The ‘Grandest Dame’ of Lake Como <br>Prepares to Celebrate 150 Glorious Years

Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni in Bellagio, Lake Como, is ready to celebrate its 150th anniversary. For a century and a half, this renowned ‘Grand Dame’ hotel has been the preferred destination of royals and celebrities looking for a peaceful haven in the North of Italy. Today, its 94 rooms and suites welcome an international clientele each year between April and November, offering a retreat that’s both relaxing and luxurious, immersed in nature and surrounded by the “grand and glam” allure of days-gone-by.

A work of art in itself, the neoclassical building is filled with Italian marble, illuminated by antique Murano glass chandeliers and ornamented by original frescoes. It is unique – and this emphasizes the importance of its century-and-a-half milestone: a property beautifully preserved over the course of its years, which continues to provide all the top-level modern comforts expected from a luxury destination through sensitive yearly renovations.

The Bucher family has owned and cared for the villa since 1918. Jan Bucher, 4th-generation General Manager says of the upcoming season: “we are expecting a bumper season and already have many dates when the hotel is already fully-booked. The staff are arranging multiple small surprises for our guests, and a dedicated team is planning a summer party for guests from all over the world”.

A special 7-course menu has been created for Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni’s 150th anniversary season by Executive Chef Ettore Bocchia, retracing the key moments of the last 150 years of Italian history.

Enthusiasm is also growing among the 170 staff at the villa, some of whom have been working there for much of their careers so that they have many meaningful memories to share: from the visit of a friendly George Lucas during the filming of Star Wars, to Helmut Newton’s famous fashion shoots; from the convention headed by NASA astronauts in collaboration with the CERN of Geneva, to numerous vintage and luxury cars’ exhibitions. This is a hotel stuffed full of history and memories from the distant and more recent past, as well as bright hopes and expectations of new ones to be forged in the bright years to come.