Como is the beautiful, thriving, regional centre of the whole charming length of Lake Como. Here prosperity has lead to elegant architecture, charming boutiques and numerous high calibre bars and restaurants — but the incredible views are free. Como is an accommodation centre too, and among the many options, our Gurus favour a couple of design hotels, historic grande dames, intimately converted palazzos, a handful of simple, family-friendly options, and an armful of small, but impressive, B&Bs, for their list of the best places to stay in Como.

At Como’s heart is the old town, within the remnants of its 12th Century walls. This is a wonderful place for an evening’s amble, amongst the cafes, shops and graceful squares, palazzos and cobbled streets. Piazza Vittoria is the one with the statue of Giuseppe Garibaldi, the Piazza del Duomo hosts the cathedral, and the Piazza San Fedele has the Basilica of San Fedele, dating from the 12th century. The Piazza San Fedele also hosts a great weekend market. There’s another great outdoor market by Porto Torre. All of these squares are fantastic places to do a bit of people watching too, and our Gurus really recommend Como for shoppers, flaneurs, and anyone looking for a stylish, yet relaxing, destination.

The lakeside is another incredible place for a stroll, lined with impressive villas and a couple of museums. But for some of the best views around it’s worth heading up to Brunate on the funicular railway, because from here you can see picturesque Como laid out as well as the lake itself. The cable car is a great asset for anyone wanting to explore the area on foot too. Our Gurus suggest the best places to stay in Como for families are those along the water, where guests benefit from impressive watersports facilities, private beach access, and hotel pools that float on top of he lake. If you need a bit more space head up into the hills behind Como, where there are a number of charmingly converted farmhouses.

The Best Places to Stay in Como

For a Special Occasion

• The Albergo Terminus Hotel feels grand and historic, with generous proportions and huge windows overlooking the water from its prime lakeside position. This graceful dates back to the beginning of the 20th century,  and comes complete with ornate coving and murals, plenty of huge windows, and elegant communal areas. It has 50 rooms and suites, many with elements of the original Art Nouveau design, and an extremely beautiful Italian restaurant. Romantic, with great facilities, including a spa.
• The Vista Palazzo showcases more contemporary Italian charm and design, with some seriously magazine-worthy interiors and a gorgeous palace/ grand villa exterior. Everything is bespoke and intimately designed, from the parquet flooring to the velvet armchairs, and the service is just as personalised. The location, close to the water and Como’s historic centre, is difficult to top, and the restaurant is extremely memorable. 

For an Intimate Escape

• Ronco Dell’Abate is a wonderfully authentic pick: a four room B&B converted from a villa in a quiet part of Como. While the villa’s exterior appears modest, aside from the fresco, the interiors recall a magically opulent heyday of design, with ornate parquet flooring, wood panelling, gorgeous tiles and the furniture to match. Its four rooms have bags of charm and history, and for the right people this accommodation will elevate their visit to Lake Como to the sublime.

For Couples

• The Palazzo Albricci Peregrini offers an opportunity to see some of Lake Como’s graceful architecture up close. The palazzo is elegant, complete with gorgeous tiles, high ceilings, ornate fireplaces and the remnants of frescoes, but it’s been imaginatively converted into a contemporary collection of six rooms and suites, so you get the benefits of modern plumbing. There’s no restaurant, but the homemade breakfast is a highlight.

For Great Value

• The Como Luxury Rooms are just two sleekly designed rooms, in a elegant townhouse in the heart of Como’s old town. The decor is simple and contemporary: cool greys and lots of white, with brushed concrete bathrooms, though the original details of the buildings remain. There’s no restaurant, but the square outside has a number of charming places to eat and drink, and they have coffee facilities in the room. Children under three are free.

Best B&Bs

• La Canarina B&B is a bijou bed and breakfast in the heart of Como, with views of the Basilica’s dome, but still only 200 metres from the water’s edge. La Canarina has just two guest rooms, one a double and one a twin, and both simply decorated with wooden floor and white walls and furnishings. Both rooms overlook a private garden, and have huge windows. No children.
• The B&B Vista Lago is another small, quiet, child-free B&B just up the hill from Como. As the name suggests, the lake views are beautiful and each of the three rooms has its own private sun terrace for enjoying them from. The decor is simple and contemporary, and the atmosphere romantic.

Prefer a Self-catering Apartment or villa?

• Sometimes a villa or apartment is the best option if you're travelling in a larger group, so if you decide that you'd prefer a self catering option, check out our online booking partner, booking.com for some inspiration.

Travel Information

• Como has a good range of local international airports: Milan’s Linate, Malpensa and Bergamo Airport are about an 45minutes away by road, or around an hour by train, while Brescia-Montichiari and Verona-Villafranca are both about an hour and a half drive, or three hours on the train via Milan.
• If you want to hire a car — which we strongly advise if you want to explore further afield — we recommend you visit our online partner, Rentalcars.
• Lake Como has a milder climate than its surrounds, its great body of water helps regulate the temperature, and allows for sub-tropical plants like grapevines and olive trees to grow throughout the year. Winter does get chilly, and in summer it can be humid, but broadly speaking it has some of the best weather conditions in Europe. April through to October are the busiest months for visitors, warm and sunny, perfect for a lake break. The water of the lake even heats up during summer, and can get to 20°C come July! So if you are visiting at this time it’s worth booking as much as you can in advance.

Still not sure where to stay?

• Expand your search to include all the best places to stay on Lake Como
• Consider including other local towns in your search maybe beautiful Bellagio, along the shore to the east, Cernobbio to the west or Tremezzo, just across the water
• You could also consider refining your search by the kind of accommodation you’re looking for, be it the best hotels with a view on Lake Como, the best luxury hotels on Lake Como, the best hotels for families on Lake Como or the best value hotels on Lake Como
• Or you could contact one of our friendly gurus for personalised advice.