Il Sereno

There’s plenty of neoclassical bling on the shores of Lake Como. And historic villas, too, though these days, the centuries-old architecture is outnumbered by extravagant imitations. Thankfully the team behind the brand-new Il Sereno, located just outside the village of Torno on the lake’s eastern shore, is taking things in a bold new direction.

Forget about faux Roman columns and porticos: though it’s built on the foundation of an old stone boathouse, Il Sereno is a modern marvel both inside and out. A boxy glass-encased structure built of stone, wood, bronze, and copper, the hotel rises up several stories from the water’s edge, with a long infinity pool — the largest on the lake, if you’re keeping track — and a striking pair of vertical gardens designed by the famed botanist Patrick Blanc. So the views are spectacular from every vantage point. There’s not a bad seat in the house, not a single space in the entire hotel without the dramatic lake panorama backdrop.

The interiors are equally striking, if not downright distracting. That’s because Il Sereno tapped the celebrated designer Patricia Urquiola to oversee every detail. The Milan-based Urquiola was twice named designer of the year by Wallpaper*, and MoMA’s permanent collection features a few of her works.

There are thirty generously sized suites, each with a king-sized bed, a furnished lakefront terrace, oversized reading chairs, and a clever “Night and Day” space: use it as a work space, a lounge, or a children’s room, according to your needs at the moment. Throughout the hotel, Urquiola has poured her penchant for natural materials and her elegant aesthetic — a mix of minimalist chic and futuristic whimsy — into everything from bathtubs and custom-designed fabrics to geometric armchairs and the silk handkerchiefs worn by staff.

The communities around Lake Como and along the road to Milan are the longtime headquarters of several artisan traditions, including silk and woodworking. Urquiola has wisely taken advantage of this fact: with only a few exceptions, Il Sereno’s interiors are full of art and design crafted in this region of Italy. Take the floating staircase in the lobby, for instance, that leads down to the restaurant — a Michelin-starred tour-de-force of regional Italian produce through a contemporary lens — and wine cellar. Intricate and ethereal, it's something of an architectural feat, made with walnut wood and copper pipes. Urquiola collaborated with a local builder to create it.

Boatbuilding is a regional tradition, too. You can guess where we’re going with this. Il Sereno has a couple of custom-made Cantiere Ernesto Riva wooden boats, handmade by a family that’s been in the local business since 1771, with interiors, of course, by Urquiola. Go for a spin around the lake and feast your eyes on the Alps, the water, the sky, and the architectural mélange on dry land. Il Sereno is the first new hotel to be built on these shores in years, and with any luck, it’s a sign of things to come.

Please note: Il Sereno is a seasonal hotel and accepts reservations from mid-March through early November.