Il Sereno Lago di Como Review (2026): Urquiola Design on the Water

Most of Lake Como’s great hotels sell you history: frescoed ceilings, 19th-century gardens, a guest book full of royalty. Il Sereno sells you the lake itself. Patricia Urquiola’s all-suite hotel in Torno opened in 2016, and in 2026 it celebrates its tenth season with a Michelin-starred restaurant, a heated infinity pool over the water and a small fleet of Riva-built boats at its own dock. My one-line verdict: arguably the most design-led stay on the lake, ideal for couples who would rather look at the water than at a painted ceiling, provided you accept that it is intimate rather than grand.

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Location and getting there

Torno is a small fishing village on the eastern shore of the Como branch, where the lake narrows and the mountains drop steeply into the water. Il Sereno sits right on the shoreline just outside the village centre, with its own private dock and a small beach. You look west across the water towards Moltrasio and Cernobbio, so evenings bring the sunset, and you are close enough to Como city for dinner yet far enough up the lake to feel removed from it.

The village itself is tiny: a church, a harbour, a few trattorias and a boat stop. A short way up the shore is Villa Pliniana, the 16th-century villa that Sereno Hotels also operates as a private estate, and you will pass it on almost every boat trip north.

For arrivals, Milan Malpensa and Milan Linate are both roughly an hour away by car, more in Friday traffic; Bergamo is a realistic third option. Como San Giovanni station is around 15 km away for trains from Milan and Switzerland. The coast road from Como to Torno is narrow and winding, so a private transfer makes more sense than a hire car for most stays. Our Italy travel planner covers transfers and car hire. The most memorable arrival is by boat to the hotel’s own dock; ask about this when you book.

Rooms and suites

There are no standard rooms here. Every unit is a suite facing the lake, with floor-to-ceiling glass and a terrace, and the interiors are pure Urquiola: walnut, stone, wool and woven textures in earthy tones, with furniture she designed specifically for the hotel. It feels very different from the gilded villas elsewhere on the lake.

The hotel’s own site lists 40 suites, while some older guides still say 30, as the property has added suites since opening. If an exact figure matters to you, ask the hotel. The main categories are:

• Piccoletta, Lario and Alcova suites: the entry and mid-level one-bedroom suites, all with lake views.
• Garden Lake View Suite: a one-bedroom suite with a garden outlook towards the water.
• Corner Suite: 83 m² including the terraces, with more than 180 degrees of glass and a bathtub beside a window onto the terrace. Two can be joined into a two-bedroom Family Corner Suite.
• Grand Suite Lago: larger suites closer to the water.
• Darsena Suite and Darsena Listening Suite: in the old boathouse area. The Listening Suite, new in recent seasons, has vintage tube amplifiers, reel-to-reel players and a vinyl collection curated by owner Luis Contreras.
• Penthouse and Signature Penthouse: the top of the range, at more than 200 m² for the largest.

Linens are by D. Porthault, there is twice-daily housekeeping and 24-hour room service. Outside, look out for the vertical gardens by botanist Patrick Blanc: three separate living walls, which the hotel says is the only project where he has created three distinct works in one place.

Dining

Dining is a real reason to choose Il Sereno over its neighbours. The flagship restaurant opened as Berton al Lago, with Milan chef Andrea Berton as consultant, and won a Michelin star. Today it is called Il Sereno Al Lago, and executive chef Raffaele Lenzi, who is from Naples, leads the kitchen. The restaurant holds one Michelin star in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide Italia.

Michelin describes a menu that moves between regional, lake-inspired, vegan and Asian influences, with a wine list strong on Italian reds and older vintages. In summer, tables move onto the arched terrace above the water, which is one of the loveliest places on the lake for a long dinner. For the tenth anniversary, the hotel has announced a commemorative tasting menu that revisits signature dishes from its first decade.

• Il Sereno Al Lago: the starred restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• Osteria al Lago: a more relaxed option for lunch.
• Al Tramonto: new for 2026, an outdoor dinner with views across to the western shore, limited to five tables an evening and only in good weather. Book on arrival or earlier.
• Bars: the lobby bar, the Il Sereno Bar and Lounge and a pool bar, plus private tastings in the wine cellar.
• On the water: picnic hampers prepared by the kitchen for boat trips, on request.

Check rates at Il Sereno Lago di Como

Spa and pools

The pool is the image most people associate with Il Sereno: a heated, freshwater infinity pool of around 18 metres, cantilevered just above the lake, with loungers, canopied daybeds and attendants on the deck. There is no lifeguard, which matters if you travel with children. The pool is seasonal, like the hotel. Beside it, the private dock and small beach let you step straight into the lake on hot days.

The spa occupies the arches of a century-old boathouse, the Darsena, redesigned by Urquiola. It is compact rather than a thermal complex: treatment rooms, a tiled sauna and steam room, and an outdoor relaxation area by the water. The treatment partner is the Swiss brand Valmont, and the 2026 menu adds the Crystal Serenity Ritual, using warm semi-precious stones with three paths (Relax, Balance or Energy).

The gym sits one level below the spa and is open around the clock, with treadmills, a rower, a bike, an elliptical trainer and free weights. If a big spa with several pools is your priority, the Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como, just down the shore in Blevio, offers a larger wellness area.

Sport and activities

Boats

This is where Il Sereno really shines. The hotel’s boats were built by Cantiere Ernesto Riva, the traditional boatyard on the lake, and the fleet is used both for transfers and for exploring:

• Vaporina del Lago: a Riva-built water limousine with Urquiola interiors, perfect for going to dinner in Bellagio or Cernobbio by water.
• Jetto boats: three custom self-drive boats for up to four guests. Ask the hotel about licence requirements and prices.
• Inglesina: a traditional Lake Como rowing boat for a slow, romantic outing.

Private cruises pass Villa Pliniana and continue north towards Bellagio and Villa del Balbianello. Our Lake Como ultimate guide helps you plan the stops.

Golf

There is no golf on site, and golf is not among the hotel’s published activities. Even so, Il Sereno features in our guide to golf hotels on Lake Como because the courses are within easy reach: Villa d’Este Golf Club at Montorfano is around 25 minutes by car and Golf Club Monticello roughly 35 minutes. Ask the concierge about tee times, transfers and club storage. For a course-by-course overview, read our guide to golf courses on Lake Como.

Everything else

The hotel offers hiking routes from easy family walks to steep mountain trails behind Torno, e-bikes, mountain bikes and trekking bikes, private yoga on your terrace, cooking classes and wine tastings in the cellar. There is no tennis court on site.

What’s nearby

• Torno: a few minutes’ walk for the harbour and the local trattoria Il Vapore.
• Como city: the cathedral, the lakefront promenade, silk shops and the funicular to Brunate, a short drive or boat ride south.
• Bellagio: the classic boat excursion, with gardens, lanes and lunch on the water.
• Villa del Balbianello: further north at Lenno, one of the most famous gardens on the lake and an ideal boat day.

For a wider look at the lake’s hotels by area, see where to stay on Lake Como.

Il Sereno vs other Lake Como luxury hotels

In short: choose Villa d’Este (see our Villa d’Este review) for heritage, the Mandarin Oriental for spa time, the Grand Hotel Tremezzo for a mid-lake base with more facilities, and Il Sereno for design, dining and boats in a smaller, quieter setting.

Who it suits, and who it does not

It suits:

• Couples celebrating something, who want a lake view from every suite.
• Design lovers who prefer contemporary Italian craft to antiques and chandeliers.
• Food lovers who want a starred dinner without leaving the hotel.
• Travellers who want to explore the lake by private boat rather than ferry.

It does not suit:

• Anyone looking for historic villa grandeur and formal gardens.
• Guests who want a large spa with several pools and a full thermal circuit.
• Tennis players and daily golfers: there are no courts or course on site.
• Winter travellers, as the hotel closes for the cold season.

Practical tips

• Booking: book dinner at Il Sereno Al Lago, spa treatments and boat trips at the same time as the suite. June, September and holiday weekends fill first.
• Best rooms to request: a Corner Suite for the wrap-around view, a Grand Suite Lago to be closest to the water, the Darsena Listening Suite if you love music.
• Season: typically mid-March to mid-November, closed in winter. May, June and September offer warm water and fewer crowds than August.
• Dress: relaxed by day, smart for dinner in the starred restaurant.
• Kids: children are welcome, with free cots and extra beds in selected suite categories, but the pool has no lifeguard and the mood is adult. Ask the hotel about babysitting.
• Dogs: dogs are accepted for a fee. Confirm the current charge with the hotel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Il Sereno have a Michelin-starred restaurant?

Yes. Il Sereno Al Lago, led by executive chef Raffaele Lenzi, holds one Michelin star in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide Italia. It opened as Berton al Lago and later took its current name.

Is Il Sereno open all year?

No. The hotel is seasonal, usually open from mid-March to mid-November and closed in winter. Ask the hotel for exact opening and closing dates.

Does Il Sereno have a pool?

Yes: a heated freshwater infinity pool of around 18 metres just above the lake, plus a private dock and small beach for swimming in the lake itself.

Can you play golf from Il Sereno?

Yes, though not on site. Villa d’Este Golf Club is around 25 minutes by car and Golf Club Monticello roughly 35 minutes. Ask the concierge to arrange tee times and transfers.