Grand Hotel Fasano & Villa Principe, Lake Garda

The hotel has a pretty lakefront location with a leafy garden offering panoramic views. A short distance north of Gardone Riviera.

The town is famous for the Vittoriale degli Italiani, the former residence of Italian poet Gabriele D’Annunzio, decorated in a bizarre melange of furnishings and home to lovely gardens that spill down towards the lake. Don’t miss the lush Heller Botanical Garden, harbouring plant species from the world over.

Accommodation

Rooms are spread out over two buildings. Set in a 19th-century Germanic-style building (once a hunting lodge) with original wooden balconies, Villa Principe houses most of the Standard rooms. It’s located on the northern end of the garden, and has its own outdoor area with sunbeds, lending it a secluded intimate feel.

The main building houses more Standards along with higher category rooms. They’re brightly lit, decorated with ivory-coloured furnishings and creamy curtains. All have balconies or terraces, with either lake or mountain views. Marble bathrooms mostly have showers.

Dining

There are three restaurants. Set in a beautiful dining room with original 19th-century ceilings, the elegant Il Fagiano offers superb cuisine. The food is international, combining Italian dishes and local produce with ingredients from around the world (risotto with goat’s milk and pork dressed with ginger and wasabi; black cod marinated in miso with fennel and cream of mozzarella). Not to be missed is the foie gras served with figs, one of the restaurant’s specialities, which can be enjoyed with a deliciously sweet local wine.

Ristorante Il Pescatore serves Italian cuisine in a more informal setting, while Ristorante Magnolia, which is open for lunch, serves Mediterranean cuisine in a garden setting. The cosy Gin Lounge is an excellent spot for a pre- or post-prandial drink, offering more than 100 types of gin and 14 tonics (lovingly prepared with a little fanfare at guests’ tables). The buffet breakfast offers a selection of fruits, pastries, hams, local cheeses and cereals; eggs are made to order.

Facilities

The hotel has been run by the friendly Mayr family for three generations. Facilities include an outdoor heated swimming pool, an indoor swimming pool, indoor and outdoor whirlpool tubs, three saunas, two steam rooms, Kneipp therapy, chromotherapy showers and a glass-fronted gym offering lovely lake views.

The Aveda Spa takes a holistic approach to rejuvenation and relaxation with personalised treatment plans that aim to restore balance to the body. There’s a nail salon and hair-dressing services are provided. The hotel rents out mountain bikes, e-bikes, stand-up paddle boards, kayaks and boats.