Dandelion Como Suites & Park

A few miles inland from the city of Como is a villa whose low-key, back-to-nature charm serves as a worthy alternative to the opulence of the lakeside grand hotels. Dandelion Como Suites & Park is a classic 15th-century agricultural estate — and later a holiday escape for a Milanese family — that’s been transformed into a 21st-century boutique hotel without sacrificing any of its historical atmosphere or its rural authenticity.

The original villa and its outbuildings contain a collection of rooms, suites, and apartments with a unified, if eclectic, style — period architecture, rustic simplicity, a touch of aristocratic elegance and a calming contemporary color palette. The apartments, with their kitchenettes, are suited for long stays, while the rooms and suites are outfitted more like conventional hotel accommodations.

Como itself is a popular attraction, as is the famous lake, and there’s plenty to do in the outdoors, from hiking and mountain biking to foraging and golf. The on-site offerings are more tranquil, including daily yoga sessions. More in the spirit of the place is the culinary experience, beginning with breakfast in the old stable, continuing with an aperitif in the café, and culminating in a dinner of Lombard classics with a view of the park at dusk….