Where to stay in Menaggio, between tradition and new investment on Lake Como

Menaggio, according to turismo.como.it and viaggiapiccoli.com, lies on the western shore of Lake Como, in the central part of the Lario basin. Several sources highlight that its location makes it an ideal starting point for excursions between the lake and the mountains, thanks to its proximity to both the water and the inland trails.

The lakefront and its historic charm

The lungolago, or lakefront promenade, is described by turismo.como.it and in-lombardia.it as the town's crown jewel, offering a privileged view over the central lake. These same sources, along with comoeilsuolago.it, describe Menaggio as stretching out over a small promontory from which the lake reveals itself in all its breadth. For over a century, as turismo.como.it and in-lombardia.it attest, the town has been a holiday destination, as shown by the grand hotels and luxurious villas that shape its urban fabric.

According to turismo.como.it, in information not confirmed by other outlets, Menaggio sits at the junction with the road to Lake Lugano, has around 3,300 inhabitants and is made up of a main centre plus three hamlets: Croce, Loveno and Nobiallo. The same source adds that the town has an 18-hole golf course, a sports centre and a large lido with swimming pool.

Artistic and natural heritage

In-lombardia.it and comoeilsuolago.it agree on several key historical points: the polygonal Sanctuary of the Madonna della Pace, in the hamlet of Nobiallo, was built in 1660 to celebrate the Peace of the Pyrenees of 1659. Both sources also recall the centuries-old traditions of silk and copper working, and describe the road that climbs from Menaggio up to Plesio and Breglia, at 785 metres above sea level, and the CAI mountain refuge on Monte Grona, at 1,400 metres, a crossroads of trails leading to the Alto Lago, Valle Senagra and Valle Cavargna. The climate, both outlets add, is particularly mild, cooled by the breva and tivano winds.

Only in-lombardia.it mentions the historic villas of the residential area of Loveno – Villa Belfaggio, Villa D'Azeglio, Villa Lovone and Villa Vigoni – and the Castello di Menaggio, dating back to the 10th century, overlooking the Senagra stream. Comoeilsuolago.it, for its part, reconstructs episodes of local history: the conflict with Como during the Ten Years' War (1118-1127), the demolition of the castle walls in 1523 following the conquest by the Grisons, and the birth of sculptor Leone Leoni (1509-1590). The same source describes Menaggio as having a charming little harbour and good tourist facilities, with an economy based mainly on tourism and services, alongside textile and craft industries.

The Grand Hotel Victoria case

One of the most widely covered topics concerns the renovation of the Grand Hotel Victoria, a historic hotel on the lakefront. Sources agree on several points: according to laprovinciadicomo.it, the property closed at the end of the 2018 season to be expanded, with works starting in early December of that year, and reopening was set for 5 March 2021. On this point, however, there is a discrepancy between the outlets: hoteldomani.it claims the works lasted three years, while laprovinciadicomo.it gives a different timeline for the renovation.

According to laprovinciadicomo.it, the property is linked to Ludovica Rocchi, daughter of Franco Rocchi, managing director of the group that also controls other properties such as the Regina Olga in Cernobbio, the Bristol in Rapallo, the Mentana in Milan and the Royal Victoria in Varenna. Hoteldomani.it places the Rocchi family within the portfolio of R Collection Hotels. Ludovica Rocchi herself reportedly said, according to laprovinciadicomo.it, that "we are ready, but obviously everything depends on how the health emergency situation develops," adding that bookings for March were already numerous, especially from Italian and Lombard guests.

On the architectural side, hoteldomani.it — the only outlet to describe the project in detail — attributes the renovation to Studio Pè Architettura&Design and reports that the property, renamed Grand Hotel Victoria Concept&SPA, has been selected by Small Luxury Hotels of The World. According to the same source, the project restored the historic Liberty-style villa while adding a new wing called the "Palazzo," bringing the total to 81 rooms (34 in the historic villa, 47 in the new building), connected by around 50 metres of transparent walkways. Laprovinciadicomo.it, meanwhile, reports that the expansion brought the property from 53 to 90 rooms and that the investment included the acquisition of land that had belonged to the Vincentian sisters, demolished to make way for the new spa featuring two heated pools, one indoor and one outdoor.

The tourist tax

A single source, quicomo.it, reports that Menaggio's town council has approved the introduction of a tourist tax, in effect from 1 April to 30 September, with tiered rates: 1 euro per night for one- and two-star hotels, bed and breakfasts and holiday apartments, 1.50 euros for three-star properties and 2 euros for four-star properties, with an exemption for children up to 14 years old. According to the same source, Mayor Alberto Bobba justified the decision as being in line with practices already in place in many European countries and with measures other towns on Lake Como and Lake Maggiore are preparing to adopt.

Comparison with other lake destinations

Viaggiapiccoli.com offers a comparison between the lake's destinations: Menaggio is described as less crowded than Bellagio, well connected by ferry and characterised by more open spaces. Bellagio, according to the same source, sits at the meeting point of the lake's three branches and is home to the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, owned by the Bucher family for three generations, converted into a 5-star hotel in 1873, with a Michelin-starred restaurant. Varenna, still according to viaggiapiccoli.com, is served by a railway station and connected by ferry to the other towns, while Como is identified as the main gateway for visitors arriving from abroad.