Villa Angelica

The villa's gardens and grounds first caught my eye when I booked, but I hadn't realized we would be staying in a place with such a long history. Around 1360, it was Trentino's first Paper factory, and later it became an aristocratic home. My mom and I spent lovely mornings in the gardens, read in the olive garden, and relaxed by the pool. The grounds have so much to enjoy, including free barbecue facilities, sauna, bikes, sparkling water, and beautiful views. The center is only a short walk away, though it was hard to feel motivated to leave the property for town or the beach. The family who owns and runs the hotel made us feel at home. Rafael manages the property, and Angelica and I had a few brief but meaningful conversations. They both helped us feel safe, happy and at peace. We'll always remember their hospitality and our time here. And the homemade tiramisu was wonderful.

We felt like guests of a warm Italian family, playing with the dogs and enjoying homemade tiramisu. The host was so welcoming and attentive, always ready to help, and the free bikes let us explore more of the lake each day. The 16th-century villa is a real gem: its large, blooming garden, pool and sauna are lovely, and there's a grill area, games for kids, table soccer, table tennis and toys. It's about a 15-minute walk to Riva del Garda's center, so it's peaceful while city life is still within reach. Our family had an unforgettable stay, though the only downside is that you may not want to leave the villa at all.

The gardens are full of greenery, statues and old fountains, and there's even a little chapel you can enter from the garden. For more modern comforts, there's a pool, sauna, barbecue area, sun loungers and a ground-floor bar stocked with wine, beer, cold drinks and homemade tiramisu. You can also borrow bicycles for the ride into town. Rafael was an incredibly kind host, helpful with our last-minute changes and always ready with good advice. We stayed in the largest apartment on the top floor, about 120 m². It had everything we needed, including a baby cot, high chair, appliances and a fully equipped kitchen, and stayed pleasantly cool despite the summer heat. The villa itself is old and grand, but very well maintained, with paintings, antiques and interesting details inside. A stream and small waterfall run right beside it. The sound seemed loud at first, but we stopped noticing it after a few hours. The only small drawback is the uphill 15-minute walk back from about 2 km away, but that was fine for a place like Villa Angelica.

Rafael was a super friendly, helpful host, and we hope to return soon. Our spacious three-bedroom apartment had two bathrooms and was clean and well cared for. The villa is a few minutes outside the town center, so it stays quiet, with only some mountain bikers on the nearby trail around. We loved the garden and the views, as well as the beautiful pool and roomy sauna beside it. There's also a stream and little waterfall right by the villa.