July 2013 - Grand Hotel Tremezzo

Andrew Harper’s H®JULY 2013 | OUR 35TH YEARAndrewHarper.comSEDUCEDBY THEITALIANLAKESPLUS:A DRIVE INUNSPOILEDWALES{ tr aveling the world in search of truly enchanting places }

This IssueTHE RAVISHINGITALIAN LAKES 4Shopping: Three Lake Como Finds 11Sightseeing: Unmissable Gardens 17Restaurants: Local Favorites 26Cities: Historic Verona 30WALES AND THEWELSH BORDERS 34Sightseeing: A Land of Castles 56Culture: The Ancient City of Chester 58Food: Dinner in Ludlow 60IN THE NEWS 64NEW ZEALAND TOUR 65LAST WORD 66COVER The enchanting town of Bellagio on the shore of Lake Como, ItalyOPPOSITE View from our room at Bodysgallen Hall towards distant Conwy Castle andthe snow-covered hills of Snowdonia National Park

PHOTO BY ANDREW HARPER

ITALIANLAKESSunset over the Borromean Islands on Lake Maggiore

SUPR EMELY CI V ILIZED R ETR E ATSA Return Visit to theRavishing Italian LakesT HE ETHER E A L SCENERY A ND C A L M INDIGO WAT ER OF ITA LY ’Salpine lakes — Maggiore, Como and Garda — have had an irresistibleappeal since Roman times, when aristocrats and artists began summeringon their shores. Author and lawmaker Pliny the Younger wrote ecstaticallyof his view of Como, while the poet Catullus lived in his family’s villaat Sirmione on Lake Garda. Eighteen hundred years later, the BritishRomantic poets, chiefly Byron and Shelley, put the lakes on the map asa mandatory part of the Grand Tour. (Shelley wrote of Como, “This lakeexceeds anything I ever beheld in beauty … and has the appearance of amighty river winding among the mountains and the forests.”)Each generation falls in love allover again: Ernest Hemingway wasbesotted with Lake Maggiore; today,George Clooney has a villa in Laglioon Lake Como, keeping the region’sglamour current. Every time I visit thelakes, I conclude that few places aremore beautiful or more profoundlycivilized. It is a recurring and undiminishedpleasure to visit the exquisitegardens and villas; to sail aboard theferries that enable an easygoing, carfreeday; and, each evening, to settleinto one of the area’s superb hotels.6hideaway report | July 2013

LIECHTENSTEINAUSTRIASWITZERLANDTREMEZZOLAKEMAGGIORE2 LAKE4 3COMOSTRESA 7 BELLAGIOCOMOLAGLIOMILANSALO1ITALY6LAKEGARDA5VERONA0 60 MI30MILANVENICE0 30 60 KMFLORENCEHOTELS REVIEWED – RATING1 Villa Arcadio – A90ROME2 Grand Hotel Tremezzo – A953 Relais Villa Vittoria – A924 Grand Hotel des Iles Borromees – 875 Due Torri Hotel – 88Palazzo Victoria – 86Harper Italian Lakes Classics6 Grand Hotel à Villa Feltrinelli – A987 Villa d’Este – A98July 2013 | hideaway report7

ITALIAN LAKESThe lakes provide a perfect timeoutduring a tour of Italy — beingless than an hour from Milan andabout three hours from Venice —but I regard them as a destination intheir own right. On a recent trip, wepicked up a car at the Verona airportand drove for 50 miles throughcountryside pink and white withblossom to Salò, a resort town onthe western shore of Lake Garda.Although the nearby Grand Hotel àVilla Feltrinelli in Gargnano has longbeen one of my favorite Italian hotels,it has become extremely expensive— something that doesn’t seemto trouble its increasingly Russianclientele — so it was in the hopes offinding a charming and comfortableplace with good service and moresensible rates that we arrived at the18-room VILLA ARCADIO.Occupying a stone convent,much of which dates to the 14thcentury, the hotel is surroundedby 27 acres of orchards and olivegroves, and is perched on a hillsidethat affords panoramic views of thelake. It was originally bought byan Italian-Finnish couple, who hadintended to make it their holidayhome, but soon decided to convertit into a hotel instead. The propertyopened two years ago, andtoday, it is a place of tremendouscharm, with exposed stone walls,Waterfront in the town of SalòPHOTO BY ANDREW HARPER8hideaway report | July 2013

Caption goes here.PHOTO BY ANDREW HARPERPHOTO BY ANDREW HARPEROur Junior Suite, and pool loungersat Villa ArcadioJuly 2013 | hideaway reportPHOTO BY ANDREW HARPER9

ITALIAN LAKESwhitewashed beams, beige stonefloors, wheat-colored linen upholsteryand a stylish mix of traditionaland contemporary art and furniture.Our air-conditioned lakeviewJunior Suite came with an extremelycomfortable bed, fine linens and asmallish modern bath stocked withErbario Toscano olive-oil toiletries.Overall, the suite’s simple designscheme and neutral colors served toemphasize original features such asmassive beams, terra-cotta floors and600-year-old frescoes.The hotel’s excellent (and reasonablypriced) restaurant comprisestwo elegant rooms with vaulted ceilingsand marble fireplaces, whichextend onto a sublime terrace wherewrought-iron tables are tuckedamid vine arbors. I particularlyenjoyed the house-made raviolistuffed with Bagoss cheese, madefrom the skimmed milk of the cowsthat graze the alpine pastures aroundnearby Bagolino. Lake fish such aspike are frequently to be found onthe menu, and the wine list featureslocal wines that include enjoyablelight reds such as Groppello andBardolino. Cooking classes are availableon request. Amenities includea fitness area with a Finnish sauna,plus a menu of massage and yoga.The hotel has a classic mahoganyRiva Aquarama Special speedboatfor picnics and full- or half-day trips.(Lake Garda is 32 miles long, so itpresents many opportunities forexploration. However, it is the mostpopular of the Italian lakes withdomestic tourists, so is best visitedin the shoulder seasons of May-Juneand September-October. The southof the lake becomes particularlycrowded with pleasure boaters fromBrescia.)The following day, we headedwest to Lake Como, a 100-mile,two-hour drive. My hope was thatour next stop, the 97-room GRANDHOTEL TREMEZZO, would be justas delightful, and might also providean alternative to the eye-wateringprices of Como’s famous Villa d’Este.The 1910-vintage Tremezzo is builtCONTINUED ON PAGE 1210hideaway report | July 2013

SHOPPINGLake Como Finds1Abbazia di Piona — Tucked awayin an 11th-century monastery, thischarming shop sells goods made by themonks, including excellent limoncelloand mandarin orange liqueur, perfume,and toiletries such as skin creams andbeeswax soap.VIA ABBAZIA DI PIONA 57, COLICO. TEL. (39) 0341-940-331.2Vanini Osvaldo — You’ll spot Vanini oliveoil at many of the best restaurants in andaround Lake Como, since it is prized for itsdelicate artichoke-and-almonds taste. TheVaninis have been producing oil since 1850 andwon a gold medal at the turn-of-the-centuryParis Exposition. Demand has since invariablyoutstripped supply.PHOTO BY ANDREW HARPERVIA SILVIO PELLICO 10, LENNO. TEL. (39) 0344-55127.3Orefice — Run by the same family since1856, this haberdashery in Cernobbio carries a superbselection of the finest Italian fabrics and has made suits foreveryone from Clark Gable to European crowned heads.VIA REGINA 16, CERNOBBIO. TEL. (39) 031-512-053.July 2013 | hideaway report11

ITALIAN LAKESon a steep lakeside plot, so on ourarrival, a brigade of porters usheredus to the elevator that takes guestsup three floors to reception. Serviceat the front desk was charming andefficient despite the recent arrivalof a wedding party, and we werepromptly escorted to the new, fifthfloorall-suite “hotel within a hotel.”Unlike the opulent period décorelsewhere, these Rooftop Suitesdisplay a refined contemporarydesign by architect Venelli Kramer,featuring dark-stained pine floors,putty-colored walls, and a clever mixof modern and traditional furnishings.Our suite comprised a sittingroom with sofa and armchair, and awhite marble-topped table. A librarywall unit in walnut veneer houseda flat-screen television and a Loewesound system — I never figured outhow to work the latter, despite theassistance of two hotel technicianswho were similarly baffled by itscomplexity — plus a selection ofsumptuous art books. Two heavypocket doors closed off the bedroom.The bath was rather small, but waswell-designed, faced in cocoa-coloredtravertine and fitted with a whirlpooltub and a stall shower. The bestfeature of our suite, however, was ahuge private terrace with a Jacuzzi,two sun loungers and a table andchairs. It had a spectacular view overthe lake and was completely private,thanks to a screen of bamboo and athick frosted-glass wall.The hotel’s grand and vibrantlycolored public areas included a handsomebilliards room, a huge loungeand an excellent bar with a cocktaillist that included notable grappas.The main La Terrazza Restaurantoffers sublime views of the lakeand the town of Bellagio directlyopposite, but we found the menuto be overcomplicated and headspinninglyexpensive. (It is overseenCONTINUED ON PAGE 16“Our suite’s terrace had aspectacular view over the lakeand was completely private,thanks to a screen of bambooand a thick frosted-glass wall..12hideaway report | July 2013

Junior Suite terraceat Grand Hotel TremezzoOur suite at Grand Hotel TremezzoBedroom of our Junior Suite under the eavesPHOTO BY ANDREW HARPERPHOTO BY ANDREW HARPERJuly 2013 | hideaway reportPHOTO BY ANDREW HARPER13

14hideaway report | July 2013

Spectacular pool at theGrand Hotel TremezzoJuly 2013 | hideaway report15

ITALIAN LAKESby 83-year-old Gualtiero Marchesi,widely considered to be the founderof modern Italian cuisine, but achef whose culinary influence is onthe wane.) Oddly, the hotel’s casualrestaurant is a fondue-and-raclettewine tavern, which would be finefor a single meal in winter, but is oflimited appeal during the summerseason. Other facilities included threeswimming pools, a floodlit clay tennisSpa pool at the GrandHotel Tremezzocourt and a well-equipped fitnessroom. An impressive spa offers treatmentsby ESPA and has a spectacular50-foot indoor infinity pool thatappears to merge with the waters ofthe lake. Adjustable water jets enablepowerful swimmers to forge against acurrent. And there are also five kindsof Jacuzzi, including one on the lakefrontspecifically for hydromassage.Golf is available at the well-regardedMenaggio & Cadenabbia Golf Clubjust three miles away. Waterskiing,sailing and windsurfing on the lakecan readily be arranged.After a morning visit to theenchanting gardens of the17th-century Villa Carlotta next door— famous for its azaleas, camelliasand rhododendrons, as well as formassive century-old cedars andsequoias — we retrieved our car andleft the Grand Hotel Tremezzo withreal regret. Heading south downthe western shore of the lake, westopped for lunch at a favorite localrestaurant, the idyllic Crotto deiCONTINUED ON PAGE 1816hideaway report | July 2013

GardensView toward Lake Como from the Villa CarlottaPHOTO BY ANDREW HARPERAmong the many villas with magnificent gardens around LakeComo, two are not to be missed. The Villa Carlotta was built inthe 18th century and was later acquired by Princess Marianneof the Netherlands, who gave it to her daughter Charlotte as awedding present. The 14 acres of gardens are notable for theircamellias and azaleas. The beautiful Villa del Balbianello nearLenno dates from 1787 and is surrounded by gardens lush withwisteria, laurel and rhododendrons. HJuly 2013 | hideaway report17

ITALIAN LAKESPlatani in Brienno, and feasted onlavaret (whitefish) served with blacktruffles from the Umbrian hill townof Norcia. (There are four blissfuldining venues, our favorite being theTerrace, where 20 tables surroundedby hedges of fragrant white jasminedirectly overlook Como’s glassysurface.) We arrived at the 12-roomRELAIS VILLA VITTORIA in Laglioby late afternoon. An intimate peachcoloredmansion, it was constructedin the 18th century by a wealthyfamily from Milan. Truth be told,after our stay at the Grand HotelTremezzo, we feared we might beunderwhelmed by this much simplerproperty. Instead, we fell in love onarrival. A friendly young womanbrought us to our air-conditionedlakeview junior suite, a spacious tworoomaerie with pine floors, washedstucco walls, a beamed ceiling andcomfortable contemporary furniture.A small Juliet balcony with a tableand two metal chairs overlookedthe lake and a pool in the gardensbelow. The well-lit bedroom camewith a very comfortable four-posterbed dressed with fine Italian linens,while the separate salon was equallyattractive and provided a whitecotton-upholstered couch. The bathwas equipped with a serviceabletub-shower combination, a reminderthat this otherwise very agreeablehotel is a four- rather than a five-starproperty.Facilities include a diminutive spawith a Jacuzzi and Turkish bath,a small lakeside infinity pool, aspacious lounge with a grand piano,and an intimate restaurant servingdishes such as leek and Parmesanrisotto, lake perch stuffed withvegetables and bacon, and escalopeof pork cooked with Marsala andserved with butter-glazed apples“Truth be told, after our stayat the Grand Hotel Tremezzo,we feared we might beunderwhelmed by the muchsimpler Relais Villa Vittoria.Instead, we fell in love on arrival. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2218hideaway report | July 2013

Our lakeview junior suiteat Relais Villa VittoriaPHOTOS BY ANDREW HARPERJuly 2013 | hideaway report19

Lakeside pool at Relais Villa Vittoria20hideaway report | July 2013

July 2013 | hideaway report21

ITALIAN LAKESand a mustard sauce. The serviceproved attentive and exceptionallycharming throughout our stay. Giventhe vertiginous prices at most luxuryhotels on Lake Como, the Relais VillaVittoria’s rooms represent exceptionalvalue for the money at about ¤350($460) a night.From Laglio, it was a pleasant90-minute drive along backroads to Stresa, on the western shoreof Lake Maggiore. Blessed withthe same balmy microclimate asGarda and Como, Maggiore is distinguishedby a more subdued andgenteel atmosphere, a reflection ofthe fact that the Northern Italianaristocracy and industrialists fromTurin and Milan have been buildingextravagant villas along its shoresfor centuries. Our destination wasthe 172-room GRAND HOTEL DESILES BORROMEES, a propertythat was once a great favorite ofErnest Hemingway and that featuresin “A Farewell to Arms.” (Thewriter’s preferred room, now knownas the Suite Hemingway, can beyours for a mere ¤3,300 a night!)This opulent grande dame, set inexquisitely manicured grounds, iscelebrating its 150th anniversarythis year, and is one of the increasinglyfew places where you can stillexperience the spirit of patrician19th-century European travel. Asthe small exhibit next to the cardroom on the ground floor indicates,this was once a place where the richand titled came to stay for weeksat a time, rather than just a nightor two. However, the grandeur of ahotel’s décor does not alone suffice.A hotel that struts its pedigree andfamous guests as proudly as this onedoes must also have gracious andattentive service and an abundanceof Old World charm. Alas, this wasnot always the case during our stay.The staff tended to be polite butsomewhat distant and impersonal.Upstairs, our junior suite featureda lavish array of brocade, velvet andormolu and came with a delightfulsmall balcony from which to enjoy afine view of the Borromean Islands.The bath was faced with multicolored22hideaway report | July 2013

Our junior suite at Grand Hoteldes Iles BorromeesPHOTOS BY ANDREW HARPERJuly 2013 | hideaway report23

Town of Tremezzo on Lake ComoJuly 2013 | hideaway report25

Ristorante al Camino, above,and fresh pizzoccheripasta at Crotto dei Platani26hideaway report | July 2013PHOTO BY ANDREW HARPER

Dining in the Italian LakesLOCAL SPECIALTIES IN THE LAKES FEATURE A VARIETYof freshwater fish, including perch (persico), tench (tinca),shad (missoltini) and lavaret (a species of whitefish). The localpolenta is renowned, as is the tangy Bagoss cow’s milk cheesefrom the region around Brescia. Here is a selection of myfavorite eating places, plus one to miss:CROTTO DEI PLATANI — This delightful lakeside establishmentis an ideal choice on a warm summer evening when youwant an outdoor setting and contemporary Italian cooking. Themenu changes seasonally, but dishes such as delicate raviolistuffed with perch, and rack of lamb with a pistachio crumbcrust illustrate the kitchen’s undoubted talent.VIA REGINA 73, BRIENNO. TEL. (39) 031-814-038.RISTORANTE AL CAMINO — Perched on a hillside with fineviews over Lake Maggiore, this rustic osteria has conspicuouslycharming and friendly service. Try local dishes such as lambprosciutto, and white polenta with Gorgonzola. Finish up with awarm slice of red-fruit crostatta, the open-face jam tart madeby all Italian grandmothers.VIA PER COMNAGO 30, LESA. TEL. (39) 0322-7471.TERRAZZA BARCHETTA — With a charming terrace on oneof the side streets leading up from the port, this is one of theJuly 2013 | hideaway report27

ITALIAN LAKESbest and most reasonably priced tables in busy Bellagio.Owner Armando Valli is a charming and hospitable host.The menu changes often, but a variety of lake fish is on offer.Alternatively, try the delicious risotto with sausage, red wine,sage and Parmesan shavings.SALITA MELLA 13, BELLAGIO. TEL. (39) 031-951-389.CASABELLA — This delightful restaurant on the Isola deiPescatori, one of the Borromean Islands, offers a wonderfulnight out on Lake Maggiore from Stresa. Standout dishesinclude prosciutto with candied porcini mushrooms, grilledoctopus with burrata cream, and ravioli stuffed with rabbitand black olives. There is a complimentary boat servicefrom Stresa.VIA DEL MARINAIO 1. TEL. (39) 0323-33471.OSTERIA DELL’OROLOGIO — This delightful osteria is anornament of the stylish sailing town of Salò on Lake Garda.The fine home cooking is exemplified by dishes such as beefcarpaccio with rucola and shavings of Parmesan, and pasta ina sauce of Bagoss cheese. The fine cellar contains selectionsfrom the length of Italy, but emphasizes local wines such asValtenesi, Lugana and Franciacorta.VIA BUTTURINI 26, SALO. TEL. (39) 0365-290-158.IL GATTO NERO — This fashionable spot in Cernobbio maybe George Clooney’s favorite local restaurant, but it is touristyand overpriced. H28hideaway report | July 2013

Tables at Casabella,above, and pasta withsauce of Bitto, a cheesemade in Bergamo, at theOsteria dell’OrologioPHOTO BY ANDREW HARPERJuly 2013 | hideaway report29