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ITALY LAKE COMO BELLAGIO GRAND HOTEL VILLA SERBELLONI
The hotel has two restaurants. The Mistral has a Michelin star. But, as I was on the half-board arrangement, I confined my attentions to La Terrazza. Here I found the cuisine of Chef Ettore Bocchia (pictured) to be based on fine ingredients, handled skillfully and presented with care. Service (orchestrated by the Restaurant Manager, Francesco Sagliocco) is correct and attentive. Wine is poured into good Italian glasses (by the sommelier, Antonio Alberti) and silver domes are lifted from the plates. From my dinners, allow me to present you with the highlights. The wine list is largely Italian and French, and ranges in price from 20ε for the house white to 2,300ε for 2004 Romanée-Conti. The prices are generally very friendly, as you will gather from the following bottles: Sassicaia 2003 - 136ε, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Biondi Santi 2001 - 279ε, Gaja Barbaresco 2004 - 164ε, Lafite 1996 -372ε and Cheval Blanc 1995- 335ε. From my own drinking, I will single out that red from Le Marche, which was fierce but captivating, very tannic and full of bright damsons (Vigneti del Parco, Moncaro, 2004) – wonderful drinking for just 24 euros.
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ADDRESSES
GRAND HOTEL VILLA SERBELLONI
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© Francis Bown 2003
Picture the scene. I am sitting at table number 39. Beyond the starched, linen tablecloth is a panorama of surpassing beauty. The waters of Lake Como glisten darkly, as the lights on the opposite shore begin to wink in the evening mist. A tiny church, white and floodlit, looks down with perilous dignity from its perch, halfway up the distant cliff. Emilio, smart in his white jacket and gold epaulettes, hovers, ready for the moment when more of the voluptuous red wine from Le Marche needs to be poured into my glass. At the next table, a Privy Councillor – smart, but, sadly, tie-less – smiles at his wife, happy to be away from the cares of Westminster. The trio in the Drawing Room begins a spirited rendition, careless of its limited forces, of Bolero by Maurice Ravel, and the hypnotic repetitions swirl about the restaurant like clouds of sweet incense. We are close to perfection. We are at The Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni.
The image of holy smoke seemed appropriate, because I had earlier been looking at one of the interesting paintings which line the hotel’s corridors. It was of a young server in church. Dressed in cassock and cotta, the latter edged with lace (as all good cottas should be), he was fulfilling the role of thurifer, for in his hand was a thurible, the receptacle in which is burnt incense at Mass. I wondered whether he might have been a member of the Bucher dynasty, for the establishment is owned by the Bucher family and Gianfranco Bucher is now the master of the domain.
Built in 1850 as a holiday villa, the location of the Villa Serbelloni – jutting out into the prettiest part of Lake Como – could hardly be bettered. Those of us who travel must be grateful that, in 1873, the building’s wings were added and the hotel (Grand, indeed) was opened. The gardens, too – of which I offer you a photograph – are delightful. I know nothing of plants and flowers and I am not tempted by tennis courts and swimming pools (the Serbelloni’s other outdoor facilities), but I can appreciate colour and form. I was happy, therefore, to find a seat and spend my afternoons in such gorgeous surroundings. This was when I could be dragged outside, for the Serbelloni’s public rooms – as I hope you can see from the pictures – are possessed of some grandeur. Indeed, on my arrival – having stowed the Royce in the hotel’s smart new garage – I could not stop myself from sinking into a sofa in one of the saloons, next to a stone fireplace in the Renaissance style, and tucking into a large bowl of mango ice cream. 
For your accommodation, I would recommend one of the spacious and elegant Senior Suites, which are good value at 970 to 1,030 euros a night, bed and breakfast for two. I was in a standard (Classic Double) room on the second floor (375-445 euros a night, bed and breakfast for two, and 515-585 euros a night, half-board for two). This had air-conditioning, a high ceiling and lots of light, from its two windows. Its wallpaper was cream and its carpet was red and patterned. Artificial light was provided by two wall lights, a table lamp and a 3-light chandelier. Furniture included a two-seater sofa and a slop-fronted bureau. From one of the windows there was an oblique view of the lake. In the modestly-sized, tiled bathroom were two wash basins, a bath tub, a shower cabinet and, behind a sliding door, a loo and a bidet. 
From here I went down each morning to the breakfast room on the first floor. On no account miss a visit to this remarkable chamber (pictured). It is huge and magnificent, with white tablecloths, a parquet floor, smart waiters – Emilio deserves another mention, for his exceptional helpfulness – and crystal chandeliers. From the buffet the following struck me as particularly good: ham, bacon, tomatoes, crusty bread, marmalade and stewed pears. My breakfasts at the Serbelloni were as I like them – long and leisurely.
A terrine of boiled meats was full of robust flavour; the pasta of both the partridge ravioli and the tagliatelle with venison was wafer-thin and utterly delicious; the pigeon glazed with honey and the beef fillet with red wine sauce were both superbly flavoursome and tender; and the puddings from the buffet included an immensely rich and satisfying chocolate cake. 
After this eating and drinking, each evening I went towards the sound of music. Each evening the carpet had been rolled up and taken away – a daily ritual at the Villa – so that those couples with the talent and the inclination could glide across the parquet of the Drawing Room in time to the rhythms of the trio. Here I was surrounded by such a civilized and charming atmosphere that I had little inclination to leave for the Land of Nod. But eventually I did so, happy that the next day would be as pleasurable as the one which was now drawing to its end. The Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni is, indeed, one of the most charming places in Europe for those seeking rest and relaxation.
