All products featured on ArtfulLiving.com are independently selected by our editors. We may earn commission on items you choose to buy.
Imagine gliding across the deep blue waters of Lake Como in a vintage speedboat, glass of sparkling prosecco in hand, mesmerized by all the historical estates dotting the lush landscape. This is just one of the awe-inspiring activities guests can take part in during a stay at Passalacqua, a once private 18th-century villa turned five-star hotel, where everyone feels like a movie star in a 1960s James Bond film. “The reason this hotel flourishes so fabulously is because it feels like someone’s home,” says Valentina De Santis, whose family, owners of the iconic Grand Hotel Tremezzo, snapped up the estate at auction seven years ago and spent three years restoring the property. “We recognized the need for Passalacqua to be shared, so we created a boutique hotel where the Italian concept of accoglienza, the act of being welcomed, is core to its mission.” As soon as you step foot on the five-acre property, surrounded by centuries-old cypress and cedar trees, you’ll appreciate how lucky you are to be there. “The feeling is known as villeggiatura, an art of travel offering guests a true home away from home, a place that is as wonderful as you imagined yet with room to still astonish and amaze.”
Photography provided by Passalacqua
Setting
Located half an hour’s drive from Switzerland, Passalacqua sits above Lake Como in the picturesque lakeside village of Moltrasio. Visitors’ senses shift into overdrive as soon as they enter the estate’s wrought iron gates, thanks to the fragranced rose bushes, jasmine shrubs and 15 babbling fountains. To soak up the lake views upon arrival, guests are encouraged to rest on the grand stone steps outfitted with cushions by Guido Toschi or to take a seat in the bright orange 1950s Fiat Spiaggina parked in the garden. The urge to never leave Passalacqua is pervasive, but it’s worth exploring the hotel’s hometown of Moltrasio, where you’ll discover quintessential Lake Como terraced houses, a main square featuring a statue of the famous Passalacqua resident and opera composer Vincenzo Bellini, and the beautiful frescoes and Romanesque-Lombard style architecture of the 11th-century Church of Sant’Agata. Moltrasio is also known for its quaint restaurants offering traditional pastas, local fish, pizzas and gelato.
Photography provided by Passalacqua
Vibe
Passalacqua exudes elegance, history and a no-expense-spared attitude with a magnificent view of Lake Como. Think White Lotus meets Succession meets Casino Royale. It’s a place where you can feel equally comfortable sitting in solitude, indulging in discreet people watching or socializing with new friends from all over the world. While the experience is pure luxe, the vibe is laid-back, with guests encouraged to chat with the chef about the evening’s menu while helping themselves to a snack in the kitchen.
Photography provided by Passalacqua/Stefan Giftthaler
History
Passalacqua was built by Count Andrea Lucini-Passalacqua during the 18th century, on land that was once the property of Pope Innocent XI. Since then, the estate has been owned by a cast of characters, including a Swedish baroness, a Hungarian philosopher and an American investment banker who put the villa up for auction in 2018. The De Santis family — Paolo, Antonella and their daughter Valentina, were the winning bidders and soon began their passion project of restoring the grand villa with painstaking attention to detail. Prior to the hotel opening in 2022, Valentina worked with local artisans and prominent generational Italian companies to ensure the highest quality craftsmanship, while her parents traveled up and down the country visiting auction houses and antique fairs to procure the period-perfect treasures that fill the estate.
Photography provided by Passalacqua
Claim to Fame
Lake Como has long been known as a playground for the famous and powerful and Passalacqua is no exception, having opened its doors to its fair share of who’s who including French statesman Napoleon Bonaparte and England’s prime minister Winston Churchill. But the visitor whose presence is felt most at the villa is composer Vincenzo Bellini, who crafted his best-known works — including the operas La Straniera and La Sonnambula — while living at Passalacqua from 1829 to 1833. The space where he worked is now called the Suite Bellini and includes a music room in his honor (other rooms in the hotel are named after Bellini characters). In more recent times, Passalacqua has welcomed American celebrities George Clooney, John Legend, and Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez (who spent part of their honeymoon at the estate). And the hotel’s unmatched hospitality is as impressive as its high-profile guest list. Dressed in chic uniforms designed by luxury Italian fashion brand Giuliva Heritage, the hotel staff strives to make every visitor feel like they’re part of an extended family. The dedicated and loyal personnel is just one of the reasons Passalacqua was crowned the Best Hotel in the World in 2023 by The World’s 50 Best Hotels Academy.
Photography provided by Passalacqua/Ruben Ortiz
Amenities
Many guests come to Passalacqua to experience the Italian concept of dolce far niente (doing sweet nothing) and are content just swimming in the lake’s clear blue waters or sitting by the pool watching boats sail by. But for those who prefer to stay busy, there’s plenty to do, starting with the hotel’s “Every Day is a Gift” series, which promotes a daily activity such as a walking tour of Moltrasio, a wine and cheese tasting, lessons in mixology and floral design, as well as gelato-, pizza- and pasta-making classes. There’s a clay tennis court, gravel bocce court and an open-air cinema for outdoor fun, as well as two vintage Riva boats (guests can book a personalized tour with a knowledgeable captain who will happily point out George Clooney’s home as well as other famous and historical residences). Considered prime real estate for visitors, the pool area features moss-colored sun loungers and tasseled parasols created by fashion designer J.J. Martin (founder of La DoubleJ). Nearby, a 200-year-old greenhouse, known as the Winter Garden, has been transformed into a colorful outdoor lunch area and bar — the perfect spot for an afternoon Aperol spritz and some salty snacks. For a five-star hotel, Passalacqua is shockingly kid-friendly, with little ones regularly being fussed over by the staff and treated to child-size slippers, robes and toys upon arrival. Pets are welcome too, with bowls, beds and pet sitters on call.
Photography provided by Passalacqua
The Rooms
Passalacqua’s 24 rooms and suites are spread out over three buildings: The Villa’s 12 suites showcase restored frescoes, handblown Murano glass chandeliers and Persian rugs; the eight suites in Palazz, a former stable located behind the main villa, have a more bucolic look thanks to exposed wood beams and textured damask walls; and the four Casa al Lago cottages down by the lake include private gardens and outdoor dining areas. To make each room feel like you’ve stepped back in time, the owners have hidden modern conveniences, including handcrafted steamer trunks at the end of each bed to disguise the TVs, built-in speakers that greet guests with classical Italian music as they enter their rooms and mirrored chests that disguise the in-suite minibars. Bathrooms include Philippe Starck–designed double sinks, heated floors, towel-warming racks and three Dyson hair appliances (the Airwrap, Supersonic dryer and Corrale straightener), which are stored in leather boxes. Everything has been carefully planned out, from the gold room keys featuring the Passalacqua coat of arms to the diffusers emitting the hotel’s signature fragrance ‘Aqua Como 1787,’ which blends garden scents with fresh lake breezes. But it’s the Beltrami bed linens with Norwegian white birch fibers that are said to be softer than silk, that guests dream about long after they’ve returned home.
Photography provided by Passalacqua/Ruben Ortiz
The Spa + Fitness
Two treatment rooms are located near a calming meditation area featuring Viennese straw panels, palm trees, Moroccan lamps and bamboo lounge chairs. After a relaxing facial or massage, guests can make their way through an 18th-century tunnel (which was once used as a passageway for visitors and deliveries arriving from the lake), created out of Moltrasio stone and lit by lamps, to reach the vaulted grottoes containing a sauna, steam bath and experience shower. It’s here where they’ll also find a 59-foot-long indoor pool with views of the gardens, lake and mountains. Weather permitting, massages can be enjoyed in an outdoor pavilion and yoga practiced under the trees in the Magnolia Garden. On one of the hotel’s terraces among the olive groves, workout enthusiasts will find a fitness room filled with Technogym equipment.
Photography provided by Passalacqua/Azzurra Primavera
Dining
At Passalacqua, the staff pick fresh ingredients daily from the groves and gardens and rely on local farmers and fishermen for the rest. Viviana Varese, the cuoca di casa (in-house chef) is one of Italy’s leading female chefs and no stranger to fame — she once starred in her own reality TV show. Varese’s cuisine is inspired by the aristocratic haute cuisine of the 18th and 19th centuries beginning with breakfast, a feast spanning two dining rooms and featuring hot dishes made to order, warm baked breads, fresh fruit, pastries, cheeses, smoked fish and eggs from the hotel’s hens. A three-tiered tray featuring bomboloni (Italian doughnuts filled with custard), espresso granitas (a frozen dessert made with espresso and sugar) and maritozzi (sweet buns bursting with whipped cream) are set at guests’ tables every morning. Lunch takes on a laid-back vibe with staff manning an Italian pizza oven and outdoor grill. Dinner, which is often served al fresco under candlelight and colorful cupula-shaped awnings and Moroccan-style tents, features traditional Italian dishes such as sweet-flavored sea bream carpaccio, oversize ravioli filled with roast meat and duck breast with an earthy barbequed beetroot. The fare is elegantly presented on colorful Ginori 1735 china, including the menu’s pièce de résistance: mouthwatering crêpes Suzette. With a staff at the ready, guests can enjoy meals anywhere on the property, including poolside, down by the lake or in the dining room.
Photography provided by Passalacqua
Cost
Rooms start at $1,200 per night + tax, which includes breakfast for two.
