Filario

Filario Hotel & Residences has 13 luxury appointed lake-view rooms and luxury design suites as well as 20 elegant apartment residencies. Accommodation spans from the Superior to the Grand Suite, one-bedroom apartments to lavish townhouses and a three-bedroom Penthouse apartment. All are sizeable and airy, and each benefit from the wow-factor vistas of the lake, with private terraces framed by the Lombardy stone that encases the hotel, with views directly onto Villa Balbianello. 

With a neutral colour palette, the design rooms and luxury accommodation have an urban feel with soft greys marls, creamy sage and muted teal on quilts, velvet cushions, armchairs and rugs. Raw fabrics and locally sourced timber veneer walls give a natural cocoon-like effect. King size beds are encased in cuboid wooden frames, and Italian linen company Frette allow bed sheets, towels and slippers a luxurious edge.

Both the Grand Suite and Junior Suites come 'on the water' – these suites are the ones to book for lakeside lovers, with expansive terraces right by the water's edge and private plunge pools, although you may struggle to leave your luxe enclave. Interiors are impeccably furnished including industrial-chic bi-folding crittall-style doors to blur the boundary of inside and out.

Italy in general and the particular region of Lombardy is famed for its food, flavours and bounty, perfected in the kitchens here by Chef Alessandro Parisi. Filario is a determined sponsor of local, fostering the suppliers, growers and producers in each of the two eateries found at the resort. Geared for laid back alfresco dining, the bistro 'Yeast Side' is your pitstop for the gourmet pizza, antipasti, gelato and the lounge bar keeps guests hydrated with custom cocktails and Italian wines.

Come evening, Filario's fine dining Restaurant Filo highlights the area's local produce on its lakeside terrace and in the smart dining room. As you'd expect, the menu changes seasonally with Chef Alessandro Parisi's concepts of Italian culinary history and creative pairings. Capturing La Dolce Vita on a plate is the signature of Alessandro, whether that be a gelato, a pizza or a painterly presented complex dish of pigeon with polenta, blackcurrant and borage.  The ethos of slow food is something that Alessandro gets excited about and sees it not as much as a trend, but the movement it truly is.

Hotel Filario, an hour and a half from Milan airport, is found in Lezzeno, a peaceful Lake Como enclave once known as the manufacturing hub of the lake, where industry and craftsmanship collided. These days Lezzeno attracts visitors looking for a more low-key, authentic experience of Lake Como, without missing out on its attractions, many of which can be seen from Lezzeno's viewpoints including Bellagio, Tremezzo, Verenna, the Alps and Comacina Island.

From Lezzeno, you can visit Villa Balbianello in ten minutes by water taxi to explore an unrivalled Lake Como villa with its terraced gardens, embellished interior and sigh-inducing setting right at the water's edge. As Hotel Filario has its own marina, it's easy to get out on the water – either by traditional wooden taxi to visit medieval towns and romantic gardens clasped to the shore, or try kayaking, water skiing or paddleboarding. If you prefer to stay on foot, explore the pathways that carve through the forests, stopping for coffees or Aperitivo at the too-many-to-mention viewpoints.