Site Inspection at Sheraton Lake Como

Location

The hotel is situated in Como but not in the city center. It takes about 20 minutes to walk to Villa Olmo and another 20 minutes from there to reach the city center. Alternatively, you can use the bus or ferry services from Tavernola. Additionally, Sheraton offers electric scooter rentals.

Rooms

137 rooms and four suites across five floors.

Hotel’s layout

The resort features a central building that houses the rooms, reception, Gusto restaurant and Bar Fresco. Across the street, within the expansive and tranquil gardens of the resort, you'll find the swimming pool, Kincho Restaurant & Bar and Kitchen Restaurant.

Food

Gusto restaurant: located inside the hotel’s main building, it features a traditional Italian menu.

Bar Fresco: located just beside Gusto, it’s the perfect spot for a coffee or a nice aperitivo cocktail.

Kitchen restaurant: 1 Michelin star, headed by chef Andrea Casali. The kitchen features an a-la-carte menu and a tasting menu.

Kincho Restaurant & Bar: poolside wooden gazebo. It serves tasty pizza and outstanding grilled meats.

Wellness

The spa is opening this coming 2024 season.

Sport

A gym is available in the main building.

Pros

The property belongs to the leisure segment, which means it doesn't have that corporate vibe all the Sheraton hotels have — the brand’s idea is to make guests feel at home, and they got it! They’re also renovating all the common areas and introducing new materials such as glass and wood.

They have been building a new 500 sqm spa, which will be open to the public starting from the beginning of June 2024. They’ll have saunas, a hammam, emotional showers, cold rainfall and a nail bar. The luxury cosmetic brand associated with the spa will be Insium, which is a premium Italian luxury brand for skincare.

Cons

Rooms don’t have lake views. The lake is 150 m away from the hotel, which is simply covered by the huge plants that belong to the hotel’s park.

Some parts are still not renovated and have that 90s vibe, but they will be redone by the end of next year.

I was super impressed with the gardens. They’re super beautiful and well-maintained. The best part is the Kitchen restaurant’s vegetable garden, where they grow vegetables to use for the menu’s dishes. This is mostly because they are moving into a greener and more sustainable direction, following the Sheraton brand guidelines. This is also the reason they’re introducing wood and glass as the hotel’s material. They're being very careful with trash recycling and they’re slowly integrating vegetation into the hotel’s architecture. I believe the resort will completely change in the next few years, becoming a green and contemporary oasis in Como's city.

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Lake Como. In need of further inspiration? Check out Angela Harms’s guide, The Alluring Lake Como, Italy.