In the first nine months of 2026, Italy welcomed 523.7 million visitors, putting it on track to achieve a new annual record. Despite increased demand in recent years, hotels in Lake Como largely remain family-owned boutiques. Meanwhile, big-name openings scheduled for 2027 and 2028 challenge the notion of what kind of hotel works on Lake Como.
Lake Como’s notoriety as a holiday retreat dates back to Roman times, when Pliny the Younger wrote of its charms and built a villa on its shores and another in its hills. In the 1800s, it was a mainstay of the European Grand Tour; that century gave rise to the lake’s grand hotels, several of which still operate today. However, it wasn’t until 2002 that the United States really took note.
“It’s all thanks to George,” said Thomas Schmidt, general manager of Grand Hotel Victoria in Menaggio, referring to movie star George Clooney. His 2002 purchase of a villa in Laglio put Lake Como in the American consciousness, and the region has never been the same. Cameos in blockbuster films such as “Ocean’s Twelve,” “Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones” and “Casino Royale” further cemented its celebrity.
History you can’t replicate
One motive behind the record-setting visitor numbers is tourists’ desire to experience the country’s history and culture firsthand. On Lake Como, lodging is part of the history lesson.
Each independent hotel on Lake Como has a storied past. Hotel Royal Victoria, a 45-room hotel in Varenna, occupies a former silk spinning mill. Furnishings in each room date from the 14th through 18th centuries, and each room is unique.
Original, hand-painted ceilings grace the lobby. In 2018, the hotel’s owners, in partnership with the Milan government, painstakingly restored it to preserve its architecture and landscape.
Passalacqua, named the world’s best boutique hotel for 2026, sports 24 rooms and a unique history. It began as a getaway for Pope Innocent XI in the 1600s. Though only open as a hotel since 2023, the villa traces its past to 1787 and welcomes guests to carefully restored rooms that preserve the past while showcasing modern Italian craftsmanship.
Grand Hotel Victoria, one of the lake’s original villa hotels, dates back to 1890 and has remained family-owned since its opening. Today, it melds past and present with original chandeliers, a sumptuous spa and a gallery that does a brisk business in contemporary art.
R Collection Hotels, an independent family-owned hospitality group, owns or manages five boutique hotels throughout Lake Como and will open four more in 2027. The investment strategy is personal; the Rocchi family looks for properties that reflect places they love and believe in.
“On Lake Como, where our story is deeply connected to the territory, we see ourselves as custodians of places with extraordinary cultural and historical significance. We are committed to preserving the identity, heritage and authenticity of each property while ensuring it continues to evolve for future generations,” said Ludovica Rocchi, brand director and third-generation hotelier. “This same philosophy extends to the people who work alongside us every day. We believe exceptional hospitality begins with creating an environment where our teams feel valued, supported and inspired to grow.”
Big brands see big business
From 2016 to 2024, the accommodation capacity on Lake Como grew by 125%. But it’s not enough; the area still needs more rooms. In 2024, the last year with data, non-hotel accommodation occupancy rates jumped 11.1 percentage points over 2023, while hotel occupancy fell 0.2 percentage points. Visitors are turning to short-term rentals as hotel prices rise and availability tightens.
Part of the challenge stems from what makes Lake Como hotels so charming. Historic villas tend to have small room counts, even ones newly converted to hotels. The lake’s largest heritage hotel, Villa D’Este, still only has 151 rooms.
One new property, Villa O, opens in Cernobbio in early November. The newest member of the R Collection family will add 12 luxury serviced apartments to the region’s capacity. Set in a converted private villa, the complex overlooks Cernobbio’s main church bell tower.
Another hotel, Casa du Lac, reopened in 2025 after a full renovation. The former private villa has just 13 rooms, each with a unique layout thanks to its 1823 origins as a residence.
R Collection Hotels isn’t the only brand expanding on Lake Como. Marriott’s luxury lifestyle brand EDITION opened its doors in March 2026. The Ritz-Carlton, another Marriott brand, Six Senses, Malta-based Corinthia Hotels, and Accor member brands Raffles and Mama Shelter are all set to open new or renovated properties on Lake Como in the next two years.
Together, the new openings are expected to total 499 rooms, though not all of them are truly new. The Ritz-Carlton, Six Senses and Raffles are all renovating existing historic structures. Six Senses will reduce capacity, bringing the hotel down to 102 rooms from 213.
Shoulder season demand surges
In addition to opening more doors, the tourism industry responds to increased demand by extending the shoulder season. September is residents’ favorite month, when the crush of summer visitors dies down, but the weather remains warm and sunny. Hotels typically close between October and March, but warming temperatures and strong interest are prompting hoteliers to rethink the standard season.
Tourists, especially wealthy ones, increasingly shift their visits into autumn. Luxury travel advisory consortium Virtuoso released a trends report in August showing fall 2026 bookings up 59% and sales up 69%, with Europe leading the way. According to the report, bookings to Europe climbed 49% even though rates also rose. Though shoulder-season travel is less of a bargain than it previously was, demand remains high.
Villa Cipressi in Varenna responds by staying open through the festive season. Last year, it experimented with a Christmas lights display in its famous gardens. The program was so successful that the hotel will repeat the experience this year, with access running Nov. 1 to Jan. 10.
On nearby Lake Annone, converted villa Bianca Relais stays open year-round except for a brief closure between January and February. Its wellness and culinary programs keep guests engaged despite cooler temperatures.
Making sense of the options
Because each town, hotel and even each room offers a different experience, travelers benefit from detailed research to choose the best option for their needs. Some turn to travel advisers to untangle the myriad options.
For Alex Barnes, founder of the ultra-luxury travel agency AlexTravels, the hotel leads the way. Her clients focus first on the lodging experience they want and think of the towns as places they can visit by boat.
Barnes welcomes the new chain hotels opening on the lake, and notes the need for more capacity as demand stays strong well into the fall. Familiar names are a “net positive by providing more optionality,” she said, though she doesn’t believe the new entrants will siphon off guests from the lake’s most notable properties.
It may even draw more visitors to the region. “The rise of demand continues to come from Americans who are familiar with those brands,” Barnes said.
Character meets capacity constraints
Italy is on pace to break visitor records in 2026. Despite an increase in accommodations on Lake Como to meet rising demand, the area still needs more visitor space. Big brands move in to fill the gap. Independent hotels and the families that run them marry cultural preservation with modern renovations to keep the area’s charm and independence intact.
Ashley Wali is a Seattle-based travel journalist and owner of Wanderlux, writing about luxury, family, culinary and wellness travel. Her work has appeared in The Seattle Times, Boston Herald, San Francisco Weekly, Sun Sentinel and more. Recent assignments have had her exploring small-town Croatia and hiking Utah’s national parks.
The post Boutique hotels preserve Lake Como’s character as global brands move in appeared first on Food Drink Life.
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