Grand Hotel Tremezzo

The lavish Grand Hotel Tremezzo is so steeped in romance, there are love letters literally embedded into its walls.

The story begins with founders Maria and Enea Gandola, who were inspired to open the hotel on the shores of Lake Como after a Grand Hotel crawl through Europe on their honeymoon. But after the Great War, Maria passed away, and a heartbroken Enea and his family sold it to local businessmen. Yet the spirit of dizzying love infuses it still.

Subsequent owners, the Mallones, arrived at the lake separately, each engaged to others. According to family legend, after one look at each other, they ditched the presumed trajectories of their lives and instead joined forces to restore the Grand Hotel Tremezzo and re-imbue it with Cupid’s touch. Their renovations in the 1970s did not disappoint: under their watch, ten passionate love missives were discovered hidden behind the wallpaper.

The Mallones’ grandchildren now run the swanky hotel and like to imagine that Maria Gandola collected these notes left behind by guests and hid them in the walls as a tribute to the romance inspired by a stay at the hotel.

It is now home to nearly every imaginable amenity, including a lakeside beach club for those days when Lake Como’s own extensive charms are insufficient. The centerpiece of this exclusive club, which is surrounded by the Grigne mountains, is the lake’s only floating pool, Water-on-the-Water.

Is putting a floating pool on top of a body of gorgeous fresh water slightly excessive? Perhaps. But love, the likes of which brought in two cycles of ownership, rarely is inspired by mere pragmatism. Besides, the Grand Hotel Tremezzo is all about the promise of la dolce vita. The classic orange-andwhite stripes of the Grand Hotel’s cabana-style umbrellas are iconic symbols of Italian beach culture, in which the design and color of beach accessories distinguish each club along the shore. The umbrellas evoke nostalgia, sure, but most of all they look fabulous. For adventurers of means, or perhaps as a once-in-a-lifetime trip, the Grand Hotel is a playground of romantic indulgence.

That legacy is still honored today. As part of turndown service, guests can expect their pillows to be decorated with a chocolate—and a reproduction of one of those hidden love letters from guests past.