Hotel Ocelle Thermae & Spa

A luxury spa hotel on the shores of Lake Garda is an easy sell already — and a spectacular location on the Sirmione peninsula, which juts dramatically into the lake’s southern waters, makes Hotel Ocelle Thermae & Spa a particularly memorable one. It’s also a particularly stylish one — while many of its competitors are defiantly old-fashioned, the Ocelle embraces a modernist-inspired style that reinforces the restorative atmosphere promised by its spring-fed pools and its lavish spa.

The views from the peninsula are extraordinary; the lake itself is fringed by mountain peaks, and the peninsula’s coastline is dotted with rocky island-like slabs, known as the Seychelles of Sirmione. The lakefront suites partake in these dramatic vistas, while the standard rooms have balconies overlooking a quiet side street.

Hotel Ocelle’s thermal pools are its spa’s most unique offerings, though they’re joined by a long list of alternatives, from massages and saunas to a Himalayan salt cave and an “emotional shower.” There’s a small sandy beach right beside the infinity pool, and while the hotel itself serves only breakfast, lunch, and light poolside fare, the staff is happy to make arrangements and any of Sirmione’s restaurants — you’re only a few minutes’ walk from the town center.