Hotel Poggio d'Oro

We had tasty, simple food and got a great wine recommendation. The view was lovely, and it was friendly and affordable. All the staff were cheerful and welcoming, though only one spoke English, so we wished we knew some Italian.

We stayed nine nights and were given a room with a balcony overlooking the lake, which felt like a real bonus. The rooms were spotless, and breakfast on the terrace came with beautiful views in both directions along Lago d’Iseo. Roberto, Kiara and their daughters, the second-generation owners, treated us like honored guests. Their warmth and kindness stayed with us. When they waved goodbye, we had tears in our eyes and promised to come back. I hope we do one day. Hotel Poggio d’Oro is a traditional little family-run hotel high in the hills above Riva di Solto, with breathtaking views over Lago d’Iseo. The lake still feels like one of Italy’s undiscovered gems, and the area isn’t touristy. With a car, it’s a great base for exploring: the town is a 10-minute drive away, and you can reach Valle Camonica, Bergamo, Brescia, lakeside villages like Lovere and Sarnico, and further afield to Como, Garda and Maggiore. There’s free parking right outside. We asked Roberto where the Pasinelli family go on holiday. He said they don’t, because they love it there too much. The hotel is their home and passion, and their guests are friends. Location, hospitality and value for money are hard to beat. Albergo Poggia d’Oro exceeded all our expectations, and we’d recommend it without hesitation.

If you appreciate the simple Italian style and have the right sensibility, you’ll find good people and good food here. It’s a piece of land with a real soul.

My friend and I stopped in for dinner, and a few hours later we were both really sick. We had to cut our trip short. Horrible!