Review: Villa d'Este – a Christmas spectacle on Lake Como

Nothing says Christmas like a panoply of lights, a mug of hot cocoa and festive decorations, as I discovered last December when I stayed at Villa d’Este on Lake Como in Italy. The hotel, located in the small town of Cernobbio, northwest of Como, was originally built in 1568 as a summer residence.

In 1873 it was transformed into a hotel, capturing a timeless elegance that it has preserved to this day. Think antique furnishings, opulent chandeliers and marble bathrooms.

The property comprises 25 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens, fronted by the famous lake. While Villa d’Este is a popular retreat in summer, especially among celebrities and the well-heeled, the magic really unfolds in winter, against the backdrop of the Italian Alps.

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The hotel opened its doors in winter for the first time in 2022 to mark its 150th anniversary and it has continued to do so every year. Each winter, Villa d’Este hosts a Christmas soirée, and last year it was transformed into a winter wonderland through its extravagant décor, delicious food and warm hospitality.

I stayed in an elegant “Junior Suite Lake View Deluxe”, which, as the name suggests, has large windows that look out onto the water. The suite is spacious, with a separate living-room area, bedroom, a large bathroom and a walk-in wardrobe.

Truffles are on the menu in winter

When it comes to food, Italy excels at doing the simple things brilliantly and nowhere was this more evident than in the penne arrabbiata I enjoyed at the nearby Harry’s Bar (mains cost around €30).

The restaurant, a ten-minute walk from the hotel, is affiliated to Villa d’Este and it has been serving authentic homemade food for almost 80 years. It must be doing something right, because at lunchtime, the restaurant was full of locals.

Within Villa d’Este itself, there is the Grill restaurant, which is open between April and October; Il Patinto, open during the summer; and the Veranda, which is open year-round. All of the food I tried during my stay was excellent, especially the fried courgettes.

Otherwise, it is the truffle that takes centre stage at Villa d’Este in winter. The menu offers white truffle tagliolini, and you can even have truffle with your eggs at breakfast. In Italy, the season for eating truffles runs from the end of October to early January.

A boat trip on Lake Como

For the warmer months, the hotel has an outdoor swimming pool that floats on the edge of the lake – the first of its kind. But there is also an indoor pool as part of Villa d’Este’s sports centre.

Here, you will find plenty to keep you busy during your stay – a golf club, a 24-hour gym and eight tennis courts. Regardless of the weather, I recommend taking the boat tour on Lake Como. The boat is heated and a guide points out the various landmarks and homes of celebrities located along the waterfront.

During the day, you might enjoy, as I did, a 90-minute facial at the Beauty Maison spa. The specialist talked me through the various steps for looking after my skin and afterwards, my skin felt rejuvenated. I still follow the advice.

As for the evenings, they are filled with live music at the hotel’s bar or at the jazz club, which has a speakeasy vibe. The latter is a winter-only gem, too, running between November and January.

The “Chocolate Room”, dedicated to Italian chocolate, made in-house by Villa d’Este’s chefs, is another highlight of the winter season. If there’s one thing I would go back for, it would be to enjoy the views on beautiful Lake Como, while tucking into fresh panettone.

Villa d’Este this Christmas

This festive season promises to better than ever at Villa d’Este, writes Chris Carter. Guests can enjoy the views on Lake Como as they would in summer from the extended, glass-fronted Lake Terrace. The ornate interiors of the Sala Colonne have also been transformed into this year’s Chocolate Room for delicious, artisanal sweet treats.

A series of “wine dinners” provide the opportunity to learn about world-famous wines, including Domaine de la Romanée-Conti on 18 and 19 December.

The menu for the “Christmas Eve Dinner” has been designed to be indulgent and modern, while lunch on Christmas Day will be a more “convivial” affair, focused on Italian culinary traditions and local specialities. Meanwhile, at the jazz club, acclaimed artists Karima and Gegè Telesforo will take to the stage.

This winter, luxury skincare brand Biologique Recherche Beauty Maison also returns to Villa Malakoff, an elegant 19th-century lakeside villa in the grounds. Guests are invited to indulge in a VIP Soin Oxygénant treatment – a 90-minute “ritual” to restore the skin’s vitality and radiance in time for the party season.

Vaishali was a guest of Villa d’Este on Lake Como. From €1,300 for a Double Classic Room per night, including breakfast.

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