Contemporary spirit at the Grand Hotel Victoria in Menaggio

To the eyes of wealthy foreign travellers, Italy seems to consist of just a few places: Rome, Florence, Venice, sometimes Apulia and a few villages in Liguria, then Lake Como. Everyone wants to go to the most famous lake in the world. But why? As always, there are more than one reason for the rise of a location. Partly it was the fuse triggered by George Clooney with his villa and his entourage of superstars; partly the Italian hospitality families have enhanced the structures inherited from a nobility of good taste. And then there are important botanical gardens, the proximity to Malpensa international airport, local entrepreneurial skill, and the arrival of large international groups that have opened impeccable new five-star hotels. But a large part of this success must be attributed to the lake itself because the Lario - this is its historical name - is unquestionably splendid with those mountains that rise out of the water and reflect in it, colouring it emerald green.

In the firmament of five-star hotels, in the front row on the lakefront, is the Grand Hotel Victoria in Menaggio, a contemporary chapter of the old Hotel Royal Victoria. It was bought in the 1980s by Pompeo Rocchi, a forward-looking Lombard entrepreneur who left it under management for years. The turning point came in 2019, when his grandchildren Ludovica, Pompeo and Filippo, passionate about the world of hospitality, renovated it with an innovative project. To the Art Nouveau villa, with its high ceilings, grand staircase and ancient fireplaces, they added a new contemporary wing designed by Franco Pé where, in addition to the new rooms, they created a 1,200-metre spa with a 20-metre swimming pool, accessed through the Tunnel of the Betrothed with scenes from Manzoni's novel hand-painted to recall the troubled events that took place on the other side of the lake.

The contemporary spirit is caught on the fly when arriving at the reception area, a bright room with refurbished antique finishes furnished with Italian design pieces and lights. A pleasant contrast that also introduces the style of the living room in a timeless place with today's taste, awards and certifications included. Everything 'comme il faut'. The restaurant, casual and delicious by day (the pizza filante by the chef from Campania is super), becomes romantic and formal in the evening, but without overdoing it with the friendly and professional waiters. The front garden is a delight as is the pool area at the back. Everything is designed for relaxation, even the rooms, which will increase from 81 to 73 to create four new, larger and more comfortable lake view suites. Last year they opened the beach club with a swimming pool that seems to hang on the side surrounded by gazebos and total white sun loungers.

It is clear that a new generation with interesting development ideas has arrived at the management, not least because in addition to the luxurious grand hotel, other historic hotels, still to be renovated, have been acquired in Varenna and, new entry for 2025, the Bianca Relais, an intimate little place for romantic getaways in Oggiono. There are now 10 hotels in the Rocchi family, counting those in the Gulf of Tigullio, the Aosta Valley and Milan, and together they form the R Collection, a new group that contributes to the acknowledged prestige of high hospitality on Lake Como, of course, but also in Italy.