Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como

Just spent 5 nights at MO Lago di Como. It’s a beautiful property with multiple villas instead of a single main building. We stayed in a Vista Lago room which turned out to be larger than shown on the website and, as the name implies, had a view of Lake Como. Room was very well furnished, with a comfortable bed, sizable walk-in closet and an oversized bathroom - always a nice surprise! Our pre-arrival experience with Concierge desk was not up to MO standards. Emails went unanswered for days and required multiple reminders. The experience was much better in person, and Michele was wonderful and super helpful with all our requests. The service throughout the hotel was polite and attentive. I especially liked hotel’s WhatsApp communication method, given that rooms are all away from the front desk. What was missing for me was some Italian character. True to their corporate approach, MO staffs their properties with multi-national personnel. There is nothing wrong with that per se, but if you close your eyes - this properly could be anywhere in the world. An Italian hotel needs more Italian flair. Finally, a couple of practical notes for those considering this hotel: - There was a surprisingly large population of parents with young children here. The pool floating in the lake is absolutely amazing, but it’s the only one on the property, there is no separate family pool. - Local transportation, provided by the hotel, is uncharacteristically pricey. Leaving hotel for a diner out in Como (15 min away) will be around 100 euros round-trip. While reaching a restaurant across the lake by car (25-30 min away) will set you back 300 euros round-trip. The prices for water taxis are even higher. - There are some posts about poor security at the hotel. We found no such thing. There is only one way to get in/out of the hotel by car and that entrance is monitored at all times. A guard has to open a gate for every car to pass.

Beautiful hotel, I will go back again soon

L’ensemble

Rien

We have stayed in some of the nicest hotels in Europe and this is our #1. Beats Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, Cap Ferat... 4 Seasons Paris, Shangrila etc. Service: Impeccable. Every member of the staff was warm, professional, and seemed to anticipate our needs before we even voiced them. From the front desk to the spa team, service felt genuinely personalized without being intrusive. My girlfriend actually fainted in the middle of the night turning down the A/C. Long story short she had to go to the hospital.. and the staff went above and beyond helping us out... and pro-actively having a taxi waiting outside the hospital at 6am for us. So thoughtful... they genuinely cared. Rooms: We got a last minute deal here for 2 nights and had to be in the smallest room on the property. A/C works okay... and there were some bug issues that others have mentioned. Still beautiful 2 steps out the front door. Dining: We dined at Como Bistro. Each dish was beautifully presented, locally inspired, and packed with flavor. The lakeside aperitivo before dinner was a perfect start to the evening. You have to try their PIZZA. Unbelievable.

Thus hotel is just incredible. Very friendly staff, delicious food, and probably one of the best locations in Europe. Our fourth visit to M.O. Como and we could not be happier!

The view from our suite at the Mandarin Oriental, Lake Como was undeniably stunning — serene, expansive, and exactly what you’d hope for when booking a luxury stay. Unfortunately, the experience inside the room was far from five-star. From the moment we arrived, we encountered a serious issue with bugs — particularly in the bathroom. It wasn’t a case of the occasional insect from the terrace (which we never opened); the bugs appeared to be coming from within the walls. The carpets and terrace were also clearly not cleaned — it felt like the suite had been left untouched for weeks. We raised our concerns immediately. Maintenance was sent to spray the room, but the issue persisted. We even went out ourselves the next day to buy insect disinfectant. When we asked for a room change, we were told it would only be considered if the issue continued. While this response might be understandable in a budget hotel, it was surprising and disappointing given we had booked a premium suite at a renowned five-star property. After escalating the issue again, housekeeping finally cleaned the room thoroughly — carpets were vacuumed, and the bathroom was sprayed. Things improved temporarily, but by evening, the bugs were back. This continued for three nights, and only after repeatedly insisting did we speak to a manager, who assured us the issue would be resolved. Unfortunately, it never was. To be clear, our primary frustration wasn’t just the presence of bugs — although that was a major issue — but rather the way it was handled. We felt dismissed and, at times, as though our complaints were being questioned. This is not the level of service one expects from a hotel of this caliber. When we voiced our concern, the staff explained that the hotel is located in a botanical garden — implying that some level of insect presence was to be expected. I completely understand that context, and as someone who has traveled extensively to tropical destinations like Bali and the Maldives, I’m familiar with such environments. However, not once in those places did I encounter bugs inside the rooms — certainly not to this extent. That’s the distinction. At checkout, when we reiterated the ongoing issue, the staff casually suggested that next time we book a different villa “because it’s cleaner” — a clear admission that the problem is known and recurring. In fact, as we were leaving, we overheard another guest raising the same complaint to management. For context, we never asked for compensation and paid the full amount. Ironically, I noticed a dinner was missing from our bill and informed the front desk. The staff member laughed and said to consider it a small compensation for the inconvenience. That gesture, while well-intentioned, didn’t begin to reflect the scale of the issue — it wasn’t even 1% of what we paid for the suite. It’s unfortunate — I truly wanted to love this hotel. The setting is extraordinary. But the lack of proactive service, attention to cleanliness, and proper guest care turned what should have been a luxurious stay into a frustrating experience. Had we not paid in advance, we likely would have left.

The Mandarin Oriental Lake Como is heaven on Earth. Hotel rooms are spacious, comfortable and quiet. Food is wonderful at anytime: breakfast - I had the best cheese omelette of my life - lunch and dinner with a never ending wine list which makes wine lovers happy. Personnel looks after the guests with extreme care and show the highest professionalism. The pool and the solarium are incredibly gorgeous. Prices are understandable considering the place. If one comes he/she will dream about coming back.