Alberghetto la Marianna

Nice family runned hotel with a good breakfast, very nice staff who really help their guests and a good restaurant as well. Very pleasant stay during a few days at lake Como. The rooms gives you all the comfort you need and may expect from a 3* hotel.

We’ve been travelling for several weeks as a little family with our 5 month old baby and have stayed in a handful of hotels across multiple countries but few will stay in our memories and hearts as much as this little gem. What can I say about Giacomo, our host and his wonderful family… and it truly is a family run business with his sister, and parents all involved in the day to day running of the hotel. From the moment we arrived, the welcome, service and hospitality extended to us was beyond 5 star. Due to booking our trip relatively late, we unfortunately missed out on a lakefront room which was a pity. However, our room was very comfortable and suited our needs perfectly as a haven to retreat to after busy days on to go exploring. The furniture and style has a very nostalgic feeling and reminded me of my own Grandmother’s home. The shower was great and the cold air conditioning were very welcome in the July heat. Breakfast was included in our room rate and suited our needs for a light meal - the scrambled eggs to order were great and the cake was delicious. It was lovely to eat out on the shaded terrace overlooking the lake in the early mornings. The hotel is really ideally situated a 5 minute walk to the Griante/Caddenabia ferry stop and we did all exploring by foot and ferry. It’s a 10 min trip across the lake to Bellagio which we did multiple times. We also took the hydrofoil down to Como and also travelled to Varenna which was my personal favourite. Walking distance to to Tremezzo and Villa Carlotta. We didn’t venture left of the hotel towards Menaggio but also close by. We didn’t eat dinner at the hotel but there are several places within a 5-15 minute stroll to grab lunch or dinner (turn right coming out of the hotel) and we especially liked Bar Vittoria 1894 which was a 10 min/800m walk and had a casual dinner there 2 evenings in a row. Although there is not private parking, we managed to secure a space directly in front of the hotel (there are about 8 spaces) and Giacomo provided a permit so we did not have to pay so it was perfect. Giacomo was a fantastic host with excellent English and conversing with him to get his recommendations on where to go and what to do was a pleasure. He couldn’t do enough for us to ensure we had a memorable stay. A special note of thanks. On our second last day, we left our baby carrier on a ferry. Marta made several phone calls and sent an email to assist in contacting lost and found for us. When we returned to the hotel at the end of the day, Giacomo’s wonderful Mum had gone down to the office at Tremezzo to collect it and brought it back to be at the hotel waiting for us. This unexpected helpfulness and kindness was completely over and above and it really touched us. But that’s the type of beautiful, generous family that own and run “La Marianna”. You wouldn’t receive this assistance at a 5 star hotel in my opinion. Do yourself a favour and forget the big soulless hotels in Lake Como where

We absolutely loved our stay!! The food was fabulous and the service was even better. We loved Giacomo — he had the best Rec’s and truly made you feel like an insider to the city. We practically boasted about staying at La Marianna when going abouts Como! The breakfast is a real treat — with a terrace right one the water and eggs, bread and cake all whipped up that morning. We were so sad to leave the place and will recommend it over and over again!

Thank you to Giacomo and his mom and dad for making our stay so memorable! We were greeted with a smile, enthusiasm and genuine interest and were well looked after for our two night stay. Charming, simple and eclectic! Our fixed menu dinner the first night let us know how seriously they look at food and hospitality in the northern Italian tradition. Sitting at the lakeside terrace for breakfast in the middle of October was a treat. Giacomo is a hotelier, tour guide, historian and was full of stories and interest. Everyone has to tackle the climb to the Sanctuario San Martino starting just steps from the hotel entrance. Best view in Italy!

This was exactly what I was looking for when we decided to stay in the Lake Como area for 4 nights. A small family run hotel where the owners are on site ready to help you explore and understand the area. A place that is not in the center of the crowds but has easy access to everywhere we needed to go and see. The hotel has eight rooms. We stayed in one of the back rooms with a small terrace. We had everything we needed to make our stay comfortable. From the moment we checked in until the time we left the owners were always available to help us. Breakfast is served on the terrace located across the street directly on the lake. We loved waking up and being right on the lake. They put out a large buffet with homemade baked goods, cereals, bread, yogurts, juices, fresh fruit, etc. After helping ourselves we were asked if we would like eggs and they were made just as we requested with ham and cheese. We asked for ice so we could keep our drink bottles filled and cold while we traveled around and they gave us as much as we needed. We returned back later in the day to a completely cleaned room. The place was spotless. Our only regret was that we didn't book a lake view room which you can only get if you book directly with the hotel. Each night the hotel serves dinner as they have a small restaurant where guests get a 25% discount. The food was homemade and not your typical Italian cuisine. The chef explained each dish and we really enjoyed eating dinner on the lake. You will love this hotel.

Lake Como is a beautiful place, but it can be a bit too commercial in places. Alberghetto La Mariana is in a quiet location and the waterside terrace is a fantastic place to take breakfast and we also enjoyed a spritz before dinner here. Our room had a wonderful view of the lake and its easy to walk to the ferry port to cross the lake to wherever you fancy. When we were there the weather was a bit dodgy but we watched a fantastic storm with lightening over the mountains. The building is traditional and the bed was comfortable. The food is obviously freshly prepared with dishes created using traditional recipes, but I found it a little bland and not as exciting as I had anticipated. I know well what a traditional Italian dinner consists of, and I just found the meals here a little lacking in variety. But, it is good and the chef is sincere in what he is doing. We have a lovely stay and some long lasting happy memories will stay with us. Thank you to the family for giving us a homely and welcoming stay.