Britannia Excelsior

"We are a 45 year old couple travelling with our 8 year old daughter, and 80 year old grandmother who uses a motorized wheelchair. We stayed 5 nights, in two rooms, August 1-6, 2026. We read some of the earlier reviews, and tempered our expectations, but I'm pleased to report that our stay was entirely flawless from arrival through departure. The bell boy that helped with our bags independently asked if we needed more hangers or a second luggage rack which he promptly provided. Gustavo took time to show us both rooms, and make us feel right at home. Breakfast was surreal on the terrace at Renzo overlooking the lake, mountains, and the town of Bellagio. The food and service were impeccable. It felt sincere and professional. The juices were freshly squeezed, and the food selection was excellent. For only 10Euro, you can have the same menu delivered to your room. We had dinner at Renzo our first night, and Cetino our third. The food and service at Renzo was excellent, and the tasting menu at Cetino was wonderful. The outdoor pool was as good as it looks in the photos. Pool side service was excellent, we always found lounge chairs/cabanas, and staff went out of their way to ensure you had shade if you desired. Drinks and food poolside were great, but pricey. The pool is filled with filtered lake water. It was on the cooler side, but seemed to warm during the day. Regardless, in early August it brough welcome relief from the heat. We took the extremely close and convenient ferry to Bellagio. We departed from the Edition at around 7pm for dinner, and were back by 10pm. The crossing is beautiful, and only about 10 minutes. The indoor pool and sauna facilities are gorgeous. The indoor pool is very warm and has many jets that can be turned on with a button. The cold plunge was invigorating. While kids are only allowed between 9am and 10am, my daughter loved going between the very warm pool and cold plunge on two separate mornings. Valet was convenient, and prompt. The concierge and maintenance team even accommodated our request to have my mother's wheelchair tires filled. I read reviews suggesting the rooms were small. My mother was in an accessible room which was extremely helpful to her. We were in a very basic room, but we loved it. The design was beautiful, and it was plenty big even for the three of us including my 8 year old daughter. Water was delivered daily, and we received fresh fruit in our room. The facilities are obviously brand new, and spotless. After being somewhat worried based on earlier reviews, we cannot recommend the hotel strongly enough, and we commend and thank the staff for their dedication to the guest experience. We didn't touch a door handle during the week, and always felt truly supported, and welcome. Thank you!"

"We had a wonderful stay at The Lake Como EDITION. Having previously stayed at The Bodrum EDITION (still favorite hotels in the world), as well as the EDITION properties in London, New York and Los Angeles, our expectations were incredibly high- and I'm happy to say they were met. As with any newly opened hotel, there are a few growing pains. The communication leading up to our arrival could have been a bit better, but once we arrived, everything changed. Ruth MacCarthy, who works closely with the General Manager, stepped in and took exceptional care of us during our special occasion. Her attention to detail and genuine hospitality turned what could have been a minor issue into an outstanding experience. Check-in was warm, efficient, and welcoming. We also had the pleasure of meeting General Manager Anton. It was a delight speaking with him, especially since we discovered we shared a similar upbringing. It's always refreshing to meet a hotel leader who is both approachable and genuinely invested in the guest experience. Several team members deserve special recognition. Gianmarco, our waiter by the floating pool, was consistently attentive and friendly. Vasileios, one of the pool attendants, did an excellent job ensuring guests were comfortable throughout the day. Osvaldo, the manager at the rooftop restaurant, made both our dinner and breakfast experiences memorable with his professionalism and the way he quickly accommodated our requests, ensuring everything was handled seamlessly The hotel itself is stunning. It's a beautifully executed conversion of a historic lakeside building that perfectly blends contemporary EDITION design with the character of Lake Como. One of the hotel's greatest strengths is its location. The Lake Como EDITION is situated in Cadenabbia, in the highly desirable mid-lake region (Cadenabbia, Tremezzo, Menaggio, Bellagio, and Varenna), directly across the water from Bellagio. In our opinion, this is the ideal base for exploring Lake Como, with easy ferry access to Bellagio, Varenna, Menaggio, and the rest of the lake while avoiding much of the congestion found in the busier towns. We arranged a private car from Milano to the hotel. Although we'd heard stories about the winding lakeside roads, we found the drive to be absolutely beautiful and nowhere near as intimidating as some make it out to be. Having driven extensively through the South of France, where many mountain roads are narrower and have little or no guardrails, we actually found the drive around Lake Como to be quite comfortable. The scenery alone makes the journey part of the experience. We noticed some online reviews mentioning noise and inconsistent service, but that wasn't our experience. We stayed in one of the larger suites in the newly renovated wing with a separate living room, and it was exceptionally quiet. While service occasionally reflected the fact that the hotel is still finding its rhythm, the staff's genuine desire to provide excellent hospitality more than made up for any minor inconsistencies. A special thank you also goes to Carla from Guest Relations. Her recommendation to dine at Al Veluu, a mountaintop restaurant with breathtaking panoramic views of Lake Como, was one of the highlights of our trip and is an absolute must for anyone visiting the area. If I had one suggestion, it would be for the concierge team to recommend a broader variety of local restaurants rather than focusing primarily on those affiliated with the Grand Hotel Tremezzo. While those restaurants certainly offer spectacular views, we found them somewhat overpriced compared to the wonderful independent dining options around the lake. They also recommended La Fagurida, but unfortunately we later discovered that our reservation had never been confirmed. The food at both the floating pool restaurant and the rooftop restaurant was excellent, with thoughtfully curated menus and high-quality ingredients that complemented the stunning surroundings. If I had one small critique, it would be the breakfast menu. While the quality was very good, I would have liked to see a few more savory options and a bit more variety to match the creativity and caliber of the lunch and dinner offerings. I also wanted to address some comments I've seen regarding the floating pool. I think expectations need to be realistic. The floating pool is one of the hotel's standout features. To my knowledge, only one other hotel in the central Lake Como area offers anything similar, and I actually preferred the EDITION's design. The engineering behind creating a floating pool complete with a restaurant, lounge area, cabanas, and spectacular lake views is incredibly impressive. The only feature I would love to see added in the future would be direct lake access from the pool platform for guests who want to swim in Lake Como itself- similar to the other hotel that has a floating pool. If you'd like to experience swimming in Lake Como, I'd recommend spending a few hours at Lido di Ossuccio. While locals will remind you that the lake should never be taken lightly due to its depth and changing conditions, it's a wonderful place to enjoy a swim if you're comfortable in open water. The setting is beautiful, with olive trees, panoramic views of Isola Comacina, and easy access to the lake. It's also a perfect spot to linger over lunch. Another must-visit is Villa Carlotta, located just a short walk from the hotel. Its spectacular botanical gardens, impressive art collection, and historic villa make it one of the highlights of the area. Be sure to stop at the café afterward for a glass of wine and a light snack while taking in the beautiful surroundings. The lobby, bar, and breakfast area are beautifully designed, showcasing the sophisticated, understated luxury that has become synonymous with the EDITION brand. The location is also exceptional- just steps from the ferry terminal, making it incredibly convenient to explore the villages throughout the mid-lake region. Speaking of the villages, our favorite was Varenna. While Bellagio is undeniably beautiful, it becomes extremely crowded during the day. Our recommendation is to visit Bellagio in the late afternoon or evening, after the larger ferries from the southern end of the lake stop running. The atmosphere becomes much more relaxed, allowing you to truly appreciate its charm. Overall, I give The Lake Como EDITION very high marks and would happily stay here again. After years of traveling and staying at exceptional hotels around the world, this property has quickly become one of our favorites- not only because of the hotel itself, but because of the incredible beauty of Lake Como. The combination of world-class hospitality, thoughtful design, and one of Italy's most breathtaking destinations makes this a truly memorable place to stay."

"My wife, our 3-year-old daughter, and I stayed at the Edition at the end of July for five nights after coming from the Dolomites. We were very skeptical going into the stay based on the reviews, and at one point we nearly pivoted to another hotel. We decided to move forward and were beyond pleased with our stay. This was the highlight of our nearly three-week trip and is on par with some of the top luxury brands and hotels in the world based on where we've stayed elsewhere (Six Senses, Rosewood, Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, etc.). The hotel is certainly going through a learning curve and has some oddities. Every day at 6:00 p.m. the pool closes despite the area being jam-packed with guests. We also experienced some communication issues (around dinner reservations we had requested) and found there was a lack of shaded seating on the breakfast terrace in the morning, which pushed many guests to the bar or downstairs inside. That all said, the service was amazing, the property was beautiful, and the location was perfect. We will certainly be returning on our next trip to Lake Como. A big shout-out to Lucia for making our stay so memorable. She was amazing and left a very thoughtful gift for our daughter along with a personalized, sweet card for my wife and me."