IL Sereno Lago di Como

I recently spent a weekend at Il Sereno at Lago di Como, booking it as soon as they won the Condé Nast Gold List number 1. I was both excited and a bit worried if the hype was real, especially since it was one of the priciest hotels we planned to stay at this summer. I was torn between choosing Il Sereno, Grand Hotel Tremezzo, or Mandarin Oriental. Let me say that Il Sereno has truly earned its award. This was the best hotel we stayed at this year. Even during the peak holiday season when the hotel was fully booked, it never felt crowded. The rooms were spectacular, the food was perfect, and the service was so exceptional that it felt like home. I loved it, my kids loved it, and we all had an amazing time. Thank you, Il Sereno. We look forward to coming back soon.

This was our second visit and we were expecting the same perfection as last time but were disappointed. Maybe we should have heeded my mother-in-law's advice about all things in life...you can never go back! Here are some pros and cons: The Room (We were placed in the new section completed after our last visit. The smallest room has gotten smaller with limited closet space, but an outstanding direct view of the lake. This room had a musty smell. The welcome champagne and snacks were outstanding). The Concierge (Yannis and his team are terrific and they quickly pulled together a four-hour private boat trip of the Lake and its villas. A real highlight. Also, they moved dining reservations in and out of the hotel on a dime). Food and beverage: A shout out to the bartender that has been there since the beginning...he makes an amazing martini. The restaurant now has a Michelin star, but the food now has that international you could be anywhere taste. Some of the breakfast extras that made it special (e.g. the donut cart, beautifully cut fruit, etc.) are gone. The morning offering pales against other top luxury breakfast buffets in Italy. Have breakfast on your terrace and the view will be your treat. Also, the team at the pool is over-whelmed ...not asking if you'd like a drink, forgetting your order, etc. Two charming but young apprentice workers are part of the team and the crowds have them beat. By adding the new section of rooms the hotel added more chaise lounges, so its crowded. The other guests: This is beyond any hotel's control, but the people around you define an experience. When we were there, yelling unsupervised small children dominated the pool one afternoon and the breakfast area the following morning. Many outside restaurant visitors and hotel guests are often positioned in your view doing social-media photo shoots. The amount of luxury brand swag can allow you to go on a safari and "bag" the big 5... Hermes, Loewe, Dior, Prada and Fendi .. in the first walk through the lobby. Il Sereno is no longer the chic low-key hideaway that built its reputation. But everyone on staff works hard to make it special. The setting, gardens, architecture are tops. And the rates keep climbing.

Beware! DO NOT book here. We booked directly with this hotel and they were hacked and scammed. They lost $72,000. of our money and told us they were sorry, they said they could do nothing about this. We had a huge celebration planned and it was a big deal for us. We did a lot of research and decided to go with this hotel because they were number 1. It was everything but.... Through direct links, they claim not to have received emails. our emails were intercepted and people posing with the same names as their employees were responding to our emails. We even used the reply button to answer the "real" emails. They claim they are safe. DO NOT TRUST THIS HOTEL. You will regret it. We make it a rule to never write reviews, but felt compelled to warn people about this hotel and scam.