My husband and I just finished our stay at Hotel Il Portichetto - a hidden gem in Lake Como, located just above Varenna in Vezio. We were very happy with our stay here! Rita is an amazing host, as well as her sweet and friendly dog that you’ll see around the property! Rita got in touch with us before our stay and arranged for a car to pick us up from the train station, as the hotel is a bit of a hike up the mountain and we would not have been able to do that with our bags. She was also very responsive when we would message her via WhatsApp with any questions we had before arriving.

Rita and the staff were very kind, welcoming, and friendly. In addition, our room was very comfortable and clean, and it was a big and spacious room, too! It was also right by the pool and hot tub. Another thing we loved was having a washing machine and a clothes drying rack - very convenient! We enjoyed a nice dinner at the restaurant beside the hotel our first night, and a yummy breakfast the next morning.

We would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone looking for an affordable stay, with clean and comfortable rooms, a wonderful staff, and in a peaceful and relaxing spot!

Just be aware that this hotel is not actually in the town of Varenna - as mentioned above, it’s a bit of a hike up and down - maybe 15-20 minutes, and there is an incline.

However, Rita provides a list of numbers for different taxis, so if you’d rather not hike up and down, it’s less than a 10 minute taxi ride, for about 12 or 13 euro. Also, if you’re using a travel data-only eSIM like us, the numbers are all accessible using WhatsApp.

Finally, you’ll have the most amazing views and you’ll truly feel like you’re in such a magical place, away from the hustle and bustle and noise of the town. If you’re planning to visit Castello di Vezio, it’s a quick walk from the hotel, so that’s also a plus.

Grazie mille Rita and the staff at Hotel Il Portichetto!