Gardone Riviera was once the most dazzling and glamorous of all Lake Garda’s resorts, its idyllic location augmented by beautiful villas and Belle Epoque hotels, sloping up the hill to maximise the views. Today these historic properties are still some of the best places to stay in Gardone Riviera, though our Gurus have also uncovered some charmingly traditional restaurants with rooms, waterside grande dames, and a handful of reasonably priced B&Bs and pensiones. Gardone Riviera was once priced quite dazzlingly as well, but it’s much more affordable today than it was in its 19th century heyday, and there are some really good value properties on our Gurus’ list.

Gardone Riviera is the sort of place for lazy afternoons watching the water, sipping fancy drinks or enjoying extravagant ice creams. Its promenade is lined with benches for doing just that, if you can’t find a spot on your hotel terrace. But the town is really known for its gardens, and the best places to stay in Gardone Riviera have some seriously impressive gardens of their own, think long waterfront terraces and lush tropical pockets, which display all the best of Lake Garda’s vegetation plus some Mediterranean and sub-tropical guests which thrive under the sunshine and warm microclimate. Gardone Riviera also has some formal botanical gardens and several parks lining its elegant waterfront boulevard.

In amongst the greenery is a lively piazza, with cafes and bars, and a charming chapel. The Vittoriale degli Italiani, once the home of the poet Gabriele d’Annunzio, and the A. Hruska Botanical Gardens, are probably the town’s main sights, but there’s plenty to do in, around, and on the lake, and its location, about a third of the way up the western shore, is perfect for visiting other lake-shore centres by boat.

The Best Places to Stay in Gardone Rivier

For a Special Occasion

• The Villa del Sogno is a luxurious villa conversion, however this villa is pretty large, and the transformation has seen the addition of facilities, as well as the carefully reimagining of the 35 beautiful rooms and suites. Each room is still very unique, and despite the size, this still feels like a grand private dwelling. Expect pillars, stained glass, painted tiles and murals, and plenty of wood. Our favourite rooms have private lake-view terraces. As well as being beautiful inside, the villa has two restaurants. And outside are expansive terraces, gardens, a swimming pool and a tennis court.

Waterside

• Bella Riva is wonderfully positioned, right on the lake’s edge, with gardens and a pool terrace against the water. The hotel itself has wonderful views too, especially from its restaurant and bar, but from some of the 19 rooms and four suites as well. The decor is contemporary, and the bathrooms are large and lined with stone. The watersports facilities are excellent here too — the hotel can set you up with waterskiing, sailing or windsurfing kit — and there are lots of family-friendly options too.

For the Romance of Lake Garda

• The Villa Fiordaliso is a gorgeously grand, terracotta-coloured, 19th century Liberty-style villa. Historic inside as well as out, the villa has five beautiful rooms and a Michelin-starred restaurant. It feels traditional, but timeless, and the views of Lake Garda are perfect. Just the thing if you want to impress someone, or treat yourself to old fashioned luxury.

For the Views

• Dimora Bolsone is a stylish, ten room B&B converted from an elegant manor house positioned so that you can see the whole town and the lake laid out beyond. There’s a terrace and gardens, for maximum view appreciation, plus ten individually decorated rooms and suites. Expect unique touches like murals, solid wood antiques, original artworks, beamed ceilings, stone fireplaces and private balconies and terraces.

For Luxurious Facilities

• The Grand Hotel Fasano is an historic grand hotel, originally built for royalty, and occupying a suitably regal lakeside position. As well as magical views, the hotel has magical architecture in the form of terraces and turrets, pillars, and French windows opening onto the lake. This is one of the larger hotels on our list, with 76 rooms and suites, plus it boasts a spa and pools, tennis courts and a restaurant positioned on a terrace directly over the lake.

For a Lakeside Retreat

• The Villa Paradiso is an elegant, salmon-coloured villa converted into a health spa and wellness centre, with weekly bespoke treatment programs and warm, contemporary style. Private and somewhat secluded, this is the perfect health retreat, and even better, the price includes all your treatments, as well as full board. The 35 rooms and suites are beautiful, and even though the restaurant is focussed on healthy cuisine it’s still elegant and delicious.

For Great Value

• The Osteria Antico Brolo is a gorgeous little restaurant with four chic rooms and suites. With a courtyard entryway which feels private and intimate, this feels like a special and traditional place to stay, as well as being affordable. The rooms feature plenty of white, and warm wood accents. And the restaurant is excellent. One of the suites can accommodate a family of four.
• The three bedroom B&B Big Sur is a simple and well positioned choice on the hillside of Gardone Riviera. The rooms are simply decorated, but neatly and comfortably, and with doubles, bunks and twin room options, there are good family configurations.
• The Locanda Agli Angeli is a charming, family-friendly restaurant with nine rooms. The restaurant is on a sunny square, and the traditional building it occupies has wonderful views of what’s going on, as well as a pool and pool terrace. The rooms vary somewhat is size, but most have elegant four-poster beds against white-washed walls. The cuisine is traditional too, and very well done.

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

• Brescia-Montichiari is the closest airport to Gardone Riviera, about half an hour away by road, if you’re in a private vehicle, or an hour by bus. Verona-Villafranca is about an hour away by car. It sounds idyllic to cross the lake by ferry, and if you have three hours to do the journey it will certainly be a show stopping introduction to the lake. Venice Marco Polo and Milan Malpensa are larger hubs, so might be more convenient, and both are around two hours drive from Gardone Riviera, or three hours by train. Alternatively, the lake has great rail links.
• If you want to hire a car — which we strongly advise if you’re staying on Lake Garda — we recommend you visit our online partner, Rentalcars.
• Gardone Riviera, and all of Lake Garda, is very popular in the summer, so if you want to join the cheerful bustle of this time of year you’d be advised to book your hotel/s and restaurants early. Gardone Riviera is charming well into autumn and winter too, and spring is also very beautiful, so it’s more about what sort of holiday you’re planning. May is a good compromise if you’re still hoping for warmth and sunshine, with temperatures reaching about 20°C, and September is similar, but with a different set of plants flowering. Christmas and Easter are always special too.

Still not sure where to stay?

• You could expand your search to include all the best places to stay on Lake Garda
• Or you might consider including other local towns in your search like Salò, just inland, or Gargnano, just north along the lake shore
• 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 Garda, the best family hotels on Lake Garda or the  best hotels on Lake Garda for foodies
• Alternatively, you could contact one of our friendly gurus for personalised advice.