Hotel Olivedo

We had an attic room, which came with a ceiling window (with a block out blind) and another where the floor met the wall and looked out over Lake Como (see photo). That was a nice surprise! The room was well sized for two travellers. The furniture was old but in a good way that added to the charm. Fridge was restocked daily with complimentary sparkling and still water. The bathroom had toiletries including earplugs. On the weekend, the ferry announcements can be loud if you have the window open (which we did), so the earplugs were appreciated! The reason we had the window open was because. The air conditioning has set hours, but the room, being directly warmed by the ceiling window, would get quite warm. Brekky was a small but delicious buffet with the ability to order coffee and tea. All staff were very friendly. The elevator is very small and slow, and didn’t actually go to the top floor so we had to carry luggage up the last flight of stairs which wasn’t great, but obviously only something you have to do once! The rest of the time we used the stairs which seemed to be what most guests did.

This family run hotel and adjoining restaurant were a delightful and warm highlight of my Italian vacation. The location right on the lake provides guests with a fantastic view and an opportunity to observe the ferry arriving and departing, or to jump over to another town on the lake. Most of Varenna is quite steep but there are easier walking routes from this hotel where guests can access the main square. The service was amazing. Everyone, but mostly the proprietress, went out of their way to assist in any way possible. Breakfast was quite tasty but it did not compare with the incredible lunch on my second day, seated outside to enjoy the fresh air and watch the ferry. It was one of the best meals I enjoyed during my trip.

This started with the warm family welcome that extended through the entire stay. The room had the best view across the lake, yes Varenna was very busy but this hotel is a great sanctuary to explore the surrounding area from. Whilst it is not a modern newly built hotel, you really get a feel for the character of the place. A very good breakfast was provided and they reserve the area for hotel quests only. Don’t be afraid to book direct, they were very easy to deal with and I was very comfortable in the communications that I received. My wife and I would not hesitate to stay here again.