Hotel Gardenia al Lago, Lake Garda
Charm and nostalia collide on the western shores of Lakde Garda. Some hotels are designed to impress, others to feel like home. Hotel Gardenia al Lago falls firmly into the second category. On the west shores of Lake Garda in Gargnano, this villa has been cared for by the Arosio family for generations. It was their summer residence from 1925 until, in 1957, they opened its doors as a guesthouse. To this day the hotel remains family-run, and that is what makes it so distinctive and special. Tina Arosio (b. 1937) is still keeping a watchful eye over her sons Andrea and Giorgio who are running the hotel and meeting Tina is very much part of the hotel experience. Her other son, Valerio, runs the sister hotel, Hotel du Lac, a short walk away.
Hotel Gardenia al Lago, Lake Garda
The villa carries the atmosphere of a place that has been lived in and loved. D.H. Lawrence stayed here in 1912, a few years before it became the Arosio home, and wrote about the lake at twilight, the fishermen casting their lines (which they still do today), and the mountains glowing pink in the evening. The same magic remains. It’s not about grandeur or bling, but about continuity and a sense of authenticity and belonging. The luxury here is the service, the family, the location and the experience.
Inside Hotel Gardenia, the ground floor features a music room, still centred around a couple of Arosio pianoa, a reminder of the family’s roots in piano manufacturing. Corridors are lined with black-and-white photographs that trace their story: images of the piano factory, family members during the First World War, a family tree and scenes of everyday life across the decades. Walking through these halls feels like being invited into a family album, each wall telling part of their history.
The bedrooms at Hotel Gardenia al Lago are true to the early 20th-century character of the house. Beds are dressed with sheets and blankets as they were in the past. Floors are laid with original patterned tiles that stay cool through the summer, and bathrooms are bright with colourful tiles and complete with bidets. Nothing feels overdone. Everything is preserved with a quiet respect for tradition and a sense of nostalgia. All rooms have a balcony, some larger than others, those lakeside have stunning and far-reaching views.
Meals take place at Rivalago restaurant in the dining room or outdoors whenever the weather permits, either among olive and palm trees in the garden or on the terrace that overlooks the lake directly. The food is rooted in the region, with a focus on zero-mile ingredients: lake fish, handmade pastas, and vegetables from nearby growers. It’s simple, seasonal cooking that reflects the land as much as the family behind it. Expect linen tablecloths and napkins, as well as charming, uniformed staff. Dinner time here is a romantic affair with softly lit tables and the lake lit up by twinkling lights. The buffet breakfast is an Italian affair, including handmade biscuits and cakes, pastries, local jams, cheeses, hams, eggs, and bacon. There’s no charge for speciality coffees at breakfast. In fact, the drinks list is incredibly reasonable, a Negroni for €9, Campari Soda for €5 and should you like a cappuccino after 11am that will only be €3. The generosity of spirit is evident in the restaurant menu and wine list too. The bar is small, but very Italian and it’s where you can get one of the best Negroni’s on the shores of Lake Garda.
The wine list is another expression of their philosophy. In the underground cellar, you will find bottles from small Italian winemakers, many producing indigenous grape varieties. This is not a generic international selection, but a personal collection that tells you about the land and the people who cultivate it.
Beyond the villa itself, the family have restored their historic limonaia in Crocefisso. Seven hundred of these lemon houses once lined Lake Garda, protecting citrus groves through the cold months. In the 19th century, they were symbols of the region’s prosperity, with exports all over the world, including Russia, but now only a handful survive. The Arosio family have brought theirs back to life and open it each week for visits, allowing guests to experience the long history of lemon growing on the lake.
Hotel Gardenia al Lago is not a place of modern luxury, and although it’s labelled as a three-star hotel it’s far more than that. It’s a place of authenticity, memory and atmosphere. Every corner reflects the Arosio family’s devotion, from the piano in the music room to the corridors of photographs, from the lemon groves to the tables in the garden. Their story is inextricably linked to the villa itself.
If you want to experience Lake Garda as it has been lived for generations, not polished into something it never was, then this is the place. Hotel Gardenia al Lago is an invitation into the Arosio family’s history, into a home that became a guesthouse, and into a story that still continues on the shores of the lake.
What to do: Hiking, cycling (the hotel can arrange for bike hire), swimming, exploring, romancing, reading, soaking up the sun and enjoying delicious Italian food. The hotel also owns Lido Limonaia, a short walk away, where you can soak up the sun, enjoy a spot to eat or head out for a morning kayaking. Salò is a lovely town to visit just half an hour away. Don’t bother visiting Limone (packed with tourists) or Riva del Largo, in fact Gargnano is the loveliest town on the west coast and you’ll feel very much like coming home after a morning or afternoon out. A special mention goes to the wonderful Raul, massage therapist, who I very much felt had healing hands - absolutely worth booking in.
How to get here: Fly to Verona and hire a car, it’s only 1 hour, 15 minutes. Hire car was £115 for 5 days. Alternatively the hotel can organise a transfer for EUR 150 each way.
Who for? Couples or friends travelling together. Whilst children are accepted, Hotel Gardenia is far more suited to romance, those looking to explore, hike or just enjoy the lake.
When to go? Hotel Gardenia is open from April through to mid-October. I went in October, just before closing when the skies were blue, sun was shining and Gargnano was being quietly lived in by residents and not too many tourists.