Via di Mezzo, Isola Pescatori, Stresa, Italy | (888) 399-9863
Secluded lakefront location on Isola dei Pescatori
Shopping, dining, and ferry dock are a short walk away
Spacious guest rooms with AC and flat-screen TVs
Most rooms have balconies with lake views
Some bathrooms have jetted tubs
Popular restaurant with regional specialties and local seafood
Free hot breakfast
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Isolated location on a small island
Guest rooms are slightly dated and lack kettles
No elevator
Hotel Belvedere is an unpretentious and charming two-and-a-half-pearl bed-and-breakfast on Isola dei Pescatori. The hotel is open seasonally and situated right on scenic Lake Maggiore, with a small stone beach plus superb lake views throughout the property. Its eight rooms are a bit dated and light on amenities, but they're spacious and pleasant overall, and all come with AC, flat-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi, and most have balconies with lake views, but they lack kettles. There's also a free hot breakfast at the hotel's acclaimed full-service restaurant with a terrace, but there's no elevator. Guests who want to a more upscale stay on the island can consider Albergo Ristorante Verbano.
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Scene
Lakefront hotel with stone beach and restaurant with scenic lake views for couples
Hotel Belvedere is a quaint and intimate family-owned bed-and-breakfast. It's housed in a rustic two-story building surrounded by trees and shrubs, with a stone walkway leading to the entrance. The lobby has a simple, charming look, with wood furniture and framed pictures and travel posters. Guests mingle here and sip drinks from the lobby bar. Both the restaurant and breakfast room offer superb views of the lake, and the breakfast room also features an exceedingly pleasant outdoor terrace. With its romantic Lake Maggiore setting, the Belvedere tends to attract couples and wedding parties.
Location
On quiet Isola dei Pescatori (Fisherman's Island), a 10-minute boat ride from Stresa
The lakefront Hotel Belvedere is on Isola dei Pescatori (Fisherman's Island), a quiet, car-free island on Lake Maggiore. The island is still a small fishing community, but its main business is tourism, and several restaurants, craft stores, and gift shops are a short walk from the hotel. The historic Church of San Vittore is a two-minute walk from the property.
Guests can take a Lago Maggiore Navigation ferry, or a private or hotel boat from the dock, a two-minute walk from the hotel, to the Carciano dock at Stresa, about a 10-minute journey. A popular retreat for the European aristocracy, Stresa features Piazza Cadorna square and luxury villas like Villa Ducale that dates from the late 18th century. It's a 10-minute walk from the dock to Grand Hotel des Iles Borromees, where Ernest Hemingway stayed and set part of his novel, “A Farewell to Arms.”
Stresa train station is a five-minute drive or 15-minute walk from the dock. The nearest major airport is Milan-Malpensa Aiport, which is about an hour and 30 minutes by train from Stresa Station.
Rooms
Pleasant and spacious, and most have balconies with lake views, but slightly dated decor
The eight spacious guest rooms at the Belvedere are simple and bright, but they're a bit spare, with mostly bare walls and slightly dated decor. Still, they're comfortable and pleasant, with hardwood floors, wood furniture, floral-print bedspreads, and neutral color palette, though some have vivid blue armchairs. Most boast balconies or terraces, some of which are quite large, and offer superb lake views. All units are equipped with air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi, but there are no kettles. Bathrooms could also use a refresh but they're tidy, and have distinctive tile in appealing sky-blue. Hairdryers, bidets, and showers or jetted tubs come standard, and some open to separate balconies.
Features
Free breakfast and well-regarded restaurant with a terrace, but no elevator
Features here are limited, but for a small bed-and-breakfast, Hotel Belvedere has enough amenities for a comfortable stay. There's a free breakfast with cooked-to-order eggs, Italian coffee, Sicilian orange juice, and standard American fare. In the summer high season, the spread has more variety. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner (reservations required for dinner) that earns high marks from guests for its cuisine, which features fresh fish from the lake and regional specialties made with local ingredients. Candelight dining is available, and the hotel has a small bar in the lobby.
Six mooring buoys are on-site for guests and restaurant patrons to reach the property by private boat, and the hotel has its own boat that guests can use for no extra charge. The hotel also hosts weddings and events. Travelers with limited mobility should be aware that the hotel has no elevator, and stairs are a bit difficult to climb. Hotel staff is on hand to provide assistance with luggage.
