Hotel Careni Villa Italia

Four of us stayed in a spacious room, bathroom included. The food was above average, both at breakfast and with full board. It was tasty and good quality, with three first courses and three second courses to choose from, plus buffet appetizers and lots of desserts. There’s covered parking behind the building, and Como beach service. The location is superb, cross the street and you’re at the beach in two minutes. The building is beautiful, and the sixth-floor panoramic terrace has loungers and umbrellas with 180-degree sea views, including Gallinara Island.

My room on the 6th floor was minimal but comfortable and spotless, and the bathroom was just as clean. I was lucky to be among the few rooms with a balcony and stunning sea views. The mattress and pillows definitely need replacing, though, and that cost the hotel a star. The food felt authentic, with small to medium portions and the option to add more. There was a varied vegetable buffet, plenty of desserts, and breakfast had homemade cakes, croissants, and excellent cappuccinos. They were very accommodating about menu changes for health reasons.

I emailed twice to ask about availability for one night, once through the website and once by regular mail. After two days without a reply, I called. The woman who answered sounded annoyed and spoke to me rudely and without much interest, telling me to call back another day. I won’t be calling again, I’ll book somewhere else. If this is how they treat potential guests, help!

The staff are wonderful, and Marisa and her daughter Rita are especially kind and always ready to help. We come as a big group from Lodi every year, staying both in spring and September. The location, food, service, and welcome are hard to beat. We’re already looking forward to coming back, and there’ll be 50 of us in spring, so dear Marisa and Rita, get ready to welcome us with open arms. Lucia