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Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées

Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées

Lake Maggiore, Italy

When you arrive in the main lobby of the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées you feel as though you’re stepping back in time. Featured in Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms and the chosen honeymoon destination of Winston Churchill, the history of the hotel is palpable.

You can expect sweeping marble floors, high vaulted ceilings and chandeliers. The elegant lounge bar opens out onto a sunny terrace with views across the manicured lawn and lake beyond. Beautiful collections of antiques line each corridor gallery and, outside, the extensive Italian style gardens are immaculately planted with banks of azaleas and camellias.

OUR OPINION:

One of the great properties on the Italian Lakes, the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées has not only maintained its historic grandeur but continues to excel in providing a luxurious lakeside experience.

OUR RATING: Deluxe

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Audley Travel Specialist Elizabeth

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Rooms

Rooms at the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées are accessed through beautiful inlaid wooden doors that are works of art in themselves. Inside, each is elegantly furnished in a sumptuous classic style with thick carpets and draped fabrics. Yet, while the rooms are historic, they have all been tastefully updated to include a safe, minibar, Wi-Fi and LCD TV along with smart marble bathrooms. All the bathrooms feature whirlpool bathtubs. Aside from the garden view rooms at the back of the hotel, the rooms offer views across the lake through large shuttered windows and almost all boast their own balcony or private terrace.

Location

Set within leafy gardens on the edge of Lake Maggiore, the sight of the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées is iconic. Overlooking the Borromean Gulf, the hotel is well located for exploring the area. There is a private dock directly at the front of the hotel or the short ten-minute walk into Stresa will bring you to the public ferry port.

Food and drink

Breakfast is served in the grand, white and gold, stuccoed dining room with huge, arched windows looking out to the lake. A wide terrace extends out to the front with tables laid outside in the summer months. Lunch and dinner are also available here. You can expect beautifully presented local cuisine along with calorie controlled and gluten free options.

Facilities and activities

For over 150 years, the Italian Lakes have been seen as somewhere to relax and rejuvenate. The Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées does not disappoint with an extensive spa and fitness suite. Guests can also enjoy the use of the sauna, Turkish bath and heated indoor pool. Outside, there are two outdoor swimming pools along with a tennis court.

Tour ideas in Lake Maggiore

Our itineraries are there to spark ideas for how you could include a stay at Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées as part of your trip. Treat them simply as suggestions, because every aspect of the trip we create for you will be yours to define.

Location & places nearby

Places & hotels on the map

    Alternative places to stay nearby

    Where possible, we like to offer a range of accommodation for each stop of your trip, chosen by our specialists as some of their favorite places to stay. To help you make the right choice, we give each property a rating based on its facilities and service, but we also look for hotels with distinct character or a location that can't be bettered.

    Lake Maggiore and nearby places