Camping Montorfano

The campsite is handy for exploring around Lake Como, with Como about a 20-minute drive away. We stayed seven nights, and the staff were lovely, spoke excellent English, and helped us throughout. They booked us a table at a brilliant restaurant where we could watch England Women during the Euros, and even let us check out late on our last day. After two months away and 14 campsites, I can see this place has the potential to be brilliant, but a few things need attention. The staff were apologetic when I handed in a coffee cup's worth of broken glass we picked up around pitch U. Our pitch was a decent size, mostly among permanent pitches, and our Italian neighbours greeted us with chilled Rosè and crisps for the kids. There wasn't an outside tap nearby, though, so filling our AquaRoll in the washing-up room took a while. There was litter around the site, including in the hedges, and the bin areas need more care. Spilled rubbish and cigarette butts were left on the ground after the bins were emptied. The block nearest us was the best one, but it seemed to get cleaned only once each morning. By evening it was a mess, especially since so many guests use that block. It needs attention during the day too. The huge pool is a nice place to spend time once you get used to the chilly water, but the music was aggressively loud. I couldn't figure out whether the deck chairs were free or paid, since some people seemed to get them for free and others had to pay. The Pool Side bar opened sporadically, while the restaurant's pizzas were great. The tannoy announcements about things like the cheese vendor and kids' club agenda went on through the day and spoiled the atmosphere for me. Regular walks around the site by management could help spot these issues. Some fixes seem easy and would make a real difference to guests.

We spent two days here as a family, and I liked the location and the room we stayed in. But basic extras add up: towels and linens cost €10 per person. The pool charges extra for an umbrella and chaise longue, and you have to wear a swimming cap. If you don't bring one, they charge you for that too. The main gate closes at 22:30, so you can't park inside after that and have to leave the car outside the campsite without security. We also asked the restaurant about taking pizza away. They said yes, just not that day. That's crazy.

The kids have plenty of entertainment here, so it may not be the best choice if you're after a quiet week. We used the campsite as an overnight stop while travelling south, though lots of people were on holiday or staying long term. It's a useful spot just south of Como and the Swiss border for a night when travelling either way. The reception and restaurant staff were friendly. The bar and restaurant are nice, with wood-fired pizzas at reasonable prices. It's best to book a table or you may have to wait. There are two sanitary blocks: one was clearly renovated in recent years, while the other feels dated and could use an upgrade. At the end of high season, one night for our camper, two people, electricity and tax came to €25, which seemed reasonable. I'd recommend it and will probably stay again when passing nearby.

We rented a Maxitent. It was clean, and the employees were really nice, but there was no AC for warm nights. We paid for blankets, yet with all the rain we were freezing for both nights.