Hotel Villa Flori
N. Italy: Lombardy: Como
Situated directly on Lake Como, this hotel is just two kilometers from the town center of Como, the silk capital of Italy. The original building consisted of a one-story villa which the Marquis Raimondi, a famous Como patriot, built as a wedding gift for his 18-year-old daughter who, on the 24th of November 1860, was married to General Garibaldi. The marriage was a sensational high society event at the time, but the union lasted only "l'espace d'un matin". In fact, the "Hero of the Two Worlds" immediately left his young wife upon discovering some shady events from her past. The Garibaldi Suite is named after its famous occupant. The villa was transformed into a hotel in 1958 by the present owners, and has undergone extensive renovation. While not large, all rooms overlook the lake and all are air-conditioned and have all modern conveniences. For families, there are connecting rooms. Raimondi's restaurant boasts an exceptionally pleasant staff and excellent cuisine that can be served on the lakeside terrace during warm weather months. (JDB clients are urged to make dinner reservations at the time of their booking so as to be sure of finding a table available in this very popular restaurant.) The hotel is located on the main road between Como and Cernobbio and also very close to the border with Switzerland. A five-minute walk from the hotel is the silk factory outlet, Ratti. This is another excellent location for persons seeking a place to stay prior to driving to Malpensa Airport, about 45 minutes away. Garage parking is available at the hotel for a fee.

NOTE: Hotel will be closed December, January and February.