Top 6 Varenna Hotels: Reviews and City Guide

If you are planning your next Italian lakes holidays on or around Lake Como, consider making your base location one of the quaint, quality Varenna hotels, all of which offer numerous amenities, plus lakefront access, at reasonable prices.

The town of Varenna is built on a steep slope on the Eastern shore of the picturesque Lake Como. With only 1,000 residents, the cozy town easily retains its authentic and ancient quality, and provides a tranquil atmosphere for guests that want to enjoy a beautiful, luxuriant holiday, without the superficiality of gift and souvenir shops at every corner.  Lake Como hotels reflect that small town atmosphere people look for when visiting.  The little town also possesses a harbor and a ferry, making it an ideal base for day trips to neighboring towns around the lake, and for tours of the famous Lake Como.  You may want to read our articles about neighboring towns of Lake Como as well: Menaggio hotels and Tremezzo hotels.

Six quality Varenna hotels that consistently receive excellent customer reviews are the Hotel du Lac Varenna, the Hotel Villa Cipressi Varenna, the Hotel Olivedo Varenna, the Hotel Royal Victoria Varenna, the Hotel Milano Varenna, and the Hotel Monte Codeno Varenna.  The following paragraphs will briefly discuss the highlights of these popular accommodation choices, in order to help individuals and groups determine which hotel will best suit their needs.

The Hotel du Lac

The Hotel du Lac Varenna is ranked the number one hotel Varenna has to offer at both tripadvisor.com and travel/yahoo.com, and with an average nightly rate of $125.00 USD per room, it is a five-star ranked hotel that travelers can enjoy without having to pay five-star prices. The hotel, located directly on the water front, is a villa that dates from 1821. Its numerous amenities include a breakfast terrace on the lake, water sports such as sailing, waterskiing, and fishing, a beach, and a friendly, multilingual staff of Italian men and women.

The Hotel Royal Victoria

An impressive Villa dating from earlier centuries is the Hotel Royal Victoria Varenna, which was named after the Queen Victoria of England whom graced its halls with her presence in 1838. In addition to the former’s celebrity accommodation status, the fully-restored hotel includes a restaurant with a panoramic terrace, an outdoor pool and beautifully tended garden, a bar and lounge, a conference room, and currency exchange services.  Rooms can be obtained at an average of $245.00 USD per night.

The Hotel Villa Cipressi

The Hotel Villa Cipressi, another ancient and restored villa, is a complex of buildings that were constructed between the years 1400 and 1800.  The Hotel Villa Cipressi, in addition to being of great historical interest, is a very popular location for weddings, providing large groups with fully-restored accommodations in accordance with the original architectural style. Its lakeshore location is close to where the Lakes Como and Lecco join together. It also features extensive outdoor gardens, a restaurant with a patio overlooking the lake, and a friendly, multilingual staff. The average price of a room is approximately $161.00 USD per night.

The Hotel Milano

If you are interested in finding accommodations that are smaller and more family-based, then the Hotel Milano Varenna (better known as the Albergo Milano Hotel and Apartments) is an excellent choice. This establishment features excellent Italian cuisine and the option of lake views. The Albergo Milano is ranked among Varenna’s top bed and breakfast locations, offering a large breakfast buffet, separate private apartments, and honeymoon packages that even include massage. Depending on the season of booking, room prices start at around $180.00 USD per night.

The Hotel Olivedo

The Hotel Olivedo Varenna is a small, family-run establishment that has a reputation among repeat customers for being extremely hospitable and personable, with a quirky and occasionally dry sense of humor attached. The dinner menu is always a prix fixe with several options, many of them home cooked by the innkeeper, and all of them rich and deeply satisfying. The hotel has multiple floors with no lift, which may be a disadvantage to some, but guests enthusiastic about the food claim that the stairs are an excellent way to work off the extra calories of the rich meals. Rooms can be obtained for an average of $173.00 USD per night, depending on the season, and there is an option for the lakeside view.

The Hotel Monte Codeno

The Hotel Monte Codeno is another quaint, family-run bed and breakfast that offers small, clean rooms averaging at $100.00 USD per night.  The family also runs the small restaurant that is part of the hotel, and each room has the basic amenities: shower, air conditioning, and TV.

When not enjoying the comfortable amenities of one or more of the hotels listed above, the town of Varenna offers visitors countless attractions and activities that are sure to satisfy every individual taste. Visitors can enjoy multiple restaurants and wine bars in the town, or can take advantage of the breathtaking countryside by hiking in the surrounding hills and exploring ancient architectural monuments, all of which have interesting and colorful histories attached. Other unique activities, unique to Varenna and recommended by tripadvisor.com, include taking cookery lessons at the Ristorante Il Caminetto, or spending a day at the Civic Museum of Ornithology and Natural Sciences.

Discover why so many world travelers have fallen in love with this romantic and unique lakeside town during their Italian holidays. Explore the Italian lakes and its environs, while staying in the hospitable, comfortable, and safe environment offered at one of the many popular Varenna hotels.

Don’t forget to visit other neighboring lakes during your trip!  If you visit Lake Maggiore (which I would highly recommend), you should certainly go to Stresa and read about Stresa hotels.  Lake Lugano isn’t too far and you can read about their cities and hotels at hotel Lugano.  If you are interested in a more reliable and commercial hotel, Hotel Italia is a great chain of hotels that is available at all these locations.  Those of you who are more interested in a decadent Italian vacation may want to look at some luxury Italian villas rental options.