland.' A spokesperson for the organisation said: "The people of Scotland don't want to roll out a welcome mat for Donald Trump, whose government is accelerating the spread of climate breakdown around the world." They also said that people in Scotland "simply wanted to live in peace near what is now [Trump's] vanity project golf course", and have "experienced Trump's abusive and high-handed behaviour first-hand, long before he entered the White House." Protests are planned in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dumfries. During Trump's visit to Scotland in 2018, similar gatherings drew thousands of protestors.
