I stayed here for 3 nights in the summer of 2002. My travelmate and I were trying to shake off a…read morebad experience in Milan, and we had a preternatural belief that Lake Como was the perfect place. I don't recall how we found the listing, nor can I find a website for it, but I cannot say enough about this place. Describing it to people always leaves me sheepish because it inevitably sounds like I'm recounting an awesome dream. This place is part hostel, part music venue, part restaurant. part beach club, and part bar. Yes, I'm serious. My best friend and I would sleep in entirely comfortable, simple accommodations upstairs, and then upon waking, we'd spend the day jumping on the trampoline, floating in the lake, eating pizza [they had a pizza oven, of course], and sipping inexpensive cocktails. It happened that our stay coincided with the World Cup, so my soccer-fanatic travelmate could sit and watch the games on the big screen in the bar/music venue/restaurant. Honestly, that's how we spent 3 days. The hostel accommodations were entirely no-frills, but they were clean, comfortable, safe, and reasonably priced. (We slept with the windows open to capture the wonderful breeze off the lake, and one more we woke up to find a little lizard taking a snooze on an empty beer bottle that we'd left on the floor the night before. We named her Liz. I told the manager about the lizard and he seemed really embarrassed. Unduly so-- it just added to the charm of the place. And I'm not a nature girl!) The staff was unbelievably warm and friendly, and they encouraged us to relax and just have fun. There was a sense of "nothing must, anything can", and "il dolce di far niente"-- quite a departure from Milan and Rome. If I find myself back in Como, and I can't score a room in George Clooney's villa, I plan on staying at La Vespa again, even if my youth hostel days are long gone. Haters gonna hate, but there's something ecstatic about jumping on a trampoline with Lake Como and the Alps as a backdrop, waiting for your pizza to be baked.

We rented a car in Como and drove to Hotel Tullio in Gravedona. This hotel is right next to the…read morelake, no obstructions in the way. The weather was cooler than normal in mid May during our stay so we didn't use the outdoor pool. We did, however, take advantage of the bicycles that are free to use (get the key at the front desk to unlock and lock the bicycle) and rode along the lake in each direction. Lake Como is so beautiful, the water so clean and clear. Bicycles are typically available to use for an hour at a time but the owner made an exception for us since there were plenty of bicycles and not many riders so we rode for almost two hours. It was fun and no hills along the river. Breakfast was the best. Lots of food. Guests hard boil their own eggs (just don't forget to take them out of the water after about ten minutes). Our room was very comfortable and quiet, and met all our expectations. No hotel restaurant for lunch or dinner, however, the owner will provide directions to a nearby restaurant he recommends: Agriturismo Ca' del Lago. It's walkable in 10 to 15 minutes. The food and service are not 4 or 5-star but certainly acceptable. I recommend giving it a try. Gravedona is on the northern part of Lake Como. From the train station in Como, the drive along the lake to get to Gravedona is well worth it. The hotel is not visible from the main road that goes through Gravedona. We used my iPhone GPS to get us there without issue but be attentive once you get to Gravedona because the 90 degree right turn off the main road is a narrow one-way road and it's easy to miss. I recommend staying at Hotel Tullio.