Casa Miralago

The rooms and furniture are very old, and in hot weather the place becomes unbearable. There’s no air conditioning, so it feels like being stuck in a baking oven. The so-called private beach is small, very rocky, and dangerous, and you can’t swim there. A terrible, unsuitable place that feels like a waste of money. Get out of there quickly.

The lake view is outstanding, and Bellagio and Varenna are visible across the water and easy to reach by boat. Bus and boat tickets are inexpensive. Casa Miralgo sits right beside the main road and the lake, with town about a 15-minute walk away across a busy road. Part of the route uses a cycle and walking path that goes around a tunnel, but much of it is on very narrow footpaths or involves crossing the road. The apartment had what I needed for a few days, it was clean, and things worked except the shower head wouldn’t stay fixed upside down. Still, I didn’t feel at home there. It had little charm, with uncomfortable sofas, no side table, and bare tiled floors. I often felt cold, especially on rainy days in the third week of September. In the evenings, poor Wi-Fi often made it hard to use the internet or watch TV. The building also includes a rental apartment and a hotel.

We stayed in room 7, the one with the parasol in the photo, and the view was lovely. It was clean, though the apartment felt a little dated. The private beach has chairs and loungers, and you can swim or take a kayak. Bikes are available to use for free, too. The walk into Menaggio is easy, around 20 minutes, with a sidewalk and a separate path around the tunnel. Heading toward Porlezza, there’s a Pui supermarket, a bit like Lidl.

What a view of the lake and mountains from this apartment’s beautiful setting. The balcony is a good size, but the chairs weren’t comfortable and there are no sunshades. Downstairs there’s a private “beach” area where you can pick up loungers, kayaks, and other equipment. Private parking was handy, since it’s hard to park around here, even in the village. Apartment no. 8 fell short for us. The mattresses were poor, the place felt dated and bare, and there wasn’t much in the way of amenities. The living room was basically a large kitchen, with a two-seat sofa and a small dining area for three. No dishwasher, which wasn’t a disaster but was a shame. I rent out holiday homes myself and care about things being in good shape and having a pleasant feel, and I missed that here. The location made up for what the apartment lacked, though, and it was a good base for a lovely holiday.