Best Summer 2022 Destinations: Lake Como’s Grand Hotel Tremezzo

In the 1932 film, Grand Hotel, Greta Garbo called Lake Como’s Grand Hotel Tremezzo “that sunny, happy place.” Ninety years later, the glittering resort, which overlooks Bellagio from the incomparable lake’s very heart, still lives up to the compliment—and then some.

Discerning travelers looking for an uber-luxe escape on the achingly idyllic, 56-square-mile lake will want for nothing here: from the hotel’s iconic floating pool and private beach club, to its colorfully chic art nouveau interiors and five acres of artfully manicured grounds, the entire experience immerses guests in la dolce vita at its best. Having reopened on April 1st, this nearly 112-year-old grande dame has unveiled some new surprises for the 2022 season.

First on the list: a series of bespoke wellness escapes—comprising mountain hikes, wild swimming, personal training, and yoga—complemented by an array of soul- and muscle-soothing therapies. From silvotherapy (an immersion in nature that often involves touching or hugging trees) on the grounds of exquisite sister property Villa Sola Cabiati, to a specialized heat experience at its world-class T Spa, which takes guests on a wellness-boosting journey through a myriad of temperatures—there’s something for even the most sophisticated spa aficionados. Other highlights include an invigorating hammam lipolytic ritual, a sleep ritual incorporating the natural calm-inducing properties of local plants, and a selection of pampering-with-purpose massages and facials using products from Florence’s renowned Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella.

Fashionistas and Italophiles alike will revel in the hotel’s newly unveiled “Sense of Moda” experiences, an extension of its chic e-boutique, Sense of Lake—a brainchild of the hotel’s charismatic and visionary owner and CEO, Valentina De Santis. Designed to offer exclusive insight into Italy’s inimitable tradition of unrivaled craftsmanship, they provide guests the opportunity to meet with the talented teams and families behind the boutique’s curated collection of accessories, fashion, and housewares—which includes items exclusively designed for the hotel by brands like BRIC’S, Back Label, and F.R.S. Itineraries—such as a visit to the Mantero silk factory in Como to create a custom silk scarf—include a delectable dining experience and a special gift from Sense of Lake.

The hotel’s biggest seasonal surprise awaits in June: the debut of Passalacqua, a circa-1787 former private villa that De Santis and her family have painstakingly transformed into a 24-suite,“once-in-a-century” five-star hotel on Lake Como’s storied shores. Judging from the Grand Hotel Tremezzo’s rarefied status as an enduring and endlessly innovative icon of Italian hospitality, its hotly anticipated opening promises to make a worldwide splash.