Villa Cortine

It’s staggering when you stop to think just how many iconic destinations Italy contains. The lake district of the north would be the absolute pride in a lesser country; here it’s one among many unmissable attractions. All of which is the long way around to saying that Lake Garda is something special indeed. By extension, a hotel created from an aristocratic residence surrounded by acres of gardens and parkland with a view of the lake — a hotel like, say, Palace Hotel Villa Cortine — would be nothing short of extraordinary.

And it is. Sirmione isn’t just any lakeside municipality, but a narrow peninsula extending from the southern shore of Lake Garda. Villa Cortine, once a count’s residence, sits on a hill above the town center, offering both seclusion and unparalleled access to the lake. Rooms are divided between the original Palladian villa and an addition that dates back to the opening of the hotel in the Fifties. Throughout, however, the style is resolutely old-world, with 18th-century furniture and Murano glass chandeliers.

The hotel has a clay tennis court, a Bisazza mosaic swimming pool, and a private pier — the lakeside equivalent of a beach club, with sun loungers and umbrellas. A speedboat can ferry guests to locations all over the lake in a flash — just be home in time for dinner, as Villa Cortine features not one but two restaurants: Le Gardenie, featuring outdoor dining with a view of the lake, and the seasonal Al Molo, serving wood-fired meat and seafood.