Brava! Brava! If you are looking for a comfortable and cozy Lake Como “home away from home”, you have come to the right place.
La Marianna is an “all in the family” establishment- a small hotel (alberghetto) and well renowned restaurant both run by a handful of incredibly hard working people. Of my many trips to Europe, there are but a mere handful of hotels I still remember as extra-special ones after 25 years of travel. “La Marianna” and its caretakers will join that exclusive list. I stayed here for twelve nights, a lengthy hotel visit for this region, especially as an American traveler, and highly recommend you consider a visit here yourself.
In the mid lake region, La Marianna is situated directly adjacent to the western lakeshore, just a mere ten minutes or so on foot north of the small town center of Cadenabbia. You have the lake right at your doorstep, significantly more privacy and R&R than you would in the more well known towns across the lake, and all in all, it is a much more restful experience, in my humble opinion. On anything but the most abbreviated of visits, you can easily ferry hop to Bellagio, Varenna, and Menaggio (the last also reachable by public bus). And you can also see and wave to these towns while enjoying a cappuccino on your own serene arbor-covered breakfast terrace, then hop on over before the crowds descend. In many ways, La Marianna’s location is the best of both worlds. Other locales mid lake are still close by, and I made two farther day trips easily from this location.
Enjoy a room that’s traditionally furnished and comfortable. I was surprised how affordable my room was (with a lake view) for this location. The hotel itself, a small villa, is snug and cozy, beautifully decorated with lots of local tradition, personality, and amore. Breakfast is incredibly generous by European standards, especially from my trips in Italy years ago. Enjoy homemade jam, bread, and cake, yogurts, fruit, salami, cheese, eggs, and the allure of a slow second cappuccino every morning of your stay.
I would be greatly remiss to neglect to mention the very outstanding restaurant just outside your door. You’d be silly to eat anywhere else- this place is the best- ask the locals! Reserve that morning at breakfast to be assured a seat for later that evening. The family chefs do a stupendous job carefully crafting a seasonal menu at this “undemocratic establishment”, where a monthly four course dinner menu rotates daily. Choose a selection of the four courses, or just those that you prefer. I never found a meal that was less than exceptional, and found dinner here was a genuine highlight of my trip as a whole. There was even a generous discount as a guest of the hotel.
Parents and kids, Tiziano, Paola, Giacomo, and Marta, are kind and caring people and gracious hosts and deserve your consideration at their special little corner of Como, La Alberghetto de la Marianna.
Simplest directions by bus: You’re about an hour away when you board in Como, getting close when you pass Tremezzo (you’ll see orange signs for the Grand Hotel Tremezzo). In Cadenabbia center (next town north), be on the lookout for the ferry docks (two stout white pillars on your right, and lots of colored flags flying). Two stops after this is the hotel. If the bus is not too crowded, approach the driver and tell him you’re looking for “La Marianna Ristorante”. If it’s too crowded, signal for a stop after this- the bus won’t stop unless you request it. You’ll be dropped off either directly across from “Bar Company” (hotel is a five minute walk straight ahead, heading north) or at the hotel doorstep.
One small caveat, unfortunately reflective of this side of the lake as a whole, as a road runs right along the whole western lakeshore: Consider traffic noise and perhaps your room’s location if you are a light sleeper. (I slept lake facing, one level above the street.) If you want to enjoy the breeze off the lake overnight, consider packing earplugs, a sleep aid, or perhaps just more wine at the dinner table. Buon viaggio!
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