Grand Hotel Gardone Riviera * * * *

Grand Hotel Gardone Riviera is a grand old dame which is still the leading lady of Gardone. When it was built in 1881, this was the most fashionable hotel on the lake and one of the biggest resorts in Europe. Famous guests have included Winston Churchill, Gabriele d'Annunzio, and Somerset Maugham. It's only a rumor that Vladimir Nabokov was inspired to write Lolita after spotting a young girl here. The main salon's sculpted ceilings, parquet floors, and comfortable chairs make it an ideal spot for reading or watching the lake. For the most part, the guest rooms are spacious and traditionally furnished, always inviting (especially those balconies overlooking the lake). All the bathrooms come with deluxe toiletries. In the Summer, at lunch time an extensive buffet is available on the garden terrace, near the swimming pool, while dinner is served in the lakeside restaurant. A high quality of fresh food, refined cuisine and many local specialities are the main distinctive features.