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There are few pleasures more exquisite than sitting on a terrace in a comfortable chair with a pot of tea on the table and with a soothing panorama of Lake Como upon which to gaze. Thus did I pass my afternoons at the wonderful Grand Hotel Tremezzo next to the Lago di Como. Across the water the pretty little town of Bellagio nestled on the opposite shore. All was as it should be, and as it has been since this imposing Belle Époque palace opened its doors in 1910. For over a century the great and the good have relaxed within its gilded halls – including, in 1934, the fabulous Greta Garbo.
Famously, Miss Garbo wanted to be alone, but I was happy to linger within the Grand Hotel’s public rooms, which include a billiards room, and to be with those persons of taste and refinement who had also chosen Tremezzo for a few days of rest and refreshment. I found those rooms spacious, comfortably (and colourfully) furnished and entirely appropriate for so imposing an edifice. I did not join those of my fellow guests who splashed about in the three swimming pools, nor those who tested their skills on the clay tennis court. But I did allow myself the exertion of a few wanderings in the hotel’s impressive gardens. They occupy twenty thousand square metres, and hereabouts are exceeded in attractiveness only by those of the neighbouring Villa Carlotta, one of Lake Como’s most famous tourist attractions.
The hotel is owned by the De Santis family. Mr Silvio Vettorello is the General Manager. Family hotels often – thankfully – exhibit the tastes and interests of their owners. Here there are works of art and pieces of antique furniture, which impart a pleasing sense of good taste and luxury.
My room,312, was on the third floor. It was a ‘Prestige Double’. (You will need to consult the hotel website for the rates for specific dates, but think around 600€ to 900€ a night bed and breakfast for two, according to season.) A corridor hall with fitted wardrobes led into a bright room with a splendid headboard of carved and gilded wood above the bed. The air conditioning could be controlled, and there was space for a writing table and two armchairs. A French window opened onto a balcony with a view over the lake. The bathroom was behind a sliding door in the hall and was a chamber of grey marble. Here I could soak in the properly sized bath and indulge in the toiletries by Aqua Como. The bathroom also contained one wash basin, a bidet and the loo.
Eating at the Tremezzo is a particular joy, for the establishment prides itself on the high quality of its food and service. There are four places to eat: the gastronomic restaurant La Terrazza Gualtiero Marchesi, the trattoria L’Escale, a pizza and steak bar by the swimming pool and an open grill on the sandy lido. I tried the first two.
L’Escale, with its low lighting, metal tables and banquettes has the feeling of a cosy cellar. The waiters – mine was the excellent Tiziano – wear check waistcoats and there is canned music. Wine bottles are displayed, and from those I chose the ever-reliable Sicilian chardonnay by Planeta. Its buttery flavours and bold structure never fail to please me. My food was straightforward and enjoyable: rich tagliatelle carbonara, lovely sea bass (simply grilled and served with good chips) and meringue with strawberry ice cream.
On a more exalted culinary plain, La Terrazza Gualtiero Marchesi serves dishes which were all devised by the famous chef Gualtiero Marchesi. (Now no longer with us, Chef Marchesi was regarded as the founder of modern Italian cuisine). His magnificent creations are brought to life by the Executive Chef of the Tremezzo, Osualdo Presazzi. The atmosphere was exactly right for a grand dinner, with good Schott glassware, fine off-white napery, a single candle burning on each table and formal service supervised by the Restaurant Manager, Paolo. And the charming Mr Enrico Dandolo, Chef Marchesi’s son-in-law and the CEO of the Gruppo Gualtiero Marchesi, was present, to ensure that everything was exactly right. It was. I was particularly grateful that a supportive chair had been brought from the bar for my ailing back. (This little kindness tells you much about the Tremezzo’s care for its guests.)
I began with a wonderful combination: lobster on a sauce of sweet red peppers. Simple yet brilliant in conception, its execution was admirable. Then came a dish of which I will never tire, tagliolini with white truffle. The pasta was soft and yielding and the fungus was grated over it at the table. Superbly simple and simply superb. Bread-crusted turbot (boned by the table) was terrific, the succulent fish admirably helped along by a light herb sauce and steamed potatoes. I ended with an airy passion fruit soufflé with chocolate sauce. (These four courses were 175€.) This was a very, very good meal – of which I am sure Chef Marchesi himself would have been proud.
The wine list has 308 offerings. All are Italian, except the champagnes. The grapes of each wine are given. Prices run from 40€ for a sparkling wine from Emilia Romagna to 1,980€ for 1985 Krug Collection champagne. Temptations abound. The following caught my eye: Krug Grande Cuvée (370€), its Italian equivalent, 2007 Anna Maria Clementi Franciacorta, Ca’del Bosco (220€), 2004 Cristal (880€), 2017 Cervaro della Sala (105€) and 1999 Gaja barbareso (530€). Of the 10 vintages of Solaia, I would go for the 1997 (780€). I was very grateful to Paolo, the Restaurant Manager, for recommending a super, big, bold chardonnay from the Valle d’Aosta, which was unknown to me – Cuvée Bois, Les Crêtes, 2016 (95€). It was exactly right for the turbot. With the truffle, the proper thing was a light red, so I quaffed a glass of nebbiolo (Bricco del Drago Langhe, Poderi Colla – 18€).
Breakfast was served in the same room, but the atmosphere was now less formal and was full of morning liveliness. The adjacent, large chamber was full of buffet tables, piled high with a remarkable variety of comestibles – including chunks of the most divine chocolate. I tried my best to avoid such naughtiness (not always successfully), and concentrated on the honeys, marmalades, scrambled eggs, cheesecake, fruit, hams and cheeses. All this food was of the highest quality, as were the omelettes straight from the kitchen. I liked particularly the warm croissants, brought to me each day by one of the kind staff to go with my concluding cappuccino. My breakfasts at the Tremezzo were happy occasions.
Indeed, my whole stay was a happy occasion. Its location, its food, its service, its comfort and its style make the Grand Hotel Tremezzo one of the finest hotels in Italy.
Vi Regina 8, 22019 Tremezzo, Lago di Como, Italy.
Telephone +39 0344 42491
Fax +39 0344 40201
Email: reservations@grandhoteltremezzo.com
www.grandhoteltremezzo.com
Double rooms from 600€-900€, according to season
Check the hotel website for the prices for specific dates and for special offers
