Emily's - by MyHomeInComo

The location is beautiful, but the photos are a little misleading. Read the fine print carefully: the booking is non-refundable, so your stay isn’t protected. There was a strong cigarette smell. If you don’t smoke or have asthma, I wouldn’t recommend booking it. My niece has breathing problems and struggled to breathe. It got so bad that we had to leave the rental. We lost thousands of dollars and received no refund.

One of the worst experiences I’ve had. The home was dingy and smelled like cigarettes, even though the description said “non-smoking”. Avoid this rental at all costs!

The house was spotless, nicely furnished and spread over three floors. I stayed for a long weekend and would gladly return, but the steep stairs up to it won’t suit everyone. They weren’t an issue for me. The kitchen looks modern and has lots of appliances, though I would have liked more kitchen basics, such as cutlery, spatulas and ingredients like olive oil.

There’s no outdoor space of its own apart from a small covered area, so barbecuing isn’t really possible. There are good places to eat nearby, or you can sit by the harbor, perhaps on a terrace. Book dinner well ahead. Torno doesn’t have a proper beach, which is a shame, though you can reach the lake through a narrow street from the cottage. A swim is pleasant in the morning or evening, but it gets a bit crowded during the day. It’s a lovely, quiet base for outings in Como, 10 minutes by car, and around the lake. The house is beautifully finished, clean and cozy, with a compact but useful kitchen that has a dishwasher, fridge and freezer. It’s in the middle of a charming village, and there’s a private parking garage a three-minute walk away, up steep stairs. You can’t drive to the house. I didn’t notice any smoke or cigarette smell, despite those complaints. The home has two double bedrooms, two single bedrooms, and an extra bed that can go in a bedroom or the living room. One bedroom has air conditioning. The house is arranged across four levels: basement, ground floor, living room and kitchen on the first floor, and an air-conditioned bedroom on the second. You need to be comfortable with stairs, and the living room is a bit small for six. Shutters and windows make it easy to manage the ventilation.