Relais Casali della Cisterna — Hotel in Belgirate

If I could, I would score this seriously well-run hotel 10 stars. Simon Annie and his wife have travelled the world in their holidays and brought back every good idea that benefits you, the customer. Although the hotel is rated officially at 3 stars by the Office of Tourism, the standard presented is 5 star. Therein lies the problem. Some customers are demanding 5 star service at 3 star prices. Breakfast is a sight to behold and I am attaching photos. One example that I have never seen before is honey presented in it's comb, in the frame from the hive. You are provided with a teaspoon to scoop it out. Wow! We had a Junior Suite on level 3 which was large and luxuriously equipped. Fridge, tea/coffee making facilities, bath/ shower room with phone.. I could go on. Views across the lake are picture post card. Secure on-site parking behind large sliding metal door. Two items of which you need to be aware are steps and the railway line. To enter the hotel from the access road entails walking down perhaps 8 steps. No other option. The second point is that a railway line runs directly behind the hotel. I live on a busy road in South Devon, England used by tractors and buses so the noise of the trains did not worry me. It might worry some though . The Hotel provides a very good light menu if you want to eat in, and the bar is well stocked. If you choose to walk into the town to eat, Simona offers to bring you back by car. We took him up on his kind offer. We arrived by car from Tuscany but some fellow guests from England flew into Milan and caught a train to the Hotel. There is a station 200 metres level walk away and the train journey was very cheap but comfortable and on time. Once on-site, the boats on the lake make a perfect form of transport. We will definitely be coming back and I hope my son and daughter will come too with...

4 of us stayed here for 5 nights. This is a beautiful boutique hotel, our accommodation was spacious with a small kitchen and large tub/shower. The thing that made our stay so special was our gracious host, Simona. From greeting us and showing our apartment, to providing drinks/snacks and recommendations for our stay. We said she’s the hardest working woman in Italy. She kept a beautiful breakfast ready (including baked goods she made daily) for all guests, as well as made to order eggs. In the evening she would prepare drinks/snacks for guests as well as dinner (her lasagna was wonderful). She called people to help us on our daily excursions if it was beyond the more generic tourist-y things (a friend named Giorgio to rent a boat for us to spend time on the lake). There aren’t enough words to say how wonderful she is and how her kindness made our stay so pleasant. If we come back to Lago Maggiore this would be our first choice for...

Very welcoming hosts, couldn't have done more to make our stay enjoyable.|Room overlooking the lake was a bit obscured by tall trees, (might have been better from a higher floor) but still beautiful.|Restaurant, small but excellent quality from varied menu. Breakfast, wanting for nothing.|The only negative comment would be regarding the steps that have to be tackled from either of the parking areas.|If you're planning to arrive by car, be sure to research the access route first. My satnav got it wrong first time!|A mixed note, which is no reflection on the hotel but is about the boromean island set tours from Stresa, The first Island on the tour, (Isola Madre), is a rip off. Unless you're prepared to pay 20 euros per person to go round the gardens, (which I wasn't), then you are hostage to a small area and meagre restaurant choice until the boat comes to take you to the...