REVIEWS
GRAND HOTEL FASANO AND VILLA PRINCIPE
Lake Garda, Italy
LOCATION: One need only catch a glimpse of the view from the terrace or wander through the lakeside gardens to understand why everyone from Catullus to DH Lawrence has waxed lyrical about Lake Garda. The hotel sits on the lake’s western shore in Gardone Riviera. This charming and peaceful resort is home to opulent villas clinging to the mountainside, and its main piazza, lined with pavement cafes, marks a pretty conclusion to a
night’s passeggiata. FIRST IMPRESSIONS: This belle époque- style hotel exudes a serene and somewhat fading sense of grandeur. Step into the shade of the magnolia and banana trees that dot the gardens, though, and it’s far more impressive: turrets, a flower-lined terrace, loungers that dot the grass around a large pool, and a jetty that juts out over the languid blue of lake. The romance is continued in the creamy hues of the elegant bedrooms, the most impressive of which have balconies that look out towards the lake. In communal areas, including the mahogany-panelled gin bar, paintings of stags and pheasants adorn the walls in a
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nod to the hotel’s past as a hunting lodge
for Austria’s imperial family. A GOOD BASE FOR: Although it would be entirely forgivable to while away days at the water’s edge, energetic types can take to the water by hiring boats, water skis or jet skis. There’s also the option to hire a bike (or, for more glamour, a vintage car) from the hotel and head to Salo, a historic town peppered with old palazzi. It’s also known for being the unofficial headquarters of Mussolini’s Italian Social Republic in the 1940s.
THE FACTS: There are 75 rooms, the grander of which are in Grand Hotel Fasano, which is home to all five suites. For a more boutique feel, the Villa Principe annexe has 12 rustic-chic rooms located in the calm of the hotel’s park. There’s an AQVA spa, while foodies will love the four restaurants. All are under the direction of local chef Matteo Felter, who adds modern flair to typical northern Italian recipes. Il Fagiano is the fine-dining option, offering impeccable service and an excellent tasting menu paired with glug- worthy wines. Il Pescatore combines fresh fish caught from the lake with cinematic
evening views from the terrace. WOW: It’s the view that clinches it. Whether you’re roaming around the gardens, cooling down in the pool, enjoying a drink on the terrace or watching the sun disappear into the water from your balcony, the impossibly
photogenic lake is hard to beat. HOW MUCH: Rooms start at €320 a night in low season, including breakfast.
GHF.IT
aspire december 2016 — 79
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