All’s well on the waters of Menaggio, Lake Como

Its glittering, villa-strung shores are backed by emerald-green mountains, setting a scenic and incredibly stylish stage for slow days spent on Lake Como’s waters — preferably from a private pontoon and vintage Riva boat. Over a spring weekend, Lex Duff checks in to Grand Hotel Victoria Concept & Spa for the lowdown on lakeside luxury.

Recently re-opened for the season, Grand Hotel Victoria stands proud on the shoreline of the small town of Menaggio, looking across the lago at the, perhaps more famous Bellagio, and we’re all the more spoilt for it. Lucky enough to spend three days in the lap of luxury overlooking the mountains that cradle the area, the water that spills up onto the shorelines and the dotting of old-luxury speedboats, the vibrant Italian flags flapping behind them in the wind, it’s easy to understand why Lake Como has been the favourite haunt of Roman Emperors and A-List celebrities alike.

The rain lasts until the next morning, and watching the clouds float past the windows from the lush king-size bed, espresso in hand, is a refreshingly slow start. I feel like I’ve relaxed a year’s worth in a single day.

It feels intimate. Like we are seeing a lesser-known side to the towns of Como while the raindrops dimple the lake. We spend the day driving around the area and surrounding villages and later in the day, as the sun starts to set and the clouds part, we retreat to the comfort of the hotel’s bar. We sip our Negronis as the sky shifts from blue to pink to purple as the sun goes down, admiring the high ceilings, antique detailing, oversized gilded mirrors and an ornate fireplace.

It’s one thing to come to Como to look for ‘the Clooneys’, it’s another entirely to feel like them on your stay. With our own private tour and explanation of the region, we spend the hour with mouths agape at the beauty of the local landscape, the terracotta towns dotting the hillsides and the show-stopping architecture and history of the most famous structures in the area. We even stop for a small swim in the lake, much to the surprise of our skipper who considers the springtime far too brisk for leaping off the back of the boat.

Lake Como is a place so often talked about that it’s easy to think one knows what to expect, that perhaps the hype isn’t as accurate as one could be led to believe. And as so often happens with places of luxury and beauty, it’s easy to allow the commentary to persuade your ideas. But there is nothing overrated about Como. Like all beautiful corners of Italy, there is always more to it, another element that meets the eye and locals whose pride in their home is ever palpable. If heaven is on earth, I’m now more convinced that it might just be in Como, and that Clooney may be onto something…

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