Lake Como's villas have always attracted the sort of people who make for interesting company, and this 18th-century Moltrasio beauty is no exception. Count Lucini-Passalacqua built the place, composer Vincenzo Bellini wrote two operas between its walls, and Napoleon and Churchill have both popped by. Today, the De Santis family have poured three years of love (and a lot of antique-market hauls) into transforming it into a 24-room hotel that somehow still feels like a private home. Seven acres of terraced gardens cascade to the shoreline, Murano chandeliers drip from the frescoed ceilings and the whole thing is gloriously, unapologetically over the top. It was winner of the World's Best Hotel in 2023, no less.
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24 rooms are spread across three buildings, each with its own signature flair: the Villa has 12 suites with ornate ceilings, original frescoes and views straight down to the water; the Palazz, in the converted stables, has a moodier feel with its jewel-toned walls and and Venetian silk lamps; and down by the lake, the four-suite Casa al Lago is breezier and more eclectic, and can be booked exclusively. The crown jewel? The theatrical Bellini Suite, with its double-height music room, grand piano and Murano chandeliers.
Breakfast. A towering cake stand of pastries, eggs from the villa's own hens, and a chef ready to cook anything you fancy, served wherever you please too.
Join the gelato-making class with Laura, who runs Moltrasio's own gelateria. It's a fun afternoon and you'll never look at shop-bought the same way again.
Rooms in the Palazz face the courtyard rather than the lake, so if waking up to a water view matters, it's worth specifying when you book.
Start with a recommended trip or create one from scratch
Passalacqua can be booked with Timbuktu as part of a tailor-made Italy trip, rather than as a standalone room reservation. Start online, customising one of our recommended Italy trips featuring Passalacqua or get advice and suggestions from one of our Italy specialists who will design the trip around your dates, check availability and handle every booking for you.
Stays at Passalacqua start from around $2.1K, or US$2.1K, per person per night as part of a tailor-made trip. The exact price depends on your travel dates, room type and the shape of the rest of your itinerary. A Timbuktu travel specialist can give you an accurate quote for your dates.
Lakeside real estate, dreamy hotels and the epitome of the good life.
