Grand Hotel Tremezzo Hotel

Grand Hotel Tremezzo Via Regina, 8 - 22016 Tremezzina, Lago di Como Italia

How do you refresh and modernise a hotel that is over a century old, while retaining its original character? Boldly coloured upholstery seems to be the answer, if the Grand Hotel Tremezzo is anything to go by.

An underlying happy marriage of modernity and tradition can be felt throughout, not least in the music room, where the vibrant green, orange and purple armchairs have been carefully designed to blend in with the stately art nouveau decor. The 88 bedrooms are beautifully appointed, each featuring intricate period detail, heavy-set furnishings and contemporary touches.

However, it’s the new, suites-only rooftop floor that really impresses. Each suite comes with its own private terrace, outdoor Jacuzzi – and views across the timeless lake. Only a road (albeit one that gets pretty busy in summer) separates the property from the water, onto which the hotel has added its own aqua-based attraction – a ‘floating pool’. There’s also a modest ‘beach’, with sand and sunloungers recreating the classic lido. Both look out over Lake Como to the charming, historic town of Bellagio, which can be reached either by communal boat or the hotel’s own ‘water limousine’. The spa has an indoor pool and outdoor tub, with another pool set within the hotel’s 20,000 square metres of gardens.

The restaurants are equally varied in their appeal: the headline act is the formality of the original dining room, complete with huge wrought-iron chandelier, and overseen by 83-year-old consultant chef Gualtiero Marchesi – the first Italian to gain three Michelin stars. Downstairs, the fondue and wine bar provides a more relaxed vibe, while for a true taste of history, venture out onto the lake and the Locanda restaurant on the island of Comacina, which has been serving the same simple menu, unchanged, since 1947. GW. Doubles from £307.