hotels in milan and Bellagio

[ACJV]

I was wondering if anyone has stayed in Milan near the airport? Also, need a hotel recommendation in Bellagio. We are going post cruise in September, and we are thinking of one night in Bellagio, and one night near the airport. The airport that starts with an M. Would love some feedback.

Thanks,

Vicki

[dbh62ark]

We stayed at a hotel near the train station in Milan in May, but I don't think I'd recommend that hotel anyway as we used it primarily as a stopping off point between Naples (stayed on the Amalfi Coast) and Lake Como.

 

We really loved the Hotel Florence in Bellagio. It was fantastic. If you can book the room that we had that has the large shared balcony overlooking the lake, you will have a fabulous experience.

 

How are you planning to travel to the lake? I have a few tips that may help. We're leaving to drive out of state for the holiday, but I'll check back next week to see if you need additional assistance.

 

Happy Thanksgiving,

Donna

[ACJV]

Donna,

That would e terrific. I look forward to hearing from you.

Vicki

[rebeccalouise]

I stayed at the Hotel Grand Serbelloni. This hotel is expensive but they have apartments that are reasonable. A couple I met there, who were only there for one night got one for cheap.

 

Also the Hotel Metropole is right on the waterfront, which is the best place to stay because the ferries pick up and drop off right there.

 

If I could make a suggestion... the train takes you from Milan- Varenna to get to the ferry for Bellagio. What might make the most sense is to stay in Varenna for two nights and then take the train from Varenna- Milan- the airport on the day you leave. Varenna is charming a small. This would be a good base for exploring Bellagio and might make your trip less hectic.

[ACJV]

Thanks Rebecca,

We need advice. Only two nights and really want to see the lakes. Where to stay Verenna?

Vicki

[rebeccalouise]

According to Trip Advisor it looks like the Albergo Milano is the place to stay. Check it out.

[dog]

Hotel Florence and Hotel Metropole in Bellagio are waterfront and have good reviews.

 

Malpensa airport??? The Crowne Plaza is between the 2 terminals.

[dbh62ark]

Donna,

That would e terrific. I look forward to hearing from you.

Vicki

http://www.bellagiohotel.it/inglese/italiano.html may help you with your planning. I’m not a big fan of Rick Steves, but the Lake Como chapter in his Italy 2007 book was good.

 

As another board member indicated, you’ll save yourself some time by taking the train from Milan Centrale station to Varenna and then the ferry to Bellagio (ferries run approx every half hour). Rick Steves’s book states that you have to be ready to hop off the train in Varenna quickly; our train was late (almost all of our trains in Italy were late arriving this year), so we asked a fellow passenger who was familiar with the route to let us know when to get off (we didn’t have any issues). After you cross the tracks in Varenna, walk around the right side of the station and down the hill (around the curve) to the ferry station. I think a lot of tourists take the train to Como, but the ferry ride from Como to Bellagio is much longer, and it sounds like you will be on a tight schedule. See http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html for train schedules. A driver from Como to Bellagio was 70 Euros in 2007, and the fee from Milan to Bellagio by car was 120 Euros. We enjoyed the scenery riding the train and ferry to get to our hotel in Bellagio, but our friends who had arrived after an international flight found the journey tiring and taxing, so a driver may be a good option for some (we had arrived after staying on the Amalfi Coast so did not have to deal with jetlag issues upon arrival in the Milan/Lake Como area). If you read notes about the safety issues in the Milan Centrale train station, note that we found it much better than Naples and much better than we had found that train station this year as compared to our visits to that station in the past. In Milan, there were armed guards at every turn, and we didn’t see a lot of riffraff in that train station (we did in Naples, but that’s another thread :)).

 

Also, I’m guessing that you’ll want to visit other villages on the lake. We loved riding the steamer boat around the lake, but it takes a lot of time. I would suggest that you take the fast hydrofoil to the point you want to visit on the lake (maybe Cernobbio where George Clooney has a villa) and then take the slow steamer back to Bellagio. The staff at the Hotel Florence worked with us to form a schedule because they said that even the locals have a hard time reading that crazy boat schedule (and the spring/summer schedule won’t be posted until approx March of next year anyway). I would also recommend that you visit at least one villa. Varenna and Menaggio are both located in the central lake area near Bellagio so are short and scenic ferry rides away from Bellagio, and we thought they were both delightful. The shopping in Bellagio is very nice, and I wish I had purchased more there. We had a total of 11 days in Italy in May/June this year, and the prices and selection were good in Bellagio.

 

My photos are too large to load on this site, so you’re welcome to e-mail me for a photo of our balcony room at the Hotel Florence in Bellagio (dahillark @ yahoo.com and remove the spaces).

 

We loved our stay in Bellagio so highly recommend, and I hope you have a wonderful stay there too.

 

Donna

[dbh62ark]

P.S. Lake Como public boat schedules and a map to reference for village locations: http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/eng/com/nlc_ora.html. Have fun! :)

[ACJV]

Donna,

Thanks for taking time to post the helpful information for Bellagio. We will study all of the information and make a decision.

Vicki

[DGK]

Hi ACJV,

We just finalized our plans to Bellagio post cruise Sept 2008. We will be leaving Venice on Sept 20th and booked the Hotel Florence in Bellagio. Still undecided on the best way to get there( train to lake Como then boat or train to Verrana and then ferry ) and then to Milan on the 23rd. What days are you planning on heading up to that region ?

DGK

[rebeccalouise]

I think that the hydrofoils go from Como- Bellagio during the season (check to see when the hydrofoils stop the commute up to Bellagio). I would think this would be the most scenic way to go. I flew into Milan took a very expensive 200Euro taxi ride to Bellagio one way and then the smart Varenna- Milan train back. However, the hydrofoils weren't running yet (this was end of March).

[ACJV]

DGK,

We are planning to go after our cruise September 12. I think that we may just do a day trip to Bellagio. We only have two nights and will fly home to Atlanta on the 14th. Trying to decide if it would be better just to stay near the train station or airport and be closer to Milan for flying home.

Vicki

[DGK]

We are a week behind you. I thought we might of been on the same cruise and could venture to Lake Como together.

DGK

[sewingmolly]

I would strongly recommend the Albergo Milano in Varenna. We stayed there two years ago and it was wonderful. The couple who run it were very personable and the cat was very friendly. We had room with a terrace looking over the lake. It was reasonably priced for the area and the quality of the room. We also had dinner at the hotel one night and it was a highlight of the trip - dinner on the terrace watching the sun set over Lake Como.

[Aussie Gal]

We have stayed at a hotel at Malpensa airport in Milan. It was in October this year and we stayed one night. It is the Crowne Plaza, a lovely hotel but it is miles from anywhere and you have to rely on the shuttle between the hotel and the airport. By the way, the airport is 40kms from Milan.

 

The restaurant was excellent there and our room was very comfortable.

 

If you are wanting to stay a night in Milan, then I can recommend Hotel Regina which is a small 4 star hotel, close to the Duomo and La Scala.

 

Jennie

[edinburgher]

There are also local buses between Como and Bellagio. Time is approx one hour between both places. If you wanted a return to Como which is quicker than a slower ferry this would be another option. The road runs through the lakeside villages on the one and only road.

 

There is only the one bus stop for these buses in Bellagio. Its opposite the ferry dock. The bus schedule is posted there. Be aware that you MUST buy your ticket before boarding. You buy it in a nearby shop. This is listed on the schedule or ask. In Como buy it from the ticket office.

 

We have seen the bus drivers allow people to board without a ticket in Bellagio, then a little further along the road they stopped the buses beside a shop which sold them. And waited for them to emerge with the tickets. If planning a round trip, you can buy both tickets at the same time. Then you dont need to go look for a sales point. The ticket is validated for the journey when you board the bus and insert it into the machine.

 

They stop very early evening but during the day are regular.

 

The bus stop/station is close to the train station. Just ask.